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Erica

ERICA ZAFFARANO

Phone: 612·232·8333
Email: ezaffarano@gmail.com


I started my theatrical career as a puppeteer...which led to mime...which led to acting in a touring theater company. After a few years on stage, I realized that my passion was design and creating worlds for actors, directors and audience members. I like to promote the idea that a set doesn't take life until there are actors using it. The thrill of opening night is only eclipsed when a production is unified and becomes a "theatrical experience"...something we all strive for.

SET DESIGN

PROP DESIGN

SCENIC ART

MIDWEST DESIGN AND MURALS
SOAP FACTORY’S HAUNTED BASEMENT-Production Designer 2013-15
EDEN PRAIRIE WATER TREATMENT MUSEUM—Des./Sculptor/Painter for exibits and mural—’98
LYRIC THEATRE —Set Designer '93—'96, ‘99
MCQUAY Tradeshow Exhibit — Sculpting and painting for Vertex Exhibits '96
WAYZATA NURSERY SCHOOL — Mural '96
DOGS AND CATS STORE— Mural and Scenic for Shea Arch. '95 at the Mall of America
DAIRY INDUSTRY BUILDING at Minnesota State Fair — Murals for Shea Arch. and Vertex Exhibits '94 and '95
UPTOWN NUVO Hair Salon — Remodel '95
ERTL Tradeshow Exhibit — Mural for Vertex Exhibits '95
MCQUAY Lobby — Mural for Vertex Exhibits '95
SCOTTSMAN Tradeshow Exhibit — Murals for Vertex Exhibits '93, '94, '95
CHAUTAQUA—ON—THE—RIVER — Design of Bridge Arch and Ticket Booth '95
HONEYWELL Tradeshow Exhibit — Sky Mural for Vertex Exhibits '94
UPTOWN NUVO Hair Salon — Mural '93
THE DISTRICT on 50th, Mpls, MN
NUTCRACKER SUITE BALLET — C.Y. Stephens Auditorium, Ames, IA Set Design and painting '94

REPRESENTATIVE DESIGN CREDITS

Television/Film

CAN-CAN CAFÉ—Children's Hospitals, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
TOTALLY HIDDEN VIDEO — Fox TV
GOLDEN EAGLE AWARD SHOW — Nanoia Productions
L.A. FIESTA BROADWAY — KMEX—TV
KMEX—TV, News Set
L.A. STREET FESTIVAL
OTI Festivals '88 and '89 — KMEX—TV
CONEXION DEPORTIVA — KMEX—TV
GANADORES DE FUTURA — L'Agencia
CRISTINA — Univision, Florida
TRAINING CAMP — Cable series
Schick Commercials, Schick Lab Inc., Los Angeles, CA
Culligan Commercial, HISK/Filmfair, CA
Fuji Film Commercial, Mallasch Studio, CA
AMI Medicare Industrial, AMI Inc. Los Angeles, CA
Tobacco Institute Industrial, Corporate Productions, Burbank, CA
Skipper's Fish and Chips — Seattle, WA
IBM — Seattle, WA
Ringmakers — Seattle, WA
Linda Ronstadt Video — "What's New" (René Lagler -Art Director)
Lionel Richie Video — "I Know"

Theatre

Circa 21 Playhouse-Rock Island, IL
StageWest, Medora, ND 
Frank Theater-Minneapolis, MN
Troupe America-Plymouth, MN
Soap Factory/Live Action Set-
Minneapolis, MN
Medora Musical-Stage West Productions, Medora, ND
Bloomington Civic Theater,
Bloomington, MN
Hennepin Theater Trust,
Minneapolis, MN
Tiger Lion Arts
- Minnepolis, MN
Theatre Forever
-Minneaplis, MN
Girl Friday Productions—Minneapolis, MN
History Theater, St. Paul, MN
Steppingstone Theater,
St. Paul, MN
20% Theater
, Minneapolis, MN
Urban Samurai, Minneapolis, MN
S.O.A.R. Arts-Albertville/St. Michael
Buffalo Gal Productions, McKnight Theater, St. Paul, MN
Guthrie Lab (Emigrant Theater), MN
Mixed Blood Theater, Minneapolis, MN
Cricket Productions/Emigrant Theater, Minneapolis, MN
Ten Thousand Things Theater, MN
Stages Theatre—Hopkins, MN
Sabes JCC—St. Louis Park, MN
Eden Prairie Players—Eden Prairie, MN
San Juan Islands Community Theater, Friday Harbor, WA
Jon Hassler Theater, Plainview, MN
Lyric Theatre—Minneapolis, MN
Access Theatre — Santa Barbara, CA
Nevada Actors Theatre — Las Vegas, NV
Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts — Santa Maria, CA
Landmark Theatre — Los Angeles, CA
Main Stage — Studio City, CA
Theatre 40 — Beverly Hills, CA
Old Creamery Theatre Co. — (Touring Theatre) Garrison, Iowa
Green Mountain Guild — Quechee, Stowe, Killington, Vermont
School of Performing Arts of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, USVI
Seattle Repertory Theatre — Seattle, WA 
Poncho Theatre — Seattle, WA
Intiman Theatre — Seattle, WA

RELATED EXPERIENCE

Artist-in-Residence:

Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA
Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
University of Maine, Gorham, ME
Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Wayzata High School, Wayzata, MN
Blake School, Hopkins, MN
Eden Prairie Mural Project, Eden Prairie, MN—One of 10 guest artists facilitating the community project

Scenic Artist:
MN Opera, Twin Cities, MN
Guthrie Theater, MN
Lincoln Exhibits, St. Paul, MN
Vertex Exhibits, Minneapolis, MN
Burbank Scenery, Burbank, CA
Playboy Jazz Festival, Hollywood Bowl
Grammy Awards 1982—85 (René Lagler -Art Director)
Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts, Santa Maria, CA
Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, CA
South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa, CA
Universal Studios
R.J. Showtime, LA
Cheryl Ladd Special, LA (René Lagler -Art Director)         
Berkofsky, Smillie, Barrett Prods., LA, CA
NBC — Burbank, California
Cherry—Mellon and Assoc., LA Heartbeat of America commercial
McDonald Corp, LA-Commercial
Uptown Nuvo, MN 
Seattle Repertory Theater, Seattle, WA (Scenic Artist and Asst. Designer)
Graphic and Web Sites:
King's Singers Newsletter and web site
Bob Chilcott Web design
Pax Christi Catholic Community Newsletter
Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Brochure
Netwell Noise Control ads and catalogue
Classic Elegance Corporate Gifts brochure design
Tim Stegall Carpets brochure design
USA Karate, web design
Other

Artist/Educator—Gifted and Talented Conference, University of St. Thomas, MN
Resident Designer for the Jon Hassler Theater, Plainview, MN
Founding Member of the Old Creamery Theatre Co., Garrison, IA
Founding Member of the Green Mountain Guild's Theatre for Children
Founding Member of the School of Performing Arts, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Designer for Tacoma's Bicentennial Celebration — GEORGE M

EDUCATION
MFA—Theatre Design (Sets, Lights, Costumes), University of Washington, Seattle, WA