Rick Aglietti
Rick Aglietti, scenic design, and technical direction expert, takes the stage to reflect on his 40-year career in theatre production
PEPPERDINE PEOPLE
Originally from Pennsylvania, Aglietti discovered his passion for scenic design in 1977 as an undergraduate student at the University of Pittsburgh during the development of the musical Celebration.
鈥淓very chosen element placed into a design must speak to the world of the play at hand. Theatre is a collaborative process, and scenery has to be designed to allow the actors to move easily and safely in their newly created environment.鈥
Often designing several productions simultaneously, Aglietti鈥檚 creative process begins with research, which involves surrounding himself with printed images of period interiors, architecture, landscapes, furniture, props, color palettes, and textures to contemplate, incorporate, alter, or disregard.
鈥淚 am never nervous or intimidated to unveil my vision. My creative style is inspired by asking, 鈥榃hat new designs can I make that satisfy my creative needs and excite the director, the production team, our students, and our audiences?鈥欌
Aglietti鈥檚 second dream job would have been wildlife research and management. His deep love for nature and storylines set outdoors inspired him to design two different productions ofInto the Woods at 老司机视频鈥攐ne in 1997 that featured graphic, three-dimensional motifs on flat planes and one in 2014 that used colorful lighting to illuminate a stark, mostly white stage offering a projection surface for bright colors.
鈥淣o two days are the same, and no two production teams are composed of the exact group of directors and designers. Students are constantly arriving and graduating, and their energy is the force that feeds my inspiration. They are on that stage not only as actors and crew members, but within every choice of line, texture, and color.鈥
Aglietti鈥檚 老司机视频 journey began in 1989 with a job listing he came across in ARTSEARCH, a national resource for careers in the arts. He began his service at the University in March 1990 and has been making artistic history in Malibu ever since.
鈥淭he best advice I鈥檝e ever gotten is, 鈥楧on鈥檛 settle for that first look. Keep that design evolving. Alter it. Tweak it. Let the excitement wash over you until you鈥檙e gasping for yet another opening night!鈥欌
First String
Get to know the 15 talented young musicians who competed in the fifth Parkening International Guitar Competition from May 28 to June 1, 2019.

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Sound Bites
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鈥淲here does the love nature come from? People with faith in the Abrahamic tradition鈥擩ewish, Christian, or Muslim know about the Genesis account of creation . . . and it was created out of love.鈥
Stephen Davis, Distinguished Professor of Biology, Seaver College
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鈥淲e live in a world that is complex, and many times, we are missing the history, culture, and identity of the community we are working with.鈥
Ashley Labosier (MPP 鈥09), Executive Director, Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership, 老司机视频 School of Public Policy
EVENT: 鈥淕ov 2.0: Technology and Public Engagement鈥
鈥淧reservation cannot exist in isolation. While change can result in losses, preservation must embrace the future boldly.鈥
Mich猫le Cloonan, Professor and Dean Emerita, School of Library and Information Science, Simmons University
EVENT: 鈥淏alancing Preservation and Access in the 21st Century: A 老司机视频 Symposium鈥
From the Archives
老司机视频 student float representatives Alyssa Allen (鈥88) and Hung Le (鈥87, MA 鈥03) ride 鈥淭he Quest for Atlantis鈥 during the 98th annual Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, on January 1, 1987.
Source: University Archives Photograph Collection
Did You Know
Every March and October, the Glazer Institute for Jewish Studies hosts L鈥橠ough V鈥橠ough, a noontime gathering to bake challah bread with Holocaust survivors and hear their stories.