I am a queer theatre educator, technical production specialist, and scholar committed to inclusive, anti-oppressive pedagogy in the performing arts. I’m coining the phrase Queer Theatrist as a catchall. My work explores the intersections of design, identity, and education, with a focus on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), culturally responsive teaching, and equitable access to theatre education and production.

This site serves as a hub for my academic research, course materials, public scholarship, and creative projects—including my Open Educational Resource textbook Crafting Theatrical Magic and the Teaching While Queer podcast and oral history initiative. I also host the Queer Plays Database, a growing archive of theatrical works centering LGBTQ+ voices.

My goal is to reimagine technical theatre spaces through inclusive teaching, queer research, and collaboration. Whether you're a fellow educator, researcher, student, or collaborator, I invite you to explore, connect, and imagine new possibilities for theatre education together.

My work blends queer identity, technical theatre expertise, and inclusive education to reshape how we build, teach, and design in the arts.

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About Me

Bryan Stanton (they/them) is a queer theatre educator, technical director, and scholar whose work centers on inclusive design practices, culturally responsive pedagogy, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in theatrical production. With nearly two decades of experience in both commercial entertainment and academic theatre, Bryan blends industry expertise with a passion for educational equity.

They currently teach Theatre Production and Design at City College of New York, where they mentor student technicians, develop anti-oppressive curriculum, and advocate for accessibility in the arts. Bryan is the creator of Teaching While Queer, a podcast and oral history project that uplifts LGBTQ+ voices in education, and the author of Crafting Theatrical Magic: Building Worlds Through Theatre Design and Production, a forthcoming Open Educational Resource (OER) textbook rooted in justice-focused pedagogy.

Bryan’s research and public scholarship explore how technical theatre spaces—like scene shops and design labs—can be reimagined as safer, braver spaces for queer and disabled students. Their work has been featured at national conferences including USITT and NEA’s LGBTQ+ Caucus, and they are currently developing a full-semester course titled Queering Theatre Education to support educators in building more inclusive arts classrooms.

Affiliations: Teaching While Queer, USITT, PSC-CUNY, NEA LGBTQ+ Caucus, AATE, ATHE, ASTR

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