Jane Cox is a renowned Dublin-born lighting designer whose credits are seen internationally. They include Britain's National Theatre production of Hamlet, a live recording of which attracted audiences in movie theatres across the US, and multiple other Broadway, Off-Broadway, and West End productions. She has been nominated for five Tony Awards, previously winning for the Second Stage Theater's production of Appropriate in 2024, which also won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting. She is the director of the Program in Theater and Music Theater at Princeton University.
Jane Cox previously spoke to Live Design about her Tony-nominated work on Macbeth in 2022, and below she shares her thoughts on designing for aliens who don't necessarily know what they are doing.
Production: The Rocky Horror Show
Collaborators
Sam Pinkleton: director
dots: set design
David Reynoso: costumes
Brian Ronan: sound
Team Lights
Oona Curley: in theater associate
Nick Solyom: prep associate
Erica Maholmes: spots associate
Stoli Stolnack: atmospherics associate
Jeff Dodson: production electrician
John Wooding: house electrician
Jae Day: spot 1
Ingrid Apgar: spot 2
David Arch: programmer
Live Design: What was your intent with the design, and where did your inspiration come from?
Jane Cox: Our Rocky Horror is an attempt to honor a queer utopia and a well loved "trashy little musical"; our production is intended to look as if the characters decorated the space themselves. The idea was that the whole building would feel this way, not just the stage. It's an intentionally hand made, slightly retro aesthetic—leaning into theater making and glitter, but made by aliens who don't know what they are doing. The design hopes to honor the spirit of the first production of Rocky which was in a tiny theater in London, as well as the spirit of the thousands of shadow casts and awkward teenagers all over the world.
LD: What gear did you rely on for your design choices?
JC: We leaned on GLP and Martin products—the bulk of the show is lit with Impression X4 XL wash lights and Xbars and with Martin Mac Encore Performances. We used the new GLP X5 dots for footlights and nook lights, and I fell in love with GLP JDC1 strobes and GLP fans. And of course Lustr 2s from ETC; all on an ETC board programmed by David Arch. There is also a lot of atmospheric equipment, including Look Solution Vipers and tiny foggers, Ultratec ground foggers, MDG Atmosphere Hazers and Martin Glaciators. There are hundreds of fake candles, and plenty of household products gussied up by our amazing team led by Jeff Dodson—non-dimmable green rope light, non-dimmable LED tubes with green plastic covers, green and red light bulbs, police beacons, LED red owl eyes, light up skeletons and a lot of other light up props and scenic fun.
LD: What was the biggest challenge?
JC: The set design is gorgeous and a lot of it is really lighting friendly—but about half of the show is set in Frank's lab, which is backed by a flat silver wall. It looks great and is a bold statement, but doesn't change mood easily for all the different things it needs to do. Trying to shape the lab space and transform it for different numbers and moods successfully was the part of the design that took the longest.
LD: What do you think made this design so successful?
JC: We had an enormous amount of fun during the design process and through tech and rehearsals and I think that comes through. I had the most delightful and brilliant of lighting teams; everyone fully brought their imaginations and sense of humor to the table, and worked so hard and with so much love. Sam, our director, has said that the piece brings together weirdos, trash and a strange earnestness, and spending the last months and year in that space with the entire team has really been a joy. And the cast is a total delight. I feel very lucky.