Spring Awakening
The project
Cult-classic musical Spring Awakening, a coming-of-age story adapted by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater from the 1897 novel of the same name, is regularly revived by amateur and professional companies alike. Sheffield University Theatre Company's production took inspiration from the original Broadway show, with an additional emphasis on visually stunning lighting, and simple yet effective staging and sound.
The brief
With a vision for the production driven by the musical power and sharp, emotive dialogue of the show, I was briefed to create a lighting design which enhanced these core elements, bringing the raw emotion of the book and lyrics to life. With a very small show budget, I was asked to work closely with the set designer to create an atmospheric audience experience.
The solution
As lighting designer, I worked particularly closely with the set team to create a coherent colour palette, tone and period setting. This meant that simple lighting states were the basis of the design, utilising strong colours rather than neutral, natural tones to make the design more immersive. This was supported by effects such as haze to give visual significance to important plot points, and enhance group numbers. I also worked with an awareness of the show's presence in still images, as the show's production photographer, meaning the lighting also supported stunning still shots of individual actors and the ensemble.
Stage Design
