Ms Tessa Rixon
Faculty of Creative Industries, Education & Social Justice,
School of Creative Practice,
Drama
Biography
Tessa Rixon is a practitioner-researcher in digital scenography & Australian performance design. She is the Chair of the Research Commission for the International Organisation of Theatre Designers, Architects and Technicians (OISTAT), and the National Secretary for the Australasian Association for Theatre, Drama and Performance Studies (ADSA).Tessa's research promotes new modes of integrating established and emergent technologies into live performance; exploring the potentiality of authenticity within digital scenography; and showcasing Australian performance design practice and histories. Her latest research explores the impact of the pandemic on digital pedagogies within the creative arts, and the role of technology within ecoscenography. Her research has been published in top-ranked publications including the International Journal of Performance Arts and Digital Media, and Theatre and Performance Design. In 2021 Tessa guest-edited the first special edition in over a decade to highlight Australian performance design (Scene Journal (Intellect)).
As Lecturer in Scenography and Technical Theatre at Queensland University of Technology, Tessa specialises in scenography, production practice, vision systems, 3D design modeling, and show technologies including Isadora. In her professional practice, she has worked across a range of dance, drama, music and festival projects as a lighting, vision and systems designer, technical manager, festival coordinator, operator and stage manager. Qualifications include a Bachelor of Creative Industries (Drama), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Technical Production), Bachelor of Creative Industries (Honours), as well as a Fellowship with the Higher Education Academy.
Tessa is the Australian Committee Representative for ITEAC ’23 (the International Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference), and a founding co-convenor of the Australasian Association for Theatre, Drama and Performance Studies (ADSA) Scenography and Performance Design Working Group.
Tessa is an active member of IFTR, TAPRA and OISTAT working groups on theatre and performance design and technology.
Tessa is conducting her doctoral research on the integration of new media technologies into Australian live performance, investigating examples of national practice and finding new ways to create authentic, engaging performance for all audiences.
Tessa is available to supervise research students in relevant fields. Please reach out for more information.
Personal details
Positions
- Senior Lecturer
Faculty of Creative Industries, Education & Social Justice,
School of Creative Practice,
Drama
Keywords
Technical Production, Scenography, Performance design, Technology, Theatre, Dance
Research field
Performing Arts and Creative Writing
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Creative Arts (Honours) (Queensland University of Technology)
- Bachelor of Creative Industries (Drama) (Queensland University of Technology)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Technical Production) (Queensland University of Technology)
Professional memberships and associations
International Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference (ITEAC) 2022 - Planning Committee Representative for Australia
Australasian Association for Theatre, Drama and Performance Studies (ADSA) - National Secretary
International Organization of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians (OISTAT) - Chair of the Research Commission
International Federation of Theatre Research (IFTR) - Member
Theatre and Performance Research Association (TaPRA) - Member
Theatre Network Australia (TNA) - Member
Higher Education Academy (HEA) - Fellow
Matilda Award Judging Committee - Judge
Teaching
Scenography
History of Performance Design
Performance design tools and techniques
Vision Systems for theatre and performance
Interactive, real-time performance systems
SketchUp
Isadora
Technical drawing
Academic Skills
Experience
International Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference (ITEAC) 2022 - Planning Committee Representative for Australia
Australasian Association for Theatre, Drama and Performance Studies (ADSA) - National Secretary
International Organization of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians (OISTAT) - Chair of the Research Commission
Matilda Award Judging Committee - Judge (2019-2021)
Publications
Research outputs by year
- Rixon, T., (2021). Australian scenography. Scene, 9(1-2), 3–11. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/214193
- Rixon, T., Moyle, G., Hutchison, S. & McKinney, J. (2021). Authenticity within Digital Performance: A New Framework to Understand the Relationship between Audience, Vision Technology and Scenography. Australasian Drama Studies (79), 253–289. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/227475/
- Kelly, K., Rixon, T., Neideck, J., Pike, S. & Brumpton, A. (2021). Dark Mountain: Scenography for the end of the world and a more-than-human future. Theatre and Performance Design, 7(3-4), 163–179. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/214296
- Rixon, T., Brumpton, A. & O'Neill, C. (2021). Reimagining Production Pedagogy in Response to COVID-19: A New Pedagogical Model for Creating Virtual Online Performance. Critical Stages/Scènes critiques, 2021(23). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/211533
- Rixon, T., Taylor, M., Briscoe, J., Burke, R., Osmond, S., McKeague, M., Roberts, R. & Tregloan, A. (2021). The state of Australian performance design: A roundtable discussion on scenographic practice, education and research through the lens of the Prague Quadrennial. Scene, 9(1-2), 13–35. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/214191
- Rixon, T., Irwin, J., Walters, D., Neideck, J., McKeague, M., Roberts, R., Brumpton, A. & Taumoepeau, L. (2021). Shaping Our Australian Scenographic Identities: A visual essay. Scene, 9(1-2), 133–155. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/214192
- Rixon, T., Kelly, K., Neideck, J., Pike, S., Winter, S. & Clark-Fookes, T. (2021). I Will Teach You in a Room - I Will Teach you Now on Zoom: Evidence-based research on creative arts digital pedagogy in Australia. Presented at: Architecture Media Politics Society (AMPS) Conference. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/209967
- Rixon, T. & Winter, S. (2020). Celebrating fifty years in Prague: reflections on Australian scenographic identity through the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space. Australasian Drama Studies (76), 296–329. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/201389
- Rixon, T., (2019). Symbiosis in digital performance: the relationship between interactive technologies and improvisational choreography. Behind the Scenes: Journal of Theatre Production Practice, 2(1). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/197358
- Kelly, K., Gattenhof, S. & Rixon, T. (2018). SAND. Presented at: SAND [Play]. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/122419
QUT ePrints
For more publications by Tessa, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).
Awards
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2020
- Details
- Finalist in the Women in Technology 'Rising Star (Technology)' Award, sponsored by NTT.The award:The award is to acknowledge women making a significant contribution to the growth and development of their teams and organisation, serving as role models. 3¿10 years¿ experience. Applicants does not need to reside in Queensland, but must demonstrate a significant contribution to the Queensland technology industry. The organisation:Women In Technology is the peak industry body for women in technology and sciences within Queensland. Their vision is to advance, connect and empower women in technology and sciences. They are committed to:Developing a strong and sustainable network for members and supporters with industry; Building mutually beneficial partnerships and relationships with government, academia and industry; Advocating for our members on relevant issues to advance the presence and status of women in technology and life sciences; Providing development opportunities and add
- Type
- Funding Award
- Reference year
- 2020
- Details
- Recipient of $10,000 research funding support as part of the Women In Research 2020 funding award process (Women in Research Committee and Creative Industries joint funding)
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2017
- Details
- Vice Chancellor's Performance Award: Excellence in teaching. In recognition of significant and superior contribution to the work of the university.
- Type
- Fellowship of a Learned Academy or Membership of AIATSIS
- Reference year
- 2017
- Details
- Fellow. HEA Fellowship is an international recognition of a commitment to professionalism in teaching and learning in higher education and demonstrates that the individual's practice is aligned with the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF)
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2016
- Details
- Highly Commended - 2016 Sessional Teaching and Reflection Showcase
Supervision
Looking for a postgraduate research supervisor?
I am currently accepting research students for Honours, Masters and PhD study.
You can browse existing student topics offered by QUT or propose your own topic.