The Rape of Lucretia

Theater an der Wien

Director: Keith Warner

Designer: Ashley Martin-Davis

photo ©Werner Kmetitsch

About Mark

Award winning lighting designer

Mark Jonathan is internationally renowned as a lighting designer of Dance, Drama, Opera, Musicals, Arena and Ice productions all around the world.

He has been passionate about lighting from childhood and neither his school or parents were able to persuade him otherwise. His first break came when he got into the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain at 16 and he never looked back!

He became an Honorary Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2014.

He is Deputy Chair of the Association for Lighting Production & Design (The ALPD) formerly the ALD.

Mark’s work was selected to be part of the British Team entry to the Prague Quadrennial in 1999 and he was a finalist in World Stage Design 2013.

Formerly: Head of Lighting, Technical Manager Royal National Theatre, London 1993-2003

Production Lighting, Glyndebourne Opera,1978-1992

Languages:

As well as speaking English, Mark speaks French and can work in German and Italian. He reads Music.

Passport: Mark has an EU passport.

Awards

Winner of the Knight of Illumination Award for Opera 2019 (Vanessa, Glyndebourne)

Nominated Whats on Stage – Best Revival of a Play (Caucasian Chalk Circle, Kingston Rose 2022)

Nominated Best Panto 2022 – The Offies (Robin Hood, Greenwich Theatre)

Nominated for Best New Production 2019 – International Opera Awards (Il Segreto di Susanna/ Iolanta Opera Holland Park)

Winner Reumert Best Opera Production 2017 (Dead Man Walking, Royal Danish Opera)

Winner Best Design Manchester Evening News Award Dr Faustus, Royal Exchange

Winner Best Lighting Backstage Pass Award Richard III, Nottingham

Winner Best Production Schikaneder award, Mathis de Maler, Vienna

Winner Best Theatre award Don Quichotte, Danish National Opera

Winner Stiftstidende’s 2014/15 Best Production, Don Quichotte, Danish National Opera

Winner Olivier Award Best New Musical Production, Honk, NT

Winner Olivier Award Best Drama, Skylight, National Theatre

Winner What’s on Stage Best New Opera Production I Puritani, Welsh National Opera

Nominated South Bank Sky opera Awards 2020 Iolanta Opera Holland Park

Nominated Reumert Best Opera Production, Askepot, Danish National Opera

Nominated Knight of Illumination Award for Opera Lighting 2013 Lulu WNO

Nominated Drama Desk Outstanding Lighting 2006/07 (Prometheus Bound , New York)

Nominated Achievement in Opera, UK Theatre Awards 2015 Jenufa Scottish Opera

Other Activities

Mark presented the ABTT fellowship awards to Richard Pilbrow, Francis Reid and Jason Barnes.

He was Host of the prestigious Knight of Illumination Awards at the Troxy in 2014 & 2015.

He chaired platforms at the National Theatre with Richard Pilbrow, David Hersey and Nichola McAuliffe.

He was a contributor to the Philips 2017 LightFest at the NT.

External Examiner – MA in Collaborative Theatre Production & Design at Guildhall School of Music & Drama (2015-18)

Judge PLASA 2018 Awards for Innovation

Mentor on the 2020, 2023 ALD Lumiere Scheme

Artistic Associate of the Chichester Festival 2006-2008.

Founder of the infamous Christmas Lighting Lunch since 1993 which continues annually.

Columnist for Focus Magazine, writer for the Stage, Sightline and contributor to various publications on theatre & lighting design.

Lectures

He has given lectures, talks and sat on panels for the NT Studio Directors’ course (London, Edinburgh, Belfast, South Africa), NT Education, the Linbury Prize, Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, RADA, LAMDA, Rose Bruford College, Central School of Speech & Drama, Motley design, Wimbledon College of Arts/ University of the Arts London, The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, The Victoria & Albert Museum, the Offies, The Society of British Theatre Design, PLASA, the ABTT and the ALPD.

Skiing!

In his spare time he is an accomplished Off-piste and Back country skier having worked each winter in the Alps from 1980 until 1992.