Award-winning lighting designer Howell Binkley (born July 25,1956), who won a second Tony for his lighting of Hamilton, passed away on August 14, 2020 after a battle with cancer. Live Design offers heartfelt condolences to his friends and family.
Binkley attended East Carolina University in Greenville, NC, where he first started lighting dance. He has lit numerous Broadway shows, from Jersey Boys to Hamilton by way of Kiss of The Spider Woman, Parade, The Full Monty, and In The Heights to name just a few. He won Tony Awards for both Hamilton and Jersey Boys, and was nominated multiple times for his outstanding work. He frequently collaborated with Des McAnuff and was the co-founder of David Parsons's Parsons Dance Company. He has worked at regional theaters such as La Jolla, San Diego, California, Shakespeare Theatre DC, Old Globe Theatre, the Guthrie Theater, The Goodman Theatre, and Hartford Stage.
Creator of Hamilton, Lin Manuel-Miranda tweeted "Howell. Thank you for Benny & Nina's sunrise. Thank you for Hamilton's hurricane & Burr's self-made walls. Thank you for sculpting in light & elevating every moment you touched. Where will I hide now if not at your tech table? I miss your smile & kindness already. Rest easy pal."
Interviews with Howell Binkley:
Birth Of A Nation: Colonial Lighting
Hamilton Lighting Design Webcast