A perennially popular feature of PLASA Focus is the free-to-attend PLASA Professional Development Programme, a two-day programme of seminars, training sessions and product demonstrations.As part of this, the Association of Lighting Designers (ALD) will once again be presenting its well-received seminars at PLASA Focus: Leeds on the 13th of May, with this year’s topic, The work of a lighting designer on a budget, concentrating on fringe and small-scale venues.
The panel will be chaired by Nick Moran, lecturer at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and education representative for the ALD, and will include lighting designers Johanna Town and Elliot Griggs, lighting PhD student Katherine Graham, and Kelli Zezulka, lighting designer and editor of the ALD's Focus magazine.
"Mozart and Haydn made sublime music with small ensembles, so what about lighting? How many lighting instruments do you need to make beautiful and appropriate lighting?" lighting designer Mark Jonathan comments on the seminar’s focus.
The ALD seminars at PLASA are always highly popular and this year will be no exception. Other topics the panel will be considering include how the limitations of equipment, venues and money in small-scale theatre affect the creative role of the lighting designer, and if they additionally limit the choices that can be made or allow creativity to flourish.
“The ALD is proud to support PLASA trade shows, both in London and Leeds,” says Kelli Zezulka. “Its members are based around the country, and PLASA Focus: Leeds is a great opportunity for the ALD to connect with its northern members.”
Every year, the ALD holds a social evening; this year it is again generously sponsored by ALD corporate member Hawthorns, and is great opportunity for networking and catching up with members and non-members alike.
Kelli concludes, “The PLASA trade shows provide a great opportunity for the ALD to increase its profile and to promote its position as the professional body representing those who work, or are interested in the creation of lighting design for live performance and events in the United Kingdom and around the world.”
“We are proud to have the support of other industry bodies at our events,” says Christopher Toulmin, Director of Events Division at PLASA. “It’s important for PLASA to promote an inclusive forum and to assist those who work in the industry in their professional development. The ALD seminars are a vital aspect of PLASA Focus: Leeds offering, as they do, valuable information that can be applied to real-world situations.”
Speaker profiles:
Elliot Griggs
Elliot has been worked in lighting design professionally for four years, having completed a post-graduate in lighting design at RADA. He has designed in a plethora of venues from pub theatres, railways arches, and warehouses through to the Manchester Royal Exchange, Birmingham REP and
Almeida Theatre.
Johanna Town
Jo’s extensive career has included numerous lighting designs in theatre, opera and dance. Jo was fortunate to have a long and successful career as head of lighting at the Royal Court Theatre, where she also lit many shows. In 2006 she left the Royal Court to focus all her energy on her freelance lighting career. During the past few years she has lit a greater number of international theatre and opera productions, as well as classics across the UK.
Katherine Graham
Katherine is a performance maker and designer. As a freelance lighting, stage and costume designer, she has enjoyed working with many exciting companies including Theatre Re, Made By Brick, Spilt Gin, Painted Filly Theatre, The Belltable Arts Centre, Beyond the Bark, Ballet Ireland and Arambe.
Kelli Zezulka
Kelli is a freelance lighting designer working in small- and mid-scale theatre and opera, primarily in Yorkshire. She is on the executive of the Association of Lighting Designers and is editor of its bi-monthly magazine, Focus.
For more information, please visit www.plasafocus.com/leeds/
A hi res image is available for download from http://gasolinemedia.jalbum.net/PLASA_Focus_ALD_sessions/