Katharine Williams
Biography
Katharine Williams is a lighting designer working in drama, dance and physical theatre, with some opera, musical and circus projects.
Katharine works in the UK and internationally. Her designs have been seen in China, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Canada, the USA, Mexico, Ireland, Holland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Armenia, Romania, Russia and the Czech Republic.
Katharine grew up by the sea in Yorkshire, and her design career began lighting the youth theatre productions at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, and in temporary venues at the National Student Drama Festival and at the Edinburgh Fringe, so working in non-traditional theatre formats comes naturally to her.
Katharine has loved new-writing work from the beginning of her career and time spent devising with physical theatre companies has led naturally into working in dance theatre as well as with text. She has collaborated with some of the UK's most exciting emerging artists and companies, as well as with established companies including Traverse Theatre, Aldeburgh Music, the National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Court Theatre and Royal Opera House in London.
Katharine lives in London, although work and life often take her further afield. She lives close to the Thames, rides a bike and is currently writing her first play. When she grows up she wants to light rock gigs as well as large scale theatre events and installation work.
A full list of lighting design credits can be viewed by clicking on the credits link to the left.
Awards
A Place At The Table was shortlisted for a 2012 Off West End 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.
Katharine 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.
Katharine 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.
2006 Total Theatre Award for Hysteria, 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.
Film
Katharine has recently worked on The Half-Light, the first film project she has been involved with, with Fifty Nine Productions and Ruby Films.
Exhibitions
With Simon Thomas-Colquhoun, Katharine designed the lighting for the Collaborators Exhibition at the V&A Museum, London and the 2007 Prague Quadrennial Exhibition British Exhibit. Her design work was also displayed as part of the ALD group exhibit. With Dani Bish, she designed the lighting for the 2011 SBTD Exhibition in Cardiff.
Katharine’s work for Scale Project’s site-specific New Town/Suitcase City was exhibited in 2002-05 as part of the 2D:3D exhibition which toured the UK, and also as part of the British entry to the 2003 Prague Quadrennial Exhibition.
Education work
Katharine has worked as a guest lecturer in lighting design for the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. She has also lectured for Goldsmith's, University of London and for the University of Arts, Brighton.
Katharine is committed to education and development in theatre through mentorship, and is always delighted to take a student or emerging practitioner to observe the design process.