Richard Pilbrow and Tony Walton design A Tale of Two Cities

January 30, 2008

Richard Pilbrow, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Theatre Projects, recently finished work on the pre-Broadway run of, A Tale of Two Cities, with Sarasota's Asolo Repertory Theatre (October 26th -November 18th). Playing to a sold-out house night after night, the classic tale thrilled both critics and audience members alike. As lighting designer, Richard subtly brought the stage to life. "Richard Pilbrow's expressionistic lighting creates a whole world of indignant fantasy," Mark E. Lieb, Creative Loafing, Sarasota.

Richard rejoined with Tony Walton, award-winning scene designer and a former Theatre Projects director, in this exciting production. As with many of the projects they have worked on together (including most recently American Ballet Theatre's production of Sleeping Beauty at The Metropolitan Opera), the duo continues to mesmerize audiences: "...spectacular scenery and lighting designs... bound-for-Broadway," January Holmes, Bradenton Herald.

In addition to their recent engagements, some of Richard and Tony's collaborations include: "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" (1963), "Four Baboons Adoring the Sun" Lincoln Center Theatre (1992), which also earned a Lighting Tony nomination, "Our Town" with Paul Newman Westport Playhouse (2002), and "The Boy Friend" Goodspeed Musical Theatre and National US Tour (2004) directed by Julie Andrews.

A Tale of Two Cities was performed in the Mertz Theatre in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts (Sarasota, FL). Theatre Projects was the theatre design consultant for this project and played a primary role in arranging the acquisition and restoration of the original auditorium of the 1903/1921 Dunfermline Opera House (Dunfermline, Scotland). This historic auditorium, now the Mertz Theatre, was then reconstructed inside the new facility.

Mertz Theatre, FSU Center for the Performing Arts