MMuch of a theater designer's work is done before the show begins. Sets are conceived and constructed and costumes are carefully sewn. Even the director, whose vision for a piece determines its look and feel, largely steps aside once the curtain rises. However, the work of designers, choreographers, playwrights, and directors takes theater from a blank canvas to a whole new world, and when it's done well, it elicits surprise and sighs.
Today we're celebrating some of the designers, choreographers, directors, and playwrights who caught the attention of writers this year. As always, this list is subjective and there are always great pieces that aren't on the list. Share your favorites in the comments and give a big high-five to all the artists who created art this year. You truly make our community a better place.
designer and director
(Including set, sound, lighting, projection, costume designer, choreographer, music director)
Agreste (Dryland) At Spooky Action Theater
Colin K. Bills, lighting design
Director Danilo Gambini
Daniel Preston, costume design
Giorgos Zappas, landscape design
Aria Wertz, sound design
angel number 9 At the Rorschach Theater
Nadir Bey, set design
Kairos Brannon, video design
Ashlyn Ludwig, costume design
Marian Meadows, Lighting Design
Ian Vesperman, sound design
angels of america At the arena stage
Marti Evans, set design
Director János Sarsz
weapon and man at Washington Stage Guild
Cheryl Yancey, costume design
as you like at Shakespeare Theater Company
Carmen Alatorre, costume design
ben butler at Washington Stage Guild
Megan Holden, scenic design
chinese women At Everyman Theater
Emma Dean, lighting design
Megan Laham, scenic design
Evita in Shakespeare Theater Company (in association with American Repertory Theater)
Director Sammy Cannold
Bradley King, lighting design
Choreography by Emily Maltby and Valeria Solomonov
Jason Sherwood, scenic design
Alejo Vietti, costume design
Blowjob! At Olney Theater Center (co-produced with Round House Theater)
Matt Lowe, Sound Design
ghostwriter On the representative stage
Andrew R. Cohen, scenic design
hubba hubba At the Baltimore Theater Project
alex and olmsted doll
incendiary At the Woolly Mammoth Theater
Andrew Boyce, scenic design
ink At the Roundhouse Theater (co-produced with Olney Theater Center)
Tony Cisek, scenic design
Kim Minju, lighting design
Director Jason Lowith
Matthew M. Neilson, Sound Design and Composer
Debra Kim Sivigny, costume design
Mike Tutaj, projection design
fiddler on the roof At the Olney Theater Center
Max Doolittle, lighting design
fit At Arts on the Horizon
Emily Erickson (original composition), Navi (music production)
fun home at the studio theater
David Muse, director
harvey At Everyman Theater
Daniel Ettinger and Emily Lotz, set design
here are blueberries at Shakespeare Theater Company
David Lander and David Bengal, lighting and projection design
How light enters at the 1st stage
Kathryn Kaweki, set design
Helen Garcia-Orton, lighting design
king lear at Shakespeare Theater Company
Simon Godwin, director
kinky boots At the Olney Theater Center
Choreography by Jeanne Vallée
Milagros Ponce de Leon, set design
last match at the 1st stage
Jessica Alexandra Cancino, set design
monarch At the creative cauldron
Daniel Primo, projection design
Full scale invasion with mom At the Woolly Mammoth Theater
Misha Kachman, set design
Venus Gulbranson, lighting design
Kelly Colburn, projection design
Michael Kiley, sound design
Never in Our Image – ACT III – Gun Transformation Opera Presentation by CulturalDC at Source Theater
Created and directed by Stephanie Mercedes
orlando At Constellation Theater
Sarah Beth Hall, scenic design
Kit Crescenzo, costume design
Venus Gulbranson, lighting design
out of the vineyard At Jaws Movement Emporium
Luis Garcia, projection design
pacific overture At Signature Theater
Ethan Hurd, director
THE PRESIDENT: Or, behind every great fool are seven women trying to keep him alive. At the arena stage
Director Margot Bordelon
Shout Sister Shout! at Ford's Theater
Sheila V. Walker, Music Director
snow maiden At the Cinetic Theater
Irina Chikurishvili, director
old century sonnets At Spooky Action Theater
Director Elizabeth Dinkova
strong wind At the Sina Theater
Roger Doyle and Andrew Belware, music
Andrew Belware, Sound Design
wipe out At the arena stage
Rachel Hawke, set design
director michael mayer
cake At Prologue Theater in partnership with Next Stop Theater
Jason Tamborini, set design
Alia Wertz, director
honey trap At Solas Nua
Matt Toney, Director
The Jungle at Shakespeare Theater Company (co-produced with Woolly Mammoth Theater)
Miriam Bueser, set design
Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin, directors
Katherine Kodicek, costume design
John Clark, lighting design
Paul Arditti, sound design
John Pfumožena, composer
Tristan Shepherd and Duncan McLean, video design
Foveal Manson humiliation at the Kennedy Center
Justin Huertas, music and lyrics
Stephen Tolan, arrangement and orchestration
school of lies At Constellation Theater
Frank Labovitz, costume design
Sarah Reid, scenic design
Brittany Shemuga, lighting design
speaking heart At the Cinetic Theater
Eric Teague, costume design
Director Parta Chikurishvili
winter story At the Folger Shakespeare Theater
Director Tamira Woodard
Playwright
(Sorry, Shakespeare, this category is only for recently written plays and works making their regional or national debut in the D.C. area)
- bob bartlett love and vinyl, Self-produce with KA-CHUNK!! Record
- Dane Figueroa Eddy, ghostwriter On the representative stage
- morgan gould Jennifer, the one who leaves At the Roundhouse Theater
- Chisa Hutchinson redeemed At the Contemporary American Theater Festival
- joan cain Coming soon 13 At the Capital Fringe Festival
- EM Lewis How light enters In the 1st stage,
- John Logan wipe out At the arena stage
- Patrick Lord and Megan Thrift fit At Arts on the Horizon
- Donja R. Love, 1 in 2 people At Mosaic Theater
- dominique morisseau Confederate army At Mosaic Theater
- leo mcgan honey trap At Solas Nua
- Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson jungle At Shakespeare Theater Company (with Woolly Mammoth Theater)
- Asa Ogawa nosebleed At the Woolly Mammoth Theater
- Psalm 24, monumental farce At Mosaic Theater
- jenny rachel weiner chameleon At Theater J
- Lauren Yee cambodian rock band At the arena stage
Related item:
DCTA 2023 Staff Favorite: Outstanding Professional Work
DCTA 2023 Staff Favorite: Outstanding Professional Performance
