Ethan Vail
Ethan is a freelance lighting designer located in Sarasota, Florida who has been working professionally for over a decade. He enjoys finding a musicality in lighting design, whether it be a musical, concert, dance piece or play. In his eyes, every piece has a rhythm becomes a apparent in the heart of the production.
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Ethan has always been an artist, but rather than a paint and canvas, he uses light as his paint palette and the stage as his canvas. Through this atheistic, it has has taken him to various places around the country working on musicals like the regional premiere of Fun Home at Millbrook Playhouse in Mill Hall, PA to working on new works like the rolling world premiere of Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer at Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, FL.
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Ethan has also worked with students of all ages to help bring the power of live theatre and design to students both young and old. He finds it transformative when a the student's understand how lighting can play such a vital role in the emotional quality of a production.
Awards and Honnors
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-2023 Broadway World-Sarasota Best Lighting Design of 2023 Winner for Dreamgirls
-2022 Broadway World-Sarasota Best Lighting Design of 2022 Winner for Broadway in Black
-2020 Broadway World Lighting Design of the Decade for Sarasota Nominee
-2013 USITT guest at PLASA 2013
-2013 USITT Young Designers and Technicians Lighting Design Award Sponsored by Barbizon Lighting Company
-2013 USITT Young Designers Forum Participant
-Outstanding Senior for the Purdue Department of Theatre: 2013
-Outstanding Senior for the Purdue Patti and Rusty Reuff School of Visual and Performing Arts: 2013
-2013 Region 3 National KCACTF Lighting Design Award for Theatrical Design Excellence
SELECTED DESIGN EXPERIENCE
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PRODUCTION
Black Pearl Sings
That Must Be the Entrance to Heaven
Dreamgirls
La Sylphide
What the Constitution Means to Me
Frequency Hurtz
The Burdens
Broadway in Black
Grand Horizons
America in One Room***
At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen*
Arden***
Ana Isabelle and Friends: Stand Back Sarasota
Camelot: in Concert
Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer**
Laura Osnes in Concert
We Need a Little Christmas
Head Over Heels*
Lil and Louis
Ripcord
Tuesday’s with Morrie
Steel Magnolias
Grey Gardens
Fade
The Odd Couple
SHOUT! The Mod Musical
Love, Loss, and What I Wore
Anne of Green Gables
Vonya and Sasha and Masha and Spike
Tops from Flops
All Shook Up
Fun Home*
Comedy of Tenors
Spamalot
Dial M for Murder
Barefoot in the Park
Life Could Be a Dream
Next to Normal
Rock of Ages
Mary Poppins
If I Hold My Tongue
Rough Crossing
Dance Consort
Into the Woods
*Regional Premiere, **Rolling World Premiere, ***World Premiere
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COMPANY
Florida Studio Theatre
Urbanite Theatre, FL
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe
Sarasota Ballet
Florida Studio Theatre
Sarasota Ballet
Urbanite Theatre, FL
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe
Asolo Rep, FL
Florida Studio Theatre, FL
Urbanite Theatre, FL
In The Wings Productions, FL
Asolo Rep, FL
Asolo Rep, FL
Asolo Rep, FL
Asolo Rep, FL
Asolo Rep, FL
The Players Centre, FL
Jo Mo Productions, FL
The Island Players, FL
The Manatee Players, FL
The Island Players, FL
The Manatee Players, FL
Mad Cow Theatre, FL
The Players Centre, FL
The Players Centre, FL
The Players Centre, FL
The Manatee Players, FL
The Players Centre, FL
The Players Centre, FL
The Players Centre, FL
Millbrook Playhouse, PA
Millbrook Playhouse, PA
Millbrook Playhouse, PA
Millbrook Playhouse, PA
Millbrook Playhouse, PA
Millbrook Playhouse, PA
Lock Haven University, PA
Millbrook Playhouse, PA
Millbrook Playhouse, PA
Compass Rose Theater, MD
First Folio Theatre, IL
Lock Haven University, PA
Moraine Valley Community College, IL
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DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER
Kate Alexander
Kathleen Capdesuner
Nate Jacobs
Johan Kobborg
Kate Alexander
Arcadian Broad
Brendan Ragan
Nate Jacobs
Celine Rosenthal
Kate Alexander
Damian Lockhart
Tyler Scott
Josh Rhodes
Celine Rosenthal
Henry Godinez
Laura Osnes/Michael Donald Edwards
Michael Donald Edwards/Celine Rosenthal
Brian Finnerty
Harry Bryce
James Thaggard
Pam Wiley
Mike Lusk
Cory Woomert
Eliana Stratico
Elliott Raines
Brian Finnerty
Carol Kleinberg
Steve Dawson
Jeffery Kin
Alyssa Goudy
Helen Holiday
Courtney Laine Self
Jimmy Smagula
Robert W. Schneider
Morgan Sills
Shannon Agnew
Dax Valdez
Alyssa Gregg
Robert W. Schneider
Courtney Laine Self
Lucinda Merry-Browne
Alison Vesley
Jayme Host/Various
Craig Rosen
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