Dean Taucher is a production designer/set designer, originally from the Chicago area. He attended The Goodman School of Drama – Art Institute of Chicago and immediately began designing in the Off-Loop theater scene of the 1970’s. These theaters included Body Politic, St. Nicholas, the Organic Theater Company, the Goodman and Victory Gardens.
He moved to New York in 1979 and thanks to his membership in the United Scenic Artist Local 829 he worked on many Broadway shows including 42nd Street, Evita, Cats and at NBC on Season 5 of Saturday Night Live. His design work continued in regional dance and opera at The Penn Opera Theater, with Lynne Taylor-Corbett at the Atlanta Ballet and the Hubbard Street Dance Company.
His work as a scenic Artist let him to working on feature films where he was able to move into positions in the Art Department. From his initial job as charge scenic on Michael Mann’s film “Manhunter” he became an assistant art director and the following year he was hired by Mr. Mann as the production designer (credited as visual consultant) on Season 3 of Miami Vice, with Dick Wolf as the head writer.
Dean then made the TV movie “ L.A. Takedown” with Mann. He returned to New York to work with Dick Wolf for the CBS series, Harlem Eastside Lifesaving Project, H.E.L.P., and subsequently three season at FOX for New York Undercover and over 20 seasons of Law & Order, SVU at NBC. For David Chase at HBO, Dean designed Season One of The Sopranos and episodes two through thirteen, including many of the iconic permanent sets, the logo of the Bada Bing the logo for the show.
Off-Broadway he designed the plays Tabletop, Snakebit and River Deep: A Tribute to Tina Turner. He has worked with the director/choreographer Gabrielle Lansner on all her live and filmed projects for the last 25 years as designer and on her film projects as Executive Producer. Their current film, I AM NOT OK, is part of The Brooklyn Museum’s 200th Anniversary Show, The Brooklyn Artists Exhibition.
Dean Taucher’s debut as a playwright is marked by the creation of MOVIES TV MAYHEM, a satirical exploration of the chaotic and often absurd world of film and television production. Drawing on his extensive experience, Taucher crafts a riotous exposé informed by the unique quirks and motivations—often myopic, egocentric, and clueless—of those working both in front of and behind the camera. Whether or not these stories are true, they remain authentic “MOVIES TV MAYHEM,”making Taucher’s first play a memorable addition to his multifaceted career.