Who's Doing What

Tony Award-winning designers Robert Brill (sets) and Howell Binkley (lighting), with Paul Tazewell designing the costumes, are creating a 21st-century version of Le Wiz, directed by Tony Award-winning director Des McAnuff for La Jolla Playhouse in California, giving the hit musical a new multicultural vision (Binkley and McAnuff collaborated on last year's award winning musical, Jersey Boys). Le Wiz runs from September 26 to November 12…New York-based lighting designer Ben Stanton is working on several productions taking place in September and October including Godspell at the Papermill Playhouse, Adam Bock's The Thugs at Soho Rep, Brooke Berman's Hunting and Gathering at the Daryl Roth Theatre, Esoterica at The Daryl Roth DR2 Theatre, Fizz at the Ohio Theatre…The New York International Fringe Festival (Fringe NYC) completed an August production at the Center for Architecture in New York City of rum & coke, written and performed by Carmen Pelaez and produced by The Present Company Vibora Productions. Directed by Carl Andress, the production featured set design by Dara Wishingrad and lighting design by Andi Cohen…Philip W. Sandstrom, LD and theatre consultant, recently consulted for the Museo el Barrio, recommending equipment additions and upgrades, and for Long Island University for its proposed use of the old Paramount Theatre. In addition, he has been temporarily appointed to the faculty at Arizona State University in Tempe where he will teach lighting in the School of Theatre and Film for the next two semesters…LD Chris Parry, who teaches lighting at the University of California San Diego, was recently abroad teaching at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and at La Salle-SIA, College of the Arts, Singapore. Last season, he collaborated with scenic designer Bill Dudley on the American premiere of Hitchcock Blonde at California's South Cost Rep, and the production is headed to the Alley Theatre in Houston in early 2007…LD Thom Weaver designed South Pacific, The Sorcerer, and The Little Barber of Lavapies at Light Opera Oklahoma in Tulsa this summer, followed by Evensong at the Barrow Group Theatre in New York City. Opening this month, he designed the lighting for the New York premiere of I (Heart) Kant, a new play by Ken Urban, directed by Dylan McCullough at The Linhart Theatre at 440 Studios, with scenic design by Lee Savage, costume design by Emily Rebholz, and sound design by Elizabeth Rhodes. Upcoming projects for Weaver include The Mistakes Madeline Made at Yale Rep, Spike Heels at Syracuse Stage, and Edward II at Yale Drama, not to mention he is entering his last year as a graduate student at the Yale Drama School…LD Guy Smith has completed lighting design for both Celebrity and Royal Caribbean lines for three gay charter cruises in the Mediterranean and Mexico. He is also producing the Malan fashion show at the Roundabout Theatre in New York on September 12. In addition, he will be working on the New Year's Eve gala concert and party at the Palladium in Los Angeles.