PLAYBILL
R
Northwestern University · Evanston, Illinois
Aaron
Butikofer
Butikofer
A Resume in Three Acts
A note from
the artist.
the artist.
I'm a dual-degree student at Northwestern studying Performance Art and Mechanical Engineering — two disciplines that both require precision, collaboration, and a lot of creativity.
I grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where I was valedictorian of my high school class and managed the local pool. At Northwestern, I work with the Communications team, manage equipment for our athletic teams, sing in Bienen Chorale, and coordinate events for the Waa-Mu Show. I care about community, performance, and have a passion for set design.
Theater & Performance
Mechanical Engineering
Set Design
MATLAB Coding
Python Coding
CAD Modeling
Excel Proficiency
Act I
The Training
I
Northwestern University · Evanston, IL
Bachelor of Performance Art
Training
- Ballet
- Contemporary
- Partnering
- Acting — Meisner method
Bienen School of Music · Northwestern
Bienen Chorale Singers
Member of Northwestern's collegiate choir, performing regularly and building discipline, ensemble collaboration, and stage presence alongside coursework.
II
University of Iowa · Iowa City, IA
- Ballet
- Training with Sean Boyt
Vocal Coaches
- Bradley Barrett
- Stephanie Rohr
Ruth Page Center · Chicago, IL
2026 Summer Dance Intensive
- Jazz
- Modern
- Contemporary
- Ballet
▾ Photo
All-State Choir
Selected Iowa All-State performer
Special Recognition
Principal role performance award
Skills
Voice
Tenor 2 (A2–A4 chest/mixed, falsetto to D5)
Vocal percussion — intermediate
Trumpet — 8 years, strong sight-reader
Piano — chords & inversions
Vocal percussion — intermediate
Trumpet — 8 years, strong sight-reader
Piano — chords & inversions
Dance & Movement
Ballet
Contemporary dance
6 years hip-hop
Partnering & lifts
Windmill break move
Combat — 12+ years wrestling
Contemporary dance
6 years hip-hop
Partnering & lifts
Windmill break move
Combat — 12+ years wrestling
Specific Skills
Juggling
Cartwheels
Northern US & Canada dialect
Common dialect
Strong upper-body strength
Athletic throwing (football, baseball)
Cartwheels
Northern US & Canada dialect
Common dialect
Strong upper-body strength
Athletic throwing (football, baseball)
General
5′9″ · 175 lbs
Caucasian
Waa-Mu Events Coordinator
Set design & construction
Playwriting
Caucasian
Waa-Mu Events Coordinator
Set design & construction
Playwriting
Act II
The Productions
01
Dolphin Show · Northwestern · 2027
Newsies — Morris Delancey
Playing Morris Delancey in the 2027 Dolphin Show production of Newsies.
↗
Playing Morris Delancey in the 2027 Dolphin Show production of Newsies.
Coming Soon · January 2027
02
Cedar Rapids, IA · 2025
Call it a Day — Easton
Played Easton, an 18-year-old high school student graduating and searching for his identity.
↗
Played Easton in Call it a Day — an 18-year-old high school student on the edge of graduation, caught between who he's expected to be and who he's still figuring out he is.
Coming Soon · Spring 2027
03
Waa-Mu Show · Northwestern · 2026
Dillo Day Disaster — Ensemble
Northwestern's original student-written musical.
↗
Performed as part of the ensemble in the Waa-Mu Show — Northwestern's student-written musical, running since 1929.
04
Ten-Minute Play Festival · Northwestern · 2026
Emmanuel Launamel
Leading role in Northwestern's Ten-Minute Play Festival.
↗
05
TYA · Northwestern · 2026
Barnyard Bash — TYA
Leading role in a Theater for Young Audiences production at Northwestern.
↗
Leading role in a Theater for Young Audiences production at Northwestern.
06
Short Film · Evanston, IL · 2026
Rap Batter — Actor / Beat Boxer
Actor and beat boxer in a short film production.
↗
Acted and performed vocal percussion in a short film based in Evanston.
07
Cedar Rapids, IA · 2025
Hello, Dolly! — Barnaby Tucker
Played Barnaby Tucker in a full production of Hello, Dolly!
↗
Performed Barnaby Tucker in Cedar Rapids.
Act III
The Experience
2026–Present
Waa-Mu Show · Northwestern
Events Coordinator
▾ Photo & Description
2026–Present
Wirtz Center · Northwestern
Set Construction
▾ Photo & Description
November 2027
Wirtz Center · Northwestern
Set Design — Thinner Than Water
▾ Photo & Description
Northwestern University
A Midsummer Night's Dream — Scenic Design
▾ Photo & Description
2027
Sit and Spin · Shanley
Supernova — Scenic Design
▾ Photo & Description
November 2027
Wirtz Center · Northwestern
Co-Producing — WAA-Mu Cabaret
▾ Photo & Description
Portfolio
Act I
The Education
I
Northwestern University · Evanston, IL
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Dual-degree student between Mechanical Engineering and Theater — hands-on work in both degrees. Anticipated June 2029.
3.55
Cumulative GPA
II
Washington High School · Cedar Rapids, IA
High School Diploma
- Football Team Captain
- Show Choir President
- Honor Society Vice President
TPED
Theme Park Engineering and Design · Mechanical Engineering Team
Delta Sigma Pi
Professional Business Fraternity · Northwestern
Delta Tau Delta President
Fraternity · Northwestern
Act II
The Projects
01
DTC · Shriners Children's Hospital · Northwestern
SpicAlign — Car Seat Width System
Partnered with Shriners Children's Hospital to design a solution for children who can't fit safely in standard car seats.
↗
Kids with certain physical conditions can't be positioned safely in standard car seats — the door cart width is wrong for their bodies. We partnered with Shriners Children's Hospital to fix that. SpicAlign is a workflow-integrated guide that shows caregivers the correct seat width parameters and adjusts automatically using telescoping arms, a linear actuator, and foot pedals. From compacted to operational in about 15 seconds — hands-free.
02
DTC · BCA · Northwestern
Bone Conducting Alarm
A alarm that only wakes you up. Using the same technology as a tuning fork.
↗
The Bone conducting alarm was created in my white space section of DTC, meaning we had no project partner. Inspried by a tuning fork we set out to create an alarm that would wake the user up, but not their roomates or other indivuals in the room.
03
Scenic Design · Wirtz Center · Northwestern · November 2027
Set Design — Thinner Than Water
Designed the set for Thinner Than Water, a Gayle production, at Northwestern's Wirtz Center.
↗
Designed the set for Thinner Than Water, a Gayle production, at Northwestern's Wirtz Center.
Coming Soon · November 2027
04
Scenic Design · Northwestern University
A Midsummer Night's Dream — Scenic Design
Scenic, lighting, and prop design for A Midsummer Night's Dream, on a set that had to be constructed each and every night.
↗
Scenic, lighting, and prop design for A Midsummer Night's Dream, on a set that had to be constructed each and every night.
05
Scenic Design · Sit and Spin · Shanley · 2027
Supernova — Scenic Design
A partnership with Sit and Spin, where I will be the scenic designer in Shanley.
↗
A partnership with Sit and Spin, where I will be the scenic designer in Shanley.
Coming Soon · 2027
06
Set Construction · Wirtz Center · Northwestern · 2026–Present
Set Construction
Helping build and design sets for productions at Northwestern's Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts.
↗
Helping build and design sets for productions at Northwestern's Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts.
Act III
The Experience
May–Sep 2026
Cedar Rapids Aquatics
Pool Manager
Lifeguard → Head Guard → Manager
▾ Photo & Description
2025–Present
Northwestern Athletics
Equipment Manager
▾ Photo & Description
2025–2026
Comms Aide
▾ Description
2026–Present
Wirtz Center · Evanston, IL
Set Construction
▾ Photo & Description
2026
Northwestern University
Family Ambassador
▾ Photo & Description
Project Portfolio
