Majors: Theater & Performance Studies / Gender & Women’s Studies
Focus Areas: Technical Theater & Scenic Construction
Pronouns: She/Her
Email: erinkmarkham@berkeley.edu
Growing up in Los Angeles, I had theater, dance, and musical productions happening all around me. I never took much notice or thought twice about it until my middle school's production of Peter Pan. I was recruited by my English teacher to do run crew, and that's when I truly understood and fell deeply in love with the community, camaraderie, adrenaline, and passion that comes with being a part of live performance.
When I started at Cal, I knew I wanted to pursue technical theater, but was unsure of what I specifically wanted to develop a focus in. My love for scenic carpentry and all things construction came while taking the scenic lab course, Theater 169. After that semester, my mind was set, and because of the way the department is structured, I’ve been able to take one-on-one independent courses with the lead carpenter to further my skills!
During my time in the department, I’ve been able to work in various technical roles, such as lightboard and spotlight operator, run crew, and assistant carpenter in a variety of TPDS productions, thanks to the amazing hands-on nature of the classes in the major. I’ve also met some of the coolest people, now lifelong friends, here. It has truly been the highlight of my time at Cal to be able to spend this time growing my passion with such genuine individuals as my mentors and peers.
I'm also double majoring in Gender and Women’s Studies, so whether you have questions about balancing workload, deciding on double majoring, or any other concerns about the process, please feel free to shoot me an email. Similarly, if you have any questions about pursuing technical theater or scenic carpentry/painting, or just want to grab coffee and chat, don't hesitate to reach out!