Tammy Honesty joined the School of Theatre and Dance in 2016 after being Head of Design at Western Illinois University for two years.   Prior to joining Kent State University, she was an Assistant Professor at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota; a Visiting Assistant Professor of Scene Design at University of Cincinnati CCM, Denison University, and Wilmington College; Full-Time Faculty Associate at Wright State University; a guest artist and instructor Miami University, Xavier University, and Sinclair Community College.  Teaching courses ranging from Theatre Appreciation, Stage Management, Scenic Design, Stagecraft to graduate level design courses in Scenic Design, Props, and Collaboration.

She is a native Ohioan with a B.A. degree in Theatre from Wilmington College.   Tammy earned her Master of Fine Arts in Scenic Design from West Virginia University graduating Phi Kappa Phi.  She designs regionally and nationally.  Her scenic design for Picnic for the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music won a Cincinnati Acclaim Award as well as an USITT Ohio Valley Section Peggy Ezekiel Award of Outstanding Achievement, USITT OVS Board's Choice Award, and was showcased in the World Stage Design 2013 online gallery.  Her designs have been on stages from New York City (Off-Off-Broadway) to the Human Race Theatre Company in Dayton to the University of Illinois and Western Illinois University.   She enjoys designing theatre for young audiences and has designed 10 productions for the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park's Educational Touring Company.  Other projects include the scenic design for 42nd Street for Wright State University, Crowns for the Human Race Theatre, and La Cenerentola for University of Cincinnati CCM, and the Midwest premiere productions of Managing Maxine, Lombardi, and Becky's New Car for the Human Race Theatre Company.

In addition to designing scenery, Tammy has been a scenic artist for River City Scenic and 3dx Scenic Studios where she was also a project manager. Examples of her painting talents have been cruising the world on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Lines, and on display at various corporate theatre events including the Longaberger conventions. 

Tammy is an active member of United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT). She has been a conference presenter at both the regional and national level.  Since 2001, she has been actively involved with the Ohio Valley Section, first as an active member, then as a Board Member at Large for 3 years, then as a two-term Vice Chair of Programming.  As a Regional Programming Co-Coordinator for the 2009 National Conference & Stage Expo in Cincinnati, she developed a passion for serving the organization at the national level.  Since the 2009 conference, she has served on the conference committee in several capacities including trouble-shooter, conference office co-coordinator, and Assistant Programming Coordinator.  Currently, she is entering her third year as Programming Coordinator for the annual conference that has over 350 sessions, receptions, and meetings. Being involved in the various facets of USITT has helped her become a better educator, designer, and professional. 

Recent and Upcoming Projects

• Family Ties—World Premiere—Scenic Design  (Human Race Theatre Company, Dayton, OH)  June, 2017
• NATAS Lower Great Lakes Chapter Regional Emmy Awards Set—Cleveland, OH—Set designed by Design Studio Scenery class.  June, 2017
• Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead—Scenic Design (Florida State University)  November 2017
• An Evening With Groucho—Scenic Design (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park) November 2017
• The Fake Food Cookbook:  Props You Can’t Eat For Theatre, Film, and TV co-author, expected publication date February, 2018