Charles Houghton

Thanks for visiting my web site. I am a lighting and scenic designer based in Ireland. I currently am part of the design team at Willie Duggan Lighting in Kilkenny. Prior to moving to Ireland, I taught design and technology at the University level in the United States for 30 years. My design style is rooted in story telling. I work to reinforce the action, environment, and mood of a show to give the performers a world in which to invite the audience to join them on their journey.

As a lighting designer I have over 40 years of experience lighting shows and working in Theatre. This experience is extremely helpful when needing to design a show in a short space of time. I am able to work quickly, seeing what works in each look and then editing the looks in a show to create cohesive look throughout the production. Every May I have the opportunity to light the spring Dance Concert in Cody, Wyoming, for Rocky Mountain Dance Theatre. I am able to see the dance respond to the story and mood I am seeing and quickly cue the dance with complex cuing that emphasises the movement, mood, and story of the dance. It’s one of the most exciting design experiences of the year.

As a scenic designer I have 20 years of experience designing scenery. My sets are designed with light in mind. I think my scenery has a very fluid quality and I work hard to not make the show about the scenery, especially when it comes to set changes. I enjoy the challenge of coming up with a minimalistic approach to a show that becomes a far stronger platform for the actor.