Kenneth Posner
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Posner is an American theatrical lighting designer
, working on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in American regional theatre. His most notable designs include the musicals Wicked
and Hairspray
, two highly regarded musicals of the early 21st century. He has been nominated for the Tony Award for Best Lighting Design
for Merchant of Venice (2011), The Coast of Utopia
(2007), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
(2005), Wicked (2004), Hairspray (2003), and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
(2001). He won the Tony Award for Best Lighting Design
of a Play and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting Design
for The Coast of Utopia in 2007. He also has received an Obie Award
for Sustained Excellence in Lighting. He also designed the lights for Little Women
.
Posner was educated at SUNY Purchase, where Brian MacDevitt
also attended. He is a 1983 graduate of Eastchester High School
in Eastchester, New York. He also attended Boston University
's School of Fine Arts.
Posner is a resident of Verona, New Jersey
.
Lighting designer
The role of the lighting designer within theatre is to work with the director, choreographer, set designer, costume designer, and sound designer to create an overall 'look' for the show in response to the text, while keeping in mind issues of visibility, safety and cost...
, working on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in American regional theatre. His most notable designs include the musicals Wicked
Wicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
and Hairspray
Hairspray (musical)
Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues...
, two highly regarded musicals of the early 21st century. He has been nominated for the Tony Award for Best Lighting Design
Tony Award for Best Lighting Design
This is a list of the winners of the Tony Award for Best Lighting Design in a play or musical, first presented in 1970. In 2005 the category was divided with each genre represented separately.-1970s:* 1970: Jo Mielziner – Child's Play...
for Merchant of Venice (2011), The Coast of Utopia
The Coast of Utopia
The Coast of Utopia is a 2002 trilogy of plays: Voyage, Shipwreck, and Salvage, written by Tom Stoppard with focus on the philosophical debates in pre-revolution Russia between 1833 and 1866...
(2007), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (musical)
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a Broadway musical, with music and lyrics by David Yazbek and a book by Jeffrey Lane; it is based on the film of the same name...
(2005), Wicked (2004), Hairspray (2003), and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain is an 1876 novel about a young boy growing up along the Mississippi River. The story is set in the Town of "St...
(2001). He won the Tony Award for Best Lighting Design
Tony Award for Best Lighting Design
This is a list of the winners of the Tony Award for Best Lighting Design in a play or musical, first presented in 1970. In 2005 the category was divided with each genre represented separately.-1970s:* 1970: Jo Mielziner – Child's Play...
of a Play and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting Design
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting Design
The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting Design is presented by the Drama Desk, a committee of New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors...
for The Coast of Utopia in 2007. He also has received an Obie Award
Obie Award
The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given by The Village Voice newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City...
for Sustained Excellence in Lighting. He also designed the lights for Little Women
Little Women (musical)
Little Women is a musical with a book by Allan Knee, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, and music by Jason Howland.Based on Louisa May Alcott's classic 1869 semi-autobiographical novel, it focuses on the four March sisters - brassy, tomboy-like, aspiring writer Jo, romantic Meg, pretentious Amy, and...
.
Posner was educated at SUNY Purchase, where Brian MacDevitt
Brian MacDevitt
Brian MacDevitt is a lighting designer for theatrical productions. He has worked extensively on Broadway and Off Broadway, as well as touring, Regional theatre, and Industrial productions....
also attended. He is a 1983 graduate of Eastchester High School
Eastchester High School
Eastchester High School is located in Westchester County, New York in the town of Eastchester. It is a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon school with approximately 760 students. Some graduates have gained acceptance to schools such as Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, Cornell, Duke,...
in Eastchester, New York. He also attended Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
's School of Fine Arts.
Posner is a resident of Verona, New Jersey
Verona, New Jersey
Verona is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 13,332.In 2008, New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Verona #1 in Essex County and #3 in New Jersey as "Top Places to Live in New Jersey".-History:Verona and several...
.