Bruce McLeodCo-VP - Heidelberg, Germany
Bruce McLeod is among the many transplanted Midwesterners in the area. His family moved to northwest Washington to be closer to their Canadian grandparents in Vancouver, BC. He earned a B.A. in Speech and Theatre from Western Washington University in Bellingham and started his professional theater career at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival before he discovered the vibrant cultural and amazing weather of the Bay Area.
Bruce’s professional theater career began as a stage manager, moving on to become technical director, lighting and set designer, and director. He has worked professionally in the Bay Area at the Magic Theatre, Center Rep, and for many years at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. His scenic designs for the musicals Rags and Sunday in the Park with George received awards from the Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. He continues to be a passionate advocate for the ability of live performances to change lives in an era when many rely on digital services for their arts entertainment. His design talents led him to become a founding partner of Living Design, where for 25 years he helped others re-imagine their lives through remodels and new homes on the Peninsula and in Northwest Washington. In 2006, Bruce closed the business to join the Theatre Arts faculty at Foothill College as the Director of Theatre Technology. In addition to teaching, he supervised the production elements for the departments’ award-winning shows and oversaw the operation of the Lohman Theatre. While at Foothill, he used a sabbatical to earn an M.B.A. from Marylhurst University. As emeritus faculty at Foothill, he continues to teach part-time and direct plays. In addition to his theater addiction, Bruce is an avid soccer booster. He started playing in high school, continued through college, and played in Palo Alto with amateur and semi-pro clubs. He is also a nationally licensed coach and has led youth teams at Menlo School, Palo Alto Soccer Club, and the State Olympic Development Program. He traveled overseas with many of these teams and saw firsthand the benefits of exposure to other cultures. Bruce lives in Palo Alto with his amazing wife, Carla Befera. Together, they have traveled around the world, throughout Europe (UK, France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland), as well as to China, Hong Kong, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Kenya, and other far-flung destinations, and they look forward to seeing more. They have two adult children, both graduates of Palo Alto schools (Addison, Greene, and Paly), who now reside in Seattle and New York, where their parents travel often to visit them. You can contact Bruce at [email protected] |