Richard Pilbrow

Richard Pilbrow, a pioneering British stage lighting designer, theatre consultant, and producer, passed away on December 6, 2023, at the age of 90. Born in Beckenham, Kent, he revolutionized stage lighting, becoming the first British designer to light a Broadway musical. He co-founded Theatre Projects and played a key role in designing world-renowned venues, including London’s National Theatre and Walt Disney Concert Hall. A prolific author and award-winning designer, Pilbrow influenced generations of theatre professionals. He spent his final days at Farrington Court Retirement Community.

Pilbrow was one of the world’s leading theatre consultants. He was also an internationally known author and stage lighting designer, as well as a theatre, film, and television producer. He founded Theatre Projects in London in 1957. Under his leadership, the company became the pre-eminent theatre consulting organization in the world, completing over 1,200 projects in 70 countries.

His lighting design work was seen in London, New York, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, and Moscow. His Broadway credits included Tale of Two Cities – The Musical, Our Town (starring Paul Newman), the Hal Prince hit revival of Show Boat, Zorba, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, and The Rothchilds. He also designed lights for The Sleeping Beauty for the American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Richard was an active author and publisher, including A Theatre Project: A Backstage Adventure (his memoir) with a foreward by Joseph Volpe, Stage Lighting with a foreward by Sir Laurence Olivier, and Stage Lighting Design: The Art, the Craft, the Life with a foreward by Hal Prince, (published 1997 and reprinted 2008) which became and continues to be the standard for teaching lighting in the UK and US. He was recognized with multiple Tony Award nominations, the Drama Desk Award, the Outer Circle Critics Award-Lighting, and the Dora Award – Outstanding Lighting.