Porgy and Bess Program [pdf] - American Repertory Theater

creative team (continued)
Musical), and in the West End. Other recent
work includes Kiss Me, Kate (Glimmerglass
Opera) and Lost Highway (ENO co-production
with the Young Vic). Opera credits include Il
Mondo Della Luna (Gotham Chamber Opera at
the Hayden Planetarium), Don Giovanni, Le nozze
di Figaro, Turn Of The Screw, Cosi fan tutte; and Il
ritorno d’Ulisse in patria, L’incoronazione di Poppea
and Orfeo at the Chicago Opera Theater. Diane is
a Professor of the Practice of Theater at Harvard
University. This year Paulus was named one of
the “50 Most Powerful Women in Boston” by
Boston magazine and received the 2011 Elliot
Norton Award for Best Director for her work on
Prometheus Bound, Johnny Baseball and HAIR.
She is a recent recipient of an Honorary
Doctorate from Boston Conservatory.
RONALD K. BROWN
Choreographer
A.R.T.: Debut. Founder and Artistic Director of
Evidence, A Dance Company, a New York-based
contemporary dance ensemble since 1985. Has
also created work for the African American Dance
Ensemble, Philadanco, Cleo Parker Robinson
Dance Ensemble, Dayton Contemporary Dance
Company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
(Grace in 1999, Serving Nia in 2001, IFE/My Heart
2005 and Dancing Spirit during special tribute season),
Ailey II, Cinque Folkloric Dance Theater,
Jennifer Muller/The Works and Jeune Ballet
d’Afrique Noire. He has collaborated with composer/designer
Omotayo Wunmi Olaiya, the late
writer Craig G. Harris, director Ernie McClintock’s
Jazz Actors Theater, choreographers Patricia
Hoffbauer and Rokiya Kone, and composers
Robert Een, Oliver Lake, Bernadette Speech,
David Simons and Don Meissner. Awards and fellowships
include a John Simon Guggenheim
Memorial Foundation Fellowship in
Choreography, a National Endowment for the
Arts Choreographer’s Fellowship, a New York
Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in choreography,
New York Dance and Performance Award
(Bessie), a Black Theater Alliance Award, the
American Dance Festival Humphrey/Weidman/
Limón Award, and fellowships from the Edward
and Sally van Lier Fund. In addition, Brown was
named Def Dance Jam Workshop Mentor of the
Year in 2000. In 2003, he received an AUDELCO
(Black Theatre Award) for his choreography for
Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats,
originally produced by the McCarter Theater and
presented off-Broadway in 2003. In fall 2006,
Brown received The United States Artists Rose
Fellowship, being one of only four choreographers
out of fifty artists to receive the inaugural
award. He is a member of Stage Directors and
Choreographers Society.
RICCARDO HERNANDEZ
Set Designer
A.R.T.: Close to 20 credits, including most recently
Prometheus Bound, Best of Both Worlds, The
Seagull, Julius Caesar, Britannicus and
Marat/Sade. On Broadway he designed The People
in the Picture (Studio 54); Caroline, or Change (also
National Theatre London); Topdog/Underdog (also
Royal Court, London); Elaine Stritch at Liberty (also
West End’s Old Vic, London and national tour);
Parade Hal Prince director (Tony and Drama Desk
nominations); Bells Are Ringing; Noise/Funk (also
national tours and Japan); The Tempest. Other
New York credits: Over two dozen productions at
New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theater; as
well as Lincoln Center, Second Stage, NYTW,
MTC, MCC, Playwrights Horizons, Cherry Lane,
BAM; and numerous regional theaters: Guthrie,
Goodman, Taper, etc. Opera: Lyric Opera of
Chicago, San Francisco Opera, NYCO, Houston
Grand and most recently Il Postino for Los Angeles
Opera, Opera de Chatelet Paris, Theater an der
Wien and Lost Highway (London’s English
National Opera/Young Vic) directed by Diane
Paulus. Also: Avignon Festival, Festival Automne
Paris, Oslo National Theater, Det Norske Teatret,
Norway. Upcoming: Die Entfuhrung Aus dem Serail
for Opera de Nice, France.
ESOSA
Costume Designer
A.R.T.: Best of Both Worlds. Broadway:
Topdog/Underdog, also London and various regional
theaters. Off Broadway: By the Way, Meet
Vera Stark and Trust, Second Stage; Break of Noon,
MCC, also Geffen Playhouse; The Capeman,
Delacorte; Juan and John; Father Comes Home
from the Wars, Parts 1, 8 & 9, Public Labs; Romeo
and Juliet, The Public Theater and Shakespeare in
the Park; The Story and Radiant Baby, The Public
Theater. Regional: Ruined, Arena Stage; Twist,
Alliance; Measure for Measure and American Night,
Oregon Shakespeare Festival; Fences, Geva
Theatre. 2003 Audelco Award and 2006 TDF/
Irene Sharaff Young Master Award. ESosa is a
“Project Runway” Season 7 finalist.
CHRISTOPHER AKERLIND
Lighting Designer
A.R.T.: The Seagull, Britannicus, Island of Slaves,
Orpheus X, Olly’s Prison, Desire Under the Elms,
Oedipus, La Dispute, Uncle Vanya, Enrico IV,
34 AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER