John W. Roberts, Dean of Arts and Humanities, has named Department of Theatre Associate Professor Dan Gray, Acting Chair, Department of Theatre for the 2010-11 academic year. Gray replaces Department of Theatre Chair Mark Shanda, who will serve a one-year term as Interim Dean of Arts and Humanities, beginning July 1.

Gray is looking forward to his new leadership new role in the department. "It gives me the opportunity to continue Mark's initiatives and to collaborate with faculty, staff and students on new projects," he said.

A faculty member and resident scenic designer since 1996, Gray currently chairs the department’s Promotion and Tenure Committee and is also Semester Conversion Liaison. He is a member of the Arts and Sciences Senate and its Steering Committee. A regular participant in recruiting events for the Arts and Humanities, Gray was also resident director of the Cuban Performance and Culture Study Abroad for three years—a program sponsored by the department and the Office of International Education..

Gray has been a working theatre professional for more than 20 years. The winner of six regional Peggy Ezekiel Awards for Design Excellence from the United States Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT), his design for Theatre’s production of Feral Music was selected as part of the 2003 Prague Quadrennial. In 2006, Gray designed and Theatre faculty member Lesley Ferris directed a production for the Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, R.S.A.

He has designed productions at regional theatres and also assisted scenic designer Michael Anania on projects for Broadway, The New York City Opera, Paper Mill Playhouse, and the Minnesota Opera. He continues to design productions for central Ohio theatre companies, including CATCO, BalletMet, Dayton Ballet, and The Human Race Theatre Company.