Mitchell Ost

Assistant Professor

Mitchell Ost is a lighting, projection, and scenic designer. His work ranges from storefront theaters to grand opera houses, retail stores, houses of worship, parties, fashion shows, concerts, corporate events, and everything in between.

Before entering academia, he worked around the globe as a freelance designer based out of New York City. He was the lighting designer for Joe's Pub, the cabaret venue at The Public Theatre. He is the resident designer of the Layon Gray American Theater Company where he designed the long-running off-Broadway show Black Angels Over Tuskegee, and all subsequent touring productions. With Layon Gray, he has designed all his new productions which premiere at the International Black Theater Festival in Winston-Salem, NC. He serves as the resident scenic, lighting, and projection designer for the M Ensemble Company in Miami; Florida's longest running black theater. In 2013, he was the technical director for the entire New York Fringe Festival, overseeing 20+ venues and over 200 productions.

He has taught at Indiana University, the Borough of Manhattan Community College, and The College Preparatory School in Oakland, CA. While at College Prep, he received the Outstanding Educator Award from The University of Chicago.

Mitchell has a B.S. from Illinois State University, an M.F.A. from Indiana University-Bloomington, and an advanced certification from FlowerSchool New York.

He is a proud member of United Scenic Artists Local 829 and USITT. In 2019 he received the USITT Travel Grant, give to one person per year, to develop his multi-media adaptation of Edwin Abbott's novella Flatland.