Davison Scandrett
Davison Scandrett is a production manager and lighting designer specializing in experimental performance collaborations across dance, architecture, visual art, poetry, music, information science, criticism, theater, and responsive media.
Biography
Scandrett joined Bennington in 2024 after spending two decades working in the New York dance and performance community, most notably as Director of Production for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company from 2008-2012. Other production management credits include: Goldberg, Deep Blue Sea, Euphoria, and Land of Broken Dreams for the Park Avenue Armory; Kafka on the Shore, Reich/Reverberations, and National Ballet of China for Lincoln Center Festival; Heart of Brick and Sara Mearns: Piece of Work for Joyce Theater Productions; and international tours of An Iliad, Parable of the Sower, Night of 100 Solos, Wendy Whelan: Restless Creature, L.A. Dance Project, Gibney Company, BalletBoyz, Lyon Opera Ballet, Miguel Gutierrez, Jennifer Monson, and Silkroad Ensemble.
With designs in the repertories of Dance Theater of Harlem, Miami City Ballet, New York City Ballet, and Paris Opera Ballet, Davison has also created lighting for independent artists including Pam Tanowitz, Sonya Tayeh, Beth Gill, Liz Roche, Jodi Melnick, Moses Sumney, Jason Moran, Simone Dinnerstein, Charles Atlas, Anne Carson, and Mike Birbiglia, among others. In 2007 he was the recipient of a Bessie Award for his collaboration with Sarah Michelson and Parker Lutz on the visual design of DOGS at Brooklyn Academy of Music and more recently spent two years as lighting consultant for virtual reality research at the Oculus lab in Pittsburg.
Scandrett created and performed the evening-length works Way In at Danspace Project and Taste at O Miami Poetry Festival with longtime collaborators Rashaun Mitchell + Silas Riener and poet/critic Claudia La Rocco. He was also featured in Performance, Mitchell’s collaboration with musician Stephin Merritt and visual artist Ali Naschke Messing at the ICA Boston and REDCAT in Los Angeles.
Prior to his career in dance and performance art, Scandrett was the head electrician for the World Tour of Rent and the First National Tour of The Drowsy Chaperone. He holds a B.F.A. in Design and Production from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and currently serves as Touring Consultant for the Park Avenue Armory and Design & Production Consultant for the Merce Cunningham Trust.
Scandrett joined Bennington as a Technical Instructor in Lighting and Dance Production in Spring 2024.