2025 Stage Machine Design Competition Showcases Student Innovation in Entertainment Engineering

The 2025 Stage Machine Design Competition (SMDC) brought together interdisciplinary student teams from across the country to tackle a real-world engineering challenge at the intersection of entertainment and engineering. Hosted by the Fusion Studio for Entertainment and Engineering at Purdue University, SMDC continues to serve as a national platform for hands-on learning, applied design, and industry-aligned problem solving in theatre and entertainment engineering.

The Challenge

For the 2025 competition, student teams were tasked with designing a petal-drop stage machine—a system capable of delivering a visually compelling scenic effect while meeting strict constraints related to safety, repeatability, efficiency, and documentation. Teams were evaluated not only on the final design concept, but also on proposal clarity, installation strategy, technical documentation, and the overall effectiveness of their engineering solutions in a live-performance context.

Participating Teams

This year’s competition featured strong representation from multiple institutions:

• Northern Illinois University
  Students: Drew Bagby, Emery Foster, Luigi LoCasico, Jorge Serrano
  Coach: Tracy Nunnally
• University of Illinois, Champaign Urbana – Team 1
  Students: Bronwyn Garrett, Dylan Scott, Jack Filpi
  Coach: Bobby Reynolds
• University of Illinois, Champaign Urbana – Team 2
  Students: Rue Zadik, Samuel Lee, Rhys Mix
  Coach: Eben Alguire

In addition, a team from Missouri University of Science and Technology submitted an outstanding proposal but was unable to attend the final competition due to extreme weather conditions. Their work was recognized by the organizers for its quality and thoughtful approach to the challenge.

All submitted proposals can be viewed at: 2025 SMDC | Purdue University | Fusion Studio for Entertainment and Engineering

Award Recipients

The 2025 SMDC judges recognized excellence across multiple dimensions of design and execution:

• Best Overall Design – Northern Illinois University
• Best Proposal – Northern Illinois University
• Most Elegant Implementation – Northern Illinois University
• Best Design Document – Northern Illinois University
• Most Efficient Installation – University of Illinois, Champaign Urbana (Team 1)
• Most Effective Design – University of Illinois, Champaign Urbana (Team 1)

The results reflect the depth of technical rigor, creativity, and collaborative problem-solving demonstrated throughout the competition.

Industry Support and Judging

The Stage Machine Design Competition would not be possible without the continued support of its industry sponsors, who not only provide financial backing but also send professional representatives to serve as judges. Their participation ensures that student work is evaluated through a real-world lens and reinforces the strong pipeline between academia and the live entertainment industry.

THANK YOU to the 2025 Sponsors: Associated Controls and Design, PRG Scenic Technologies, and IWeiss.

Looking Ahead

The 2025 SMDC once again highlighted the value of experiential learning in entertainment and engineering education—challenging students to design under realistic constraints, communicate technical ideas clearly, and collaborate across disciplines. The Fusion Studio is proud to support this growing community of students, educators, and industry partners, and looks forward to continuing the Stage Machine Design Competition in future years.

*All photography credits to Melonie Yvonne