Shaminda Amarakoon Named Director of Production at Yale School of Drama/Yale Repertory Theatre

James Bundy, Dean/Artistic Director has announced the appointment of Shaminda Amarakoon as Chair of the Technical Design and Production Department and Director of Production at Yale School of Drama/Yale Repertory Theatre for a three-year term effective July 1, 2017.

Amarakoon will succeed Bronislaw (Ben) Sammler, the Henry McCormick Professor Adjunct of Technical Design and Production, who will step down June 30 from his duties as Chair, which he has held since 1980, and Head of Production. Sammler will continue on the faculty part time, teaching "Structural Design for the Stage," and will also consult on plans for a new facility to house both the School of Drama and Yale Rep.

"Ben Sammler's contributions to the life of Yale School of Drama and Yale Rep, and the field at large, are unparalleled. He is one of the most prolific scholars and teachers of technical design in the world and alumni of the School's Technical Design and Production Department are themselves international leaders in every performance medium," said James Bundy. "In addition, the quality of the work seen at Yale Rep and the School over several generations owes everything to his dexterous professional hand, eagle eye for artistry, and cool head under pressure."

Mr. Bundy continued, "Shaminda Amarakoon's outstanding leadership of large production teams, as well as his technical expertise, and his dedication to maintaining and extending the Technical Design and Production Department's extraordinary traditions of excellence and camaraderie in the evolving aesthetic, technical, and social contexts of twenty-first century performing arts practice, uniquely position him for success in this new role."

"It is an incredible honor to be given stewardship of a department that has produced some of the top leaders in technical management, technical design, and consulting for arts and entertainment," Shaminda Amarkoon said. "Ben Sammler has built an amazing program that honors the foundations of production planning while exploring the bounds of emerging technology. I am humbled to follow in his footsteps, and will look to continue and advance the tradition of excellent teaching and practice in the program, which takes pride in our support of artists and our art form."

The Yale School of Drama Technical Design and Production faculty also includes Chuck Adomanis, Michael Backhaus, Alexander Bagnall, Erich Bolton, Jon Cardone, Elisa Cardone, Damian Doria, Tony Forman, Alan Hendrickson, Robin Hirsch, David Johnson, Eugene Leitermann, Tom McAlister, Jennifer McClure, C. Nikki Mills, Neil Mulligan. Jonathan Reed, William J. Reynolds, David P. Schrader, Rosalie Stemer, Pat Van Horn, Matt Welander, and Carrie Winkler.

Bronislaw (Ben) Sammler, Head of Production of Yale Repertory Theatre, has been Chair of Yale School of Drama's Technical Design and Production Department since 1980. In 2007 he was named the Henry McCormick Professor Adjunct of Technical Design and Production by Yale's President, Richard C. Levin. He is co-editor of Technical Brief and Technical Design Solutions for Theatre, Vols. 1, 2, & 3, and co-author of Structural Design for the Stage winner of the United States Institute of Theatre Technology's (USITT) Golden Pen Award in 2000. Mr. Sammler has served as Vice Commissioner and Commissioner of USITT's Technical Production Commission and was co-chair of the first five USITT National Theatre Technology Exhibits. He is a past Director-at Large and a current Fellow of USITT. Mr. Sammler was honored as Educator of the Year in 2006 by the New England Theatre Conference and chosen to receive the USITT Distinguished Achievement Award in Technical Production in 2009. He earned his BA at SUNY Brockport (1967) and MFA at Yale School of Drama (1974).

Shaminda Amarakoon currently serves as Production Manager at Second Stage, where he manages technical operations and supervises the production heads for three venues, including consulting on renovations of Broadway's Helen Hayes Theatre. Prior to joining Second Stage, he worked in production management for various Broadway, off-Broadway, and national tours through Tech Production Services and then Lincoln Center Theater. He has also worked as a carpenter, technical director, and in production management at Yale Repertory Theatre, Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Shakespeare Theatre Company, and Center Theatre Group. Broadway credits include The Heiress, Lucky Guy, Rocky, and The King and I; regional credits include Jersey Boys (Asian Tour), Rock of Ages (Las Vegas), and Seminar (Ahmanson Theater). He received his BA from Alfred University and his MFA from Yale School of Drama, where he has served as a Lecturer since 2013.