Katharine Williams

I light shows.  

I use a lighting language that is bold, beautiful and truthful.  I'm interested in work that is about humanity.  

I love making shows with music, and shows with dance.  I love new writing. My favourite rehearsal rooms to be in are those with an open, collaborative process where all voices are valued.

I have worked mostly in the UK, and also in China, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Canada, the USA, Mexico, Ireland, Holland, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Armenia, Romania, Russia and the Czech Republic.

I grew up by the sea in Yorkshire.  I now live in Edinburgh, where I get to walk my dog on an extinct volcano that overlooks the sea.

I've been lucky enough to collaborate with some amazing artists.

I am committed to development, equality and diversity in theatre through mentorship.

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Film

I lit The Half-Light (directed by Prasanna Puwanarajah) for Fifty Nine Productions and Ruby Films. I worked as documentary filmmaker on Clare Duffy's Extreme Light North project in Shetland and Canada.

Theatre, activism and social change

I was lead artist on the Love Letters to the Home Office project which campaigned using art, words and theatre to stop the means-tested tiering of Human Rights that is currently in place in the UK for international families.  I founded the Crew for Calais initiative, which mobilises people from the theatre and creative industries to help refugees.

Speaking and Lecturing

I have spoken about light, and my process, at Showlight, PLASA and at the Leeds Performing Light Syposium.

I have done masterclasses and lectures for RWCMD; Goldsmith's, RCSSD; Mountview, University of Leeds, University of Arts Brighton and Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA, USA). I have mentored lighting designers at RCSSD, and I worked as Interim Head of Lighting, Sound and Digital Production for Mountview (alongside my work as a freelance LD) from 2014-2015 whilst helping them find the right person to take on the role in the long term.

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Recognition

• Education, Education, Education won a 2017 Fringe First Award.
• Instructions for Border Crossings was long-listed for a 2017 Freedom of Expression Award.
• I was nominated for Creative Innovation in Lighting at the 2017 Theatre and Technology Awards, for Big Guns.
• Two Man Show won a 2016 Fringe First Award.
• Two Man Show was shortlisted for a 2016 Total Theatre Award for Innovation.
• Going Viral won a 2015 Fringe First Award.
• Men in the Cities won a 2014 Fringe First Award.
• A Place At The Table was shortlisted for a 2012 Off-WestEnd Award for Lighting Design.
• Ivan and the Dogs was nominated for a 2011 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement In An Affiliate Theatre.
• Reykjavik was nominated for a 2010 Total Theatre Award for Innovation.
• The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? was shortlisted for Best Production at the 2009-2010 Critics' Awards For Theatre In Scotland.
• I Am Falling was nominated for a 2009 South Bank Show Award.
• I was nominated for a 2008 Knight of the Illumination Award, for I Am Falling.
• The Only Girl In The World was TimeOut London's 2008 Off-WestEnd Production of the Year.
• KI worked as Associate Lighting Designer on Ariel Dorfman's musical Dancing Shadows (Seoul, South Korea) which was Best Musical at the 2007 Korean Tony Awards.
• Hysteria won a 2006 Total Theatre Award, which was awarded for the integration of space, sound, light and physical performance into a whole theatre that is more than the sum of its parts.
• The Garden was nominated for a 2006 Total Theatre Award.
• The Argument was nominated for a 2003 Total Theatre Award.