Danny Vavrečka
Biography
Danny is a lighting designer for theatre, opera, and dance.
THEATRE INCLUDES: work.txt (Soho Theatre & International Tour); The Watsons (Jermyn Street Theatre); Without (Underbelly, Edinburgh Fringe Festival); Compositor E (VAULTS Festival); Zombiegate (Theatre503); Period Dramas (Other Palace); Noson yn y Glwys (Neuadd Dewi Sant); Jigsaw, The Abductions (Rose Theatre, Kingston); The Moors (Richard Burton Theatre); Fires Our Shoes Have Made, The Improv Musical! (Edinburgh Fringe Festival); Dogfight (Warwick Arts Centre Studio); Timpson: The Musical (King’s Head Theatre); Guys and Dolls (Warwick Arts Centre Theatre); X (Warwick Arts Centre Studio); RENT (Goose Nest Theatre); Blood Wedding (Mumford Theatre).
OPERA INCLUDES: A Visit to Friends (Aldeburgh Festival); Uprising (Glyndebourne); Beauty and the Seven Beasts (Brixton Jamm); Don Giovanni / Il barbiere di Siviglia / Le nozze di Figaro (Sherman Theatre); Hansel and Gretel (Goose Nest Theatre).
DANCE INCLUDES: Éireann (National Folk Theatre of Ireland & Peacock Theatre); English National Ballet Emerging Dancer 2024 (Sadler’s Wells Theatre); Re-Play (Mulryan Centre for Dance); Empower in Motion (Sadler’s Wells Theatre); Terra Nova (Theatre Royal, Winchester); 1001 (Omnibus Theatre).
CREDITS AS ASSOCIATE/ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGNER INCLUDE: Just For One Day (for Howard Hudson, Old Vic & Shaftesbury Theatre); The Great Gatsby (for Cory Pattak, London Coliseum); Starlight Express (for Howard Hudson, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre); Roald Dahl’s The Witches (for Bruno Poet, National Theatre); The Hypochondriac (for Johanna Town, Sheffield Crucible); Dialogues des Carmélites (for Alessandro Carletti, Glyndebourne).
Danny trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, following a degree in Theatre at the University of Warwick. He was selected as the 2023 Design Lumière by the Association for Lighting Production and Design.
Previous productions
Previous productions
| Show name | Type | Venue/Company | Role | Creative Team | Opened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Éireann | Dance | National Folk Theatre of Ireland, Tralee; Peacock Theatre, London | Lighting Designer | Set designer: Justin Williams | Aug 2025 |
| A Visit to Friends | Opera | Aldeburgh Festival | Lighting Designer |
Director: Rachael Hewer Set designer: Leanne Vandenbussche |
Jun 2025 |
| Just For One Day | Musical | Shaftesbury Theatre, London | Assistant Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Howard Hudson Director: Luke Sheppard Set designer: Soutra Gilmour |
May 2025 |
| The Great Gatsby | Musical | London Coliseum | Assistant Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Cory Pattak Director: Marc Bruni Set designer: Paul Tate dePoo III |
Apr 2025 |
| Uprising | Opera | Glyndebourne Opera House | Lighting Designer |
Director: Sinéad O’Neill Set designer: Ana Inés Jabares-Pita |
Feb 2025 |
| Jack and the Beanstalk | Theatre |
The Central Theatre, Chatham Jordan Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Julia Cave Set designer: Julie Godfrey |
Dec 2024 |
| The New Adventures of Peter Pan | Theatre |
Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage Jordan Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Chris Jordan |
Nov 2024 |
| Brassed Off | Theatre | Octagon Theatre, Bolton | Associate Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Johanna Town Director: Liz Stevenson Set designer: Simon Kenny |
Sep 2024 |
| Welcome to Serene (The Town with the Machine) | Musical |
New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich British Youth Music Theatre |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Hannah Benson Set designer: Claire Nicoll Chan |
Aug 2024 |
| Brassed Off | Theatre | Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough | Associate Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Johanna Town Director: Liz Stevenson Set designer: Simon Kenny |
Aug 2024 |
| Brassed Off | Theatre | Theatre by the Lake, Keswick | Associate Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Johanna Town Director: Liz Stevenson Set designer: Simon Kenny |
Jul 2024 |
| Starlight Express | Musical | Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre | Assistant Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Howard Hudson Director: Luke Sheppard Set designer: Tim Hatley |
Jun 2024 |
| Emerging Dancer 2024 | Dance |
Sadler's Wells Theatre English National Ballet |
Lighting Designer |
Choreographer: Rentaro Nakaaki , Choreographer: Ching Ying Chien |
May 2024 |
| The Watsons | Theatre | Jermyn Street Theatre, London | Lighting Designer |
Director: Max Key Set designer: Sue Pearce |
Apr 2024 |
| Re-Play | Dance |
Mulryan Centre for Dance English National Ballet |
Lighting Designer |
Choreographer: Miguel Altunaga , Choreographer: Carolyn Bolton , Choreographer: Kate Hartley-Stevens , Choreographer: Jenna Lee , Choreographer: Gerrard Martin , Choreographer: Jo Meredith , Choreographer: Hannah Williams |
Mar 2024 |
| The Watsons | Theatre | Oxford School of Drama | Lighting Designer |
Director: Max Key Set designer: Sue Pearce |
Mar 2024 |
| Just For One Day | Musical | Old Vic Theatre, London | Assistant Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Howard Hudson Director: Luke Sheppard Set designer: Soutra Gilmour |
Feb 2024 |
| Empower in Motion | Dance | Sadler's Wells Theatre, London | Lighting Designer |
Choreographer: Kristen McNally , Choreographer: Maia Rose Roberts , Choreographer: Sebastian Kloborg , Choreographer: Mary Skeaping , Choreographer: Joe Powell-Main |
Feb 2024 |
| Rock 'n' Roll | Theatre | Hampstead Theatre | Assistant Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Peter Mumford Director: Nina Raine Set designer: Anna Reid |
Dec 2023 |
| Roald Dahl's The Witches | Musical | The Olivier, National Theatre | Assistant Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Bruno Poet Director: Lyndsey Turner Set designer: Lizzie Clachan |
Nov 2023 |
| The Hypochondriac | Theatre | Sheffield Crucible Theatre | Associate Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Johanna Town Director: Sarah Tipple Set designer: Colin Richmond |
Oct 2023 |
| The Little Big Things | Musical | Soho Place | Associate Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Howard Hudson Director: Luke Sheppard Set designer: Colin Richmond |
Sep 2023 |
| Without | Musical | Big Belly, Underbelly, Edinburgh Fringe | Lighting Designer |
Director: Ben Tomalin & Maisie Fawcett |
Aug 2023 |
| Semele | Opera | Glyndebourne Opera House | Assistant Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Peter Mumford & Rick Fisher Director: Adele Thomas Set designer: Annemarie Woods |
Jul 2023 |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | Opera | Glyndebourne Opera House | Assistant Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Paul Pyant Director: Peter Hall Set designer: John Bury |
Jul 2023 |
| Dialogues des Carmelites | Opera | Glyndebourne Opera House | Assistant Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Alessandro Carletti Director: Barrie Kosky Set designer: Katrin Lea Tag |
Jun 2023 |
| Don Giovanni | Opera | Glyndebourne Opera House | Assistant Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Bernd Purkrabek Director: Mariame Clément Set designer: Julia Hansen |
May 2023 |
| work.txt | Theatre | International Tour | Lighting Designer |
Director: Nathan Ellis |
Feb 2023 |
| Kathak Monologues | Dance |
UK tour Amina Khayyam Dance Company |
Touring Re-Lighter |
Lighting designer: Clare O'Donoghue Choreographer: Amina Khayyam |
Feb 2023 |
| Compositor E | Theatre |
Network Theatre, Vault Festival Falling Sparrow |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Amie Burns Walker |
Feb 2023 |
| Love Goddess, the Rita Hayworth Musical | Musical | The Cockpit Theatre | Lighting Designer |
Director: Steve North Set designer: Mayou Trikerioti |
Nov 2022 |
| Zombiegate | Theatre | Theatre503 | Lighting Designer |
Director: Julian Bruton Set designer: Delyth Evans |
Nov 2022 |
| work.txt | Theatre | Studiobühne U17, Staatstheater Mainz | Lighting Designer |
Director: Nathan Ellis |
Oct 2022 |
| Terra Nova | Dance |
Theatre Royal Winchester British Youth Music Theatre |
Lighting Designer |
Choreographer: Rachel Birch-Lawson & Khyle Eccles |
Aug 2022 |
| work.txt | Theatre | Summerhall, Edinburgh Fringe Festival | Lighting Designer |
Director: Nathan Ellis |
Aug 2022 |
| Period Dramas | Theatre | Pleasance, Edinburgh Fringe Festival | Lighting Designer |
Director: Jessy Roberts |
Aug 2022 |
| Beauty and the Seven Beasts | Opera |
Brixton Jamm The Opera Story |
Lighting Designer |
Director: James Hurley Set designer: Tomás Palmer |
Apr 2022 |
| work.txt | Theatre | Soho Theatre Upstairs | Lighting Designer |
Director: Nathan Ellis |
Mar 2022 |
| Period Dramas | Theatre | Other Palace Studio, London | Lighting Designer |
Director: Jessy Roberts |
Feb 2022 |
| 1001 | Dance | Omnibus Theatre | Lighting Designer |
Choreographer: Jana Aizupe |
Feb 2022 |
| Noson yn y Glwys | Theatre | Neuadd Dewi Sant, Cornerstone, Cardiff | Lighting Designer |
Director: Rhian Blythe Set designer: Tomás Palmer |
Dec 2021 |
| Jigsaw | Theatre |
Rose Theatre, Kingston Pound of Flesh Theatre |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Matt Owen |
Jul 2021 |
| Lights Over Tesco Carpark: The Abductions | Theatre |
Rose Theatre, Kingston Poltergeist Theatre |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Jack Bradfield and Shankho Chaudhuri Set designer: Shankho Chaudhuri |
Apr 2021 |
| Don Giovanni / Il barbiere di Siviglia / Le nozze di Figaro | Opera | Sherman Theatre, Cardiff | Lighting Designer |
Director: Sarah Crisp Set designer: Emeline Beroud |
Mar 2021 |
| The Moors | Theatre | Richard Burton Theatre, Cardiff | Lighting Designer |
Director: Patricia Logue Set designer: Joe Loftin |
Dec 2020 |
| Fires Our Shoes Have Made | Theatre |
Edinburgh Fringe Festival, C Venues Pound of Flesh Theatre |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Matt Owen |
Aug 2019 |
| Dogfight | Musical | Warwick Arts Centre Studio | Lighting Designer |
Director: Bronte Skey Set designer: Grace Lovegrove |
May 2019 |
| Guys and Dolls | Musical | Warwick Arts Centre Theatre | Lighting Designer |
Director: Alessandra French Set designer: Grace Lovegrove |
Feb 2019 |
| Timpson: The Musical | Musical |
Kings Head Theatre, then touring Gigglemug Comedy |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Sam Cochrane Set designer: Doug Cairns |
Feb 2019 |
| The Pillowman | Theatre | Warwick Arts Centre Studio | Lighting Designer |
Director: Matt Owen and Oscar Sadler Set designer: Meg Colborne |
Feb 2019 |
| X | Theatre | Warwick Arts Centre Studio | Lighting Designer |
Director: Joe Matty Set designer: Grace Lovegrove |
Jan 2019 |
| Lip Service | Theatre | Warwick Arts Centre Studio | Lighting Designer |
Director: Grace Lovegrove Set designer: Grace Lovegrove |
Oct 2018 |
| A Monster Musical! | Musical | Edinburgh Fringe Festival, C Venues | Lighting Designer |
Director: Josh Dixon |
Aug 2018 |
| Timpson: The Musical | Musical |
Edinburgh Fringe Festival, C Venues Gigglemug Comedy |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Sam Cochrane Set designer: Doug Cairns |
Aug 2018 |
| Rent | Musical | The Goose Nest Theatre | Lighting Designer |
Director: Josh Dixon Set designer: Tommy Harvey |
Jan 2018 |
| Hansel and Gretel | Opera | The Goose Nest Theatre | Lighting Designer |
Director: Rhiannon McDonagh Set designer: DeDe Cullum |
Jan 2018 |
| The Pirates of Penzance | Musical | Warwick Arts Centre Studio | Lighting Designer |
Director: Rebekah Hesmondhalgh and Sophie Taylor Set designer: DeDe Cullum |
Jun 2017 |
| Blood Wedding | Theatre | Mumford Theatre, Cambridge | Lighting Designer |
Director: Rachel Ellis |
Jun 2017 |
| Jerusalem | Theatre | Warwick Arts Centre Studio | Lighting Designer |
Director: Bethan Pitts Set designer: Natalie Doyle |
May 2017 |
| Little Shop of Horrors | Musical | Warwick Arts Centre Studio | Lighting Designer |
Director: Rob Madge Set designer: Doug Cairns |
May 2017 |
| Noughts and Crosses | Theatre | Warwick Arts Centre Studio | Lighting Designer |
Director: Zahrah Kazim Set designer: Ciara Shrager |
Feb 2017 |
| Heads | Theatre | Edinburgh Fringe Festival | Lighting Designer |
Director: Leo Reich & Adam Husain |
Aug 2015 |
Location availability:
- UK London
- UK Provinces
- Worldwide
| Contact method | Details |
|---|---|
| Website | www.dannyvavrecka.com |
| Agent name | CVH Management |
| Agent email | kate@clarevidalhall.com |
| Agent website | https://www.cvhmanagement.com |
Theatre:
- Regional (Main House)
- Regional (Studio)
- Small Scale Touring
- Fringe / Pub Theatre
- Education Establishment
- Touring relights
Musical:
- Regional (Main House)
- Regional (Studio)
- Small Scale / Fringe
- Education Establishment
Opera:
- Small scale
- Education Establishment
Dance:
- Small Scale
Education:
- Lectures
- Workshops
- Training
News
Appearing here soon... a collection of articles from the Focus magazine archives.
Press quotes
Éireann
The combination here of the fast, beautifully synchronised rhythmic footwork and the powerful lighting was both mesmerising and rousing.
Louise Ryrie, Dance Magazine 29/08/2025
A Visit to Friends
Lighting and video design (Danny Vavrečka and Sasha Owen) effectively echo the romantic turmoil of the characters.
Boyd Tonkin, The Arts Desk 18/06/2025
The creative team certainly excel themselves particularly with Danny Vavrečka’s ever-changing lighting scenario and Sasha Owen’s striking video sequences, adding so much to the overall stage picture.
Tony Cooper, Planet Hugill 17/06/2025
The ever-changing videos (Sasha Owen) sympathetically underscore the mood on stage, as does the lighting by Danny Vavrečka.
Inge Kjemtrup, The Stage 16/06/2025
Uprising
Sinéad O’Neill’s production features no large scenery, but prevails through the use of lighting and colour. The evening begins with Lola philosophising on the nature of trees while members of the youth chorus lie behind her. With Danny Vavrečka’s lighting designs illuminating the raised arm of each person, but not the body, we gain a keen sense of fragile branches swaying in the wind.
Sam Smith, MusicOMH 03/03/2025
Visually, it’s impressive too: the designs by Ana Inés Jabares-Pita, especially a floating metal tree, are atmospherically lit by Danny Vavrečka.
Nicholas Kenyon, The Telegraph 01/03/2025
Emerging Dancer 2024
Danced under stark white lighting with some sections in gorgeous silhouette.
David Mead, SeeingDance 27/05/2024
Without
The lighting design is fabulous, and we all know that Fringe techs are tight, so what they have done in the time they had is awesome. They create different times of days, emotional states and ambience with this lighting.
Olivia Ruggiero, Theatre Travels 19/08/2023
work.txt
There’s a deeply existential aspect to the experience in its premise about accepting that we are both present and ephemeral, unique and groupable, essential and replaceable. Ellis’ text scratches that therapeutic itch, with backup from Danny Vavrečka’s moodily colourful lighting design.
Ilana Lucas, Broadway World 28/09/2023
The show effortlessly navigates its bold choices, never feeling like a gimmick thanks to its witty text, lighting and sound design.
Oliver Giggins, North West End UK 12/08/2022
An initial task invites the audience to lay wooden blocks in any way they would like in the space, and these are then lit beautifully in sunrise tones by Danny Vavrečka to bring to life a city in miniature.
The Stage
Compositor E
Danny Vavrecka’s lighting design is another major contributor, emphasising John’s encompassing trauma. In one instance, a sudden blast of light startles the senses.
Tom Carrao, Lost in Theatreland 16/02/2023
Zombiegate
Gauze drapes frame a set of striped folding doors and blocks, which double up to create the Punch and Judy booth. Backlit by Danny Vavrečka’s LED bars, [they] glow with every electronic ping and siren in Hattie North’s sound design.
Nikita Karia, The Stage 09/11/2022
Terra Nova
Fires Our Shoes Have Made
The storytelling combines spoken word, sound, music and song, all performed under mesmerising coloured lights. The show looks and sounds beautiful.
Catherine Love, Ed Fest Mag 10/08/2019
Timpson: The Musical
The technical side of the show is very well realised, with exceptionally slick lighting.
Amy Hanson, Broadway World UK 19/08/2018
