Ben Crop

Technical Director

Adjunct Lecturer, Sound/Video Designer

Ben Crop is the Technical Director for the theatre department at Santa Barbara City College where he also teaches Stagecraft and Stage Management. Ben Started at SBCC in 2011, after being the assistant technical director for Portland Center Stage (LORT B/D), and Technical Director at Chemeketa Community College in Oregon. Ben is also an accomplished light and sound designer for both theatre and the concert industry, having worked with artists such as Alice Cooper, Poison, Leanne Rimes, Blake Shelton, Kenny Logins, and Air Supply. His light design credits include Midsummer Night's Dream, Death of a Salesman, To Kill a Mockingbird; the world premieres of Thunder City, Taming of the Shrew/Woman’s Prize, and Driving Under the Influence. Ben spent part of his early career in New York City where he worked with Theatre Communications Group (TCG) working on their 2008 Free Night of Theater program, helping coordinate it nationally. While in New York Ben also worked with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company as a designer and technician spending the evening as a trainee Stage Manager on Broadway’s Wicked. After training on Broadway, Ben has worked as an equity stage manager for productions such as Kiss Me Kate, Moonlight and Magnolias, and The Underpants.

Education

MBA, Non-profit management, Willamette University's Atkinson Graduate School of Management
BA, Technical Theatre, Willamette University

Courses Taught

TA 121: Introduction to Stagecraft

Academic Interests

The junction of Art and Technology, Video design for the stage, 3D CAD Drafting and Design, Structural and Mechanical Engineering

Teaching Philosophy

Storytelling is one of humanity's most powerful tools for social change. Theatre and the technology therein have a great power.

Professional Experience

Technical Director, Stage Manager, Lighting Designer, Sound Designer, Video Designer, Photographer

Personal Interests

Outside of theatre Ben loves the outdoors, from mountain biking and rock climbing, to backpacking 60+ miles through the highlands of Iceland. Some of ben’s outdoor successes include a solo bicycle trip down 900 miles of the coast of California; completing an ultra-marathon; and traveling to every inhabited continent on Earth. Ben also plays the Guitar and Banjo.

Recent Work