When one thinks of Broadway, the theatre district, and New York, we generally associate it with live entertainment or performing arts.  When Farah Salehi thinks about theatre, she envisions metal and automation, design and fabrication… the elements that make the theatre productions possible.  She has been involved in the construction of sets for Broadway productions such as “Lion King,” “Momma Mia,” “Gypsy,” and others. 

“No two sets are ever the same,” says Farah.  “Following construction, each set is fully assembled in the studio first to make sure all parts are functioning correctly along with the automation.  Then, they are disassembled and sent out to the studio and reassembled on stage.”

In a traveling show, this may happen numerous times as the show travels across the country and is set up in various venues.  Because of this, many sets are constructed of light-weight aluminum. 

Farah is a welder, metal fabricator, journeyman with Union Local 1 (set builders and stage hands) who specialized in gas metal arc welding, but recently spent two weeks working with Hobart Institute instructor Michael Wolff to learn about gas tungsten arc welding for aluminum and stainless steel applications.

“The aluminum sometimes proves challenging,” says Farah, “but I was able to pick up on the technique of the process quickly.”    

A graduate of Pratt Institute with a B.S. degree in Industrial Design, Farah indicates that she got “hooked on welding” when working in the welding shop at the institute.  She had always been interested in art and architecture, but really loves welding.  She has worked as a production manager in a furniture design studio and more recently with a scenic design studio.  Her talent and ability to work with her hands may be inherited from her father, who is an auto mechanic.