OU THEATRE SEASON 2025-26 POSTER SERIES
July 2025
Project Summary:
Created in collaboration with Graphic Design Program Director Kimmie Parker and Associate Professor of Theatre, Directing and Acting David Gram at Oakland University, this project aimed to unify the OU School of Music, Theatre and Dance’s 2025-26 theatre season posters in one eye-catching recognizable style. Utilizing digital illustration, this series brought the visions of the seasons shows to life.
Early Development
Preliminary digital sketches explored character, movement, color harmony and the effectiveness of the unified style within a predetermined layout template.
See examples of early sketches for ‘All Shook Up’, a jukebox musical featuring the music of Elvis Presley. This poster went through multiple compositional arrangements in an effort to differentiate from pre-existing posters for this show run by other theatres while maintaining visual interest. This process resulted in the final design to the far right.
The poster that saw the most drastic re-imagining from sketch to final was for ‘Mr. Burns a Post-Electric Play’, a play which follows multiple bands of performers re-enacting Simpsons episodes following a global apocalypse which leaves the world without power and electronic entertainment.
The absurdity of the production made for a difficult design pitch, balancing the dark theming and topic with the humor of The Simpsons. The play merges The Simpsons characters Sideshow Bob and Mr. Burns into a villain as the true story is lost over years of retelling.
Given that the majority of productions of this show opt to have Sideshow Bob as the focal piece as a pre-existing villainous threat, David and I instead pivoted to shine a literal ominous light on the titular figure of Mr. Burns instead.
Closing:
This project was a joy to work on and develop both compositional skills in leading viewers’ interest to the OU Theatre Department’s fantastic performances, and in utilizing illustration as a leading central design element.
The human nature of creating, sharing and discussing art is one that those who take part in both theatre and design are intimately familiar with. Both David and Kimmie were a joy to work with, bounce ideas off of and meet success together, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity.