David Navalinsky
Professor, Director of Undergraduate Production; Director of Undergraduate Studies
919-962-1557
CDA #208
David is the Director of Undergraduate Production overseeing the Kenan Theatre Company. He is also the Director of Undergraduate Studies serving as the lead advisor in the Department.
During the past few summers David has been the lighting designer for La Musica Lyrica in Novafeltria Italy where he also performed in his first Opera. David has been the lighting for Murder to Two and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever at Cape Fear Regional Theatre, lighting and scenic designer for No Fear and Blues Long Gone; Nina Simone, and lighting for the Pauli Murray Project’s To Buy the Sun.
David taught at The University of Texas at Arlington and the University of Mississippi where he served as technical director and production manager. While in Oxford, MS he was the Managing Director for the inaugural season of the Oxford Shakespeare Festival. David has worked professionally for South Coast Repertory, the Utah Shakespeare Festival, Dallas Children’s Theater, The Illinois Shakespeare Festival, and Karamu Performing Arts Theatre.
Some other cool stuff David has done. He designed scenery for The Uncanny Valley by UNC’s Francesca Talenti at The Brick Theatre in Brooklyn, NY. The Uncanny Valley featured a Robothespian™ which is exactly what it sounds like. He has also been creating a documentary theatre piece with collaborators Jackson Bloom (UNC 15) and Ali Evarts (UNC 14) Priceless Gem: An Athlete Story which tells the stories of UNC athletes. Some of David’s all time favorite projects were at the Dallas Children’s Theater where he made a dinosaur collapse and pirates walk the plank.