Jim Thurston is a free-lance designer and educator. He holds a Masters of Fine Arts from Northwestern University's School of Speech in design for the stage. He has created designs for over 100 productions including plays, musicals, and modern dance. His specialties are scene design and stage lighting.

Jim teaches design and technical production for the Department of Theater and Dance at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. He serves on the Physical Plant Committee at the Waterville Opera House and is involved in the renovation of this magnifincent cultural resource.

Jim's research centers on innovation and aesthetic change in scenography for contemporary dance. He investigates evolving aesthetic shifts due to the impact of the digital age on choreography, performance, and scenography. Currently he is the principal of a CBB Mellon Foundation grant titled "Live Performance and Digital Media: Expanding Creative and Pedagogical Opportunities."