Theatre Professor Accepted into American Society of Theatre Consultants

Photo by University Relations

Andrew Gibbs

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Andrew Gibbs, emeritus professor of theatre in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, has been accepted into the American Society of Theatre Consultants. Since its founding in 1983, society members have consulted on most of the professional and college theatres, opera houses, concert halls and multi-purpose venues in the United States.

"I am honored to have been accepted into the American Society of Theatre Consultants," Gibbs said. "The roster of ASTC members includes many of our industry's best known and respected theatre specialists. I am looking forward to getting to know these colleagues through ASTC and taking advantage of participation in the organization's activities."

According to the organization's website, society members are "professional theatre consultants who have demonstrated a broad range of capability and experience" and "have individual and collective interests in providing unbiased, functionally sound and practical consulting and design services to owners, users, architects and engineers for performance and assembly facilities." The members' interests are reflected in the society's objectives and programs.

Gibbs has been a practicing theatre consultant for more than 35 years and has been involved in many local projects including the Performing Arts Center at Fayetteville High School and several area auditoriums in Farmington, Siloam Springs, Bentonville and Rogers. His resume also includes college-level projects such as the Fowler Center for the Performing Arts at Arkansas State University, the Center for Community Development at Arkansas State University - Mountain Home and the Ellis Fine Arts Center in Fort Scott, Kansas. In addition to his work with commercial and municipal venues, Gibbs has also assisted in more than 60 projects with theatres in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Missouri.

Gibbs retired from the university in 2013 after serving in the Department of Drama, now the Department of Theatre, since 1978. He also served 20 years as chair of the department. His subject specialties include lighting and scenic design, theatre management and theatre architecture.