Thorn Michaels
Lighting Design for the Stage
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ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE DESIGN COMPANY DESIGNER
POTUS… ACT, Seattle, WA Connie Yun
A Case for the Existence of God ACT, Seattle, WA Connie Yun
Stew ACT, Seattle, WA Connie Yun
White Christmas 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle. Heather Gilbert
Disney’s Little Mermaid 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, WA Charlie Morrison
The Wolf Play ACT, Seattle Connie Yun
Griswold’s Broadway Vacation 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, WA Jeff Croiter
Afterwords 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, WA Robert Aguilar
Beauty and the Beast 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, WA Connie Yun
Sister Act 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, WA Alex Berry
Rigoletto Seattle Opera Jason Morphett
Kids Dance Ballet Tech, NYC Aaron Copp
Matilda Village Theatre, Issaquah, WA Alex Berry
Beatrice and Benedict Seattle Opera Connie Yun
Coriolanus-- Fight Like a Bitch Rebel Cat/12th Avenue Arts Andrew Smith
Andrea Chenier San Francisco Opera Adam Silverman
Dream of the Red Chamber San Francisco Opera Gary Marder
Don Pasquale San Francisco Opera Duane Schuler
Winter’s Tale Lincoln Center Festival, NYC Natasha Katz
Takarazuka Chicago Lincoln Center Festival, NYC Ken Billington/ Assoc. John Demous
Paradise Interrupted Lincoln Center Festival, NYC Lea Xiao/ Assoc. Andrew Cissna
Bloomsday ACT, Seattle Duane Schuler
3 Truths Cornerstone Theatre, Los Angeles Geoff Korf
References to Salvador Dali… University of Washington, Seattle Chris Smith
The Marriage of Figaro Meany Hall, Seattle Geoff Korf
Fiddler on the Roof Playhouse on the Square, Memphis Travis C. Richardson
Disney’s Aida Playhouse on the Square, Memphis Travis C. Richardson
Blue/Orange Theatreworks Memphis Mathew Stampe
Execution of Justice University of Washington, Seattle Ben Zamora
Unfinished Women… University of Washington, Seattle Christine Hain
SELECTED DESIGN COMPANY DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER
And So That Happened… 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle Desdemona Chiang
Meklit’s Movement Meany Hall, Seattle Sophiyaa Nayar
The Book Club Play Village Theater, Issaquah WA Jéhan Òsanyìn, Arlene Martìnez
Mrs. Caliban Book-It Repertory Theatre, Seattle WA Kelly Kitchens
A Delicate Balance Santa Fe Playhouse, NM L. Zane Jones
The Marriage of Figaro Kentucky Opera, Louisville, KY Kelly Kitchens
The Revolutionists ArtsWest, Seattle Kelly Kitchens
The Tempest Seattle Shakespeare Company Annie Lareau
Fall Dance Harper Joy Theatre, Walla Walla, WA Renee Archibald
As You Like It Seattle Shakespeare Company Kelly Kitchens
Balloonacy Seattle Children’s Theatre Rita Giomi
Odyssey Seattle Opera Harry Jamieson
I Do! I Do! Village Theater, Issaquah, WA Michael Arnold
Fire Season Seattle Public Theater Kelly Kitchens
Christmastown Seattle Public Theater Kelly Kitchens
Jane Eyre Book-It Repertory Theatre, Seattle Julie Beckman
O+E Seattle Opera Kelly Kitchens
Placeholder Harper Joy Theater, Walla Walla, WA Renee Archibald
Hand to God Seattle Public Theater Kelly Kitchens
Strictly Seattle 2018 Velocity Dance Center, Seattle Company
...Oscar Wao Book-It Repertory Theatre, Seattle Elise Thoron
Ironbound Seattle Public Theatre Kelly Kitchens
Robin Hood Seattle Opera/Education Kelly Kitchens
Onerus Cafe Nordo, Seattle Erin Brindley
The Tender Land Seattle Opera at Marrowstone Kelly Kitchens
Next Fest 2017 Velocity Dance Center, Seattle Company
Strictly Seattle 2017 Broadway Performance Hall, Seattle Company
Grounded Seattle Public Theatre Kelly Kitchens
Brooklyn Bridge Seattle Children’s Theatre Rita Giomi
Seattle Festival of Dance Improv Velocity Dance Center, Seattle Company
Bridge Project 2016 Velocity Dance Center, Seattle Company
Thieves and Beggars University of Washington, Seattle Rachael Lincoln
Next Fest Northwest 2015 Velocity Dance Center, Seattle Company
Made in Seattle Velocity Dance Center, Seattle Pendleton House
The Two-Character Play Civic Rep at New City Theatre, Seattle L. Zane Jones
Sandbox Play Festival West of Lenin Theatre, Seattle Kelly Kitchens, et al.
one shift three University of Washington, Seattle Mackenzie Miller
Twelfth Night University of Washington, Seattle Leah Adcock-Starr
Cold Empty Terrible New Paradise Labs/U. of Washington Whit McLaughlin
Flood Death Posture Dance Company, Seattle Vanessa Skantze
Three Pints of Pinter University of Washington, Seattle Tamara Fisch
The Rabbi and the Cheerleader Powerhouse Theatre, Los Angeles Sandy Wolshin
Intimate Apparel The Circuit Playhouse, Memphis Andrea Thompson Adam
Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens The Circuit Playhouse, Memphis Scott Ferguson
Pump Boys and Dinettes The Circuit Playhouse, Memphis Cecelia Windgate
Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol The Circuit Playhouse, Memphis Michael Gravois
Charlotte’s Web The Circuit Playhouse, Memphis Dennis Whitehead
The Retreat from Moscow The Circuit Playhouse, Memphis Jerry Chipman
Tuesdays With Morrie The Circuit Playhouse, Memphis Mike Detroit
This Moment: 1-Person Plays University of Washington, Seattle Mark Jenkins
Loose Change: One Acts University of Washington, Seattle Company
Antigone University of Washington, Seattle Lydia Fort
Nunsense University of Washington, Seattle Nicole Sliers
The Heiress University of Washington, Seattle Lydia Fort
Art The Ethnic Cultural Theatre, Seattle Sarah Goldblatt
ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION WORK
POSITION COMPANY PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR
Hemsley Lighting Intern New York City Ballet 24 ballets, Winter 2017 Penny Jacobus
Hemsley Lighting Intern Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 22 ballets, Fall 2016 Albert Crawford
Asst. Lighting Supervisor San Francisco Opera The Makropulos Case Gary Marder
OBSERVING COMPANY DESIGNER
Newsies The Village Theater, Seattle Aaron Copp
Troilus and Cressida Shakespeare in the Park, NYC Robert Wierzel
Long Day’s Journey Into Night Oregon Shakespeare Festival James F. Ingalls
Ariadne auf Naxos Seattle Opera Robert Wierzel
L’Amour de Loin Grand Theatre de Quebec Kevin Adams
Nabucco Seattle Opera Duane Schuler
East of Eden Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago David Weiner
Misery Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway David Weiner
Rigoletto Metropolitan Opera, NY Kevin Adams
TEACHING
Adjunct Faculty Member, Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle, WA 2024- Present
Guest Artist, Whitman College. Walla Walla, WA, Spring and Fall 2019.
Guest Lecturer, Drama 101: Intro to Stagecraft, University of Washington, 2018 and 2019.
Guest Lecturer, Drama 212: Intro to Lighting Design, University of Washington, 2017-2018
Instructor, four sections Drama 212: Intro to Lighting Design, University of Washington, 2009-2010.
Teaching Assistant, Drama 101: Intro to Theatre; University of Memphis, 2006.
Teaching Assistant, Drama 212: Intro to Lighting Design; University of Washington, 2003.
EDUCATION and AWARDS
C1 Level CILS certification (Italian as a foreign language), University of Siena, Italy, 2024.
Scholarship winner, Università per Stranieri di Perugia, Italy, 2022.
2016 Gilbert V. Hemsley Lighting Intern.
Master of Fine Arts in Lighting Design, University of Washington; June 2016.
Dual BA degrees in Drama and Creative Writing; Magna Cum Laude, University of Washington: 2005.
Gypsy Rose Lee Award for Excellence in Lighting Design, Large Theatre, Nominee, 2019 (The Tempest, Seattle Shakespeare Company).
Gypsy Rose Lee Award for Excellence in Lighting Design, Small Theatre, Nominee, 2019 (Fire Season, Seattle Public Theater).
Theatre Puget Sound Gregory Award for Best Production, 2018, Winner, Hand to God, Seattle Public Theater (Lighting Designer).
Theatre Puget Sound Gregory Award for Outstanding Lighting Design, Nominee, 2018 (Ironbound, Seattle Public Theater).
Gypsy Rose Lee Award for Best Lighting Design, Nominee, 2018 (Hand to God, Seattle Public Theater).
Gypsy Rose Lee Award for Best Lighting Design, Nominee, 2018 (Ironbound, Seattle Public Theater).
Theatre Puget Sound Gregory Award for Outstanding Lighting Design, Nominee, 2015 (Two-Character Play, Civic Rep).
John Ashby Conway Memorial Scholarship, Winner, 2015.