Natasha Katz
Encyclopedia
Natasha Katz is a lighting designer
for the theatre, dance, and opera. She was educated at Oberlin College
and did an internship with Roger Morgan
.
Her first job on Broadway
was as lighting designer for the play Pack of Lies in 1985, and she has gone on to design the lighting for 38 Broadway plays and musicals, including the Disney musical The Little Mermaid
(2008) and The Addams Family
(2010).
Her first Tony Award
nomination was for Beauty and the Beast
in 1994. Other nominations and awards include:
Katz has also designed the lighting at Niketown in New York City
and London
, and for The Big Bang at the American Museum of Natural History
in New York City. Additional work includes lighting design for several productions of the American Ballet Theatre
, and work for various opera companies including the New York City Opera
.
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...
for the theatre, dance, and opera. She was educated at Oberlin College
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
and did an internship with Roger Morgan
Roger Morgan (designer)
Roger Morgan is an award winning American light designer. He has designed the lighting for more than 30 productions on Broadway including The Visit, Mort Sahl on Broadway!, Me and My Girl, The Octette Bridge Club, Agnes of God, I Remember Mama, First Monday in October, It Had to Be You, Dracula,...
.
Her first job on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
was as lighting designer for the play Pack of Lies in 1985, and she has gone on to design the lighting for 38 Broadway plays and musicals, including the Disney musical The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid (musical)
The Little Mermaid is a stage musical produced by Disney Theatrical, based on the animated 1989 Disney film of the same name and the classic story of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen...
(2008) and The Addams Family
The Addams Family (musical)
The Addams Family is a musical comedy with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. The show is based upon The Addams Family characters created by Charles Addams in his single-panel gag cartoons, which depict a ghoulish American family with an affinity for...
(2010).
Her first Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
nomination was for Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast (musical)
Beauty and the Beast is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton, based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name. Seven new songs were written for the stage musical...
in 1994. Other nominations and awards include:
- Twelfth Night - Nominee 1999 Tony Award for Best Lighting DesignTony Award for Best Lighting DesignThis 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...
- AidaAida (musical)Aida is a musical with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls, and David Henry Hwang, and produced by Walt Disney Theatrical....
- Winner 2000 Tony Award for Best Lighting DesignTony Award for Best Lighting DesignThis 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... - Sweet Smell of Success: The MusicalSweet Smell of Success: The MusicalSweet Smell of Success is a musical created by Marvin Hamlisch , Craig Carnelia , and John Guare . The show is based on the 1957 movie of the same name, which tells the story of a powerful newspaper columnist named J. J...
- Nominee 2002 Tony Award for Best Lighting DesignTony Award for Best Lighting DesignThis 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... - Tarzan: The musicalTarzan (musical)Tarzan: The Musical is based on the Disney film of the same name and the story by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Music and lyrics are written by Phil Collins, with a book by David Henry Hwang.-Production:...
- Nominee 2006 Tony Award for Best Lighting DesignTony Award for Best Lighting DesignThis 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 Musical - The Coast of UtopiaThe Coast of UtopiaThe 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...
- Winner (with Brian MacDevittBrian MacDevittBrian 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....
and Kenneth PosnerKenneth PosnerKenneth 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...
) 2007 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting DesignDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting DesignThe Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting Design is presented by the Drama Desk, a committee of New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors...
and Tony Award for Best Lighting DesignTony Award for Best Lighting DesignThis 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
Katz has also designed the lighting at Niketown in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and for The Big Bang at the American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
in New York City. Additional work includes lighting design for several productions of the American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
, and work for various opera companies including the New York City Opera
New York City Opera
The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and...
.