John Rainsforth

    Biography Credits Contact Details

    Biography

    John is a lighting designer and graduate of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (2011). With a career that spans over a decade, his work has been seen on stages across the UK and around the world, including Australia, China, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Thailand, and Norway

    John’s diverse portfolio includes large-scale international productions such as Swan Lake on Ice (Bangkok), The Nutcracker on Ice (Italy), and Peter Pan on Ice (World Tour), as well as UK-based theatre, touring, and pantomime. His credits include Sleeping Beauty (Darlington Hippodrome), Cinderella: A Fairytale (Northern Stage), Speakeasy (UK Tour), Some Enchanted Evening (Barn Theatre & Tour), Brotherhood and Soapbox Racer (Alphabetti Theatre), and many popular pantomimes for The Customs House. UK Productions, Jordan Productions & Crossroads Pantomimes.

    In addition to his professional design work, John is a visiting Lighting Designer and Mentor at the Guildford School of Acting, where he supports the development of emerging talent. His selected GSA designs include The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Richard III, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: A Musical, and The Pirate Queen, among others.

    He is a proud member of the Association for Lighting Production & Design and Equity, and remains committed to pushing creative boundaries through light and storytelling.

    Awards & Nominations

    *

    Nominee, 2025 UK Pantomime Association Award for Best Lighting Design – Mother Goose, The Customs House

    ​​*

    Nominee, 2023 BroadwayWorld UK Award for Best Lighting Design – Shakespeare’s R&J, Reading Rep

    Specialisms

    Theatre:
    • Touring relights
    Musical:
    • West End
    • Commercial Tour
    • Regional (Main House)
    • Education Establishment
    • Touring relights
    Opera:
    • Touring relights
    Dance:
    • Touring relights
    Corporate:
    • Conferences
    Non-professional:
    • Dance
    • Musicals
    • Plays
    • Projection / Video Design
    Education:
    • Lectures
    • Workshops
    • Training

    Previous productions

    Show name Type Venue/Company Role Creative Team Opened
    Grease the Musical Theatre Athens Christmas Theatre, then touring
    MAC Global     		Lighting Designer Director: Nigel West
    Set designer: Mary Tsagkari
    Sleeping Beauty Theatre Sunderland Empire
    UK Productions     		Lighting Designer
    Robin Hood Theatre Manchester Opera House
    Crossroads Pantomimes     		Lighting Designer
    Goldilocks and The Three Bears Theatre The Customs House
    The Customs House     		Lighting Designer Director: Natasha Haws
    Set designer: Mike Brown
    Grease the Musical Theatre Dubai Opera, then touring
    Dubai Opera     		Lighting Designer Director: Nigel West
    Set designer: Mary Tsagkari
    The Pajama Game Musical Yvonne Arnaud Guildford
    Guildford School of Acting     		Lighting Designer Director: Ian Talbot
    Set designer: Stewart Charlesworth
    Snow White Theatre Fairfield Halls, Croydon
    UK Productions     		Lighting Designer Director: Sarah Redmond
    Set designer: UK Productions
    Sleeping Beauty Theatre Darlington Hippodrome
    Crossroads Pantomimes     		Lighting Designer Director: Alan Harding
    Mother Goose Theatre The Customs House
    The Customs House Theatre Trust     		Lighting & Projection / Video Designer Director: Ray Spencer
    Set designer: Alfie Joey & Mike Brown
    Cinderella on Ice Theatre Zabeel Theatre, Dubai, then touring
    Imperial Ice stars     		Lighting Designer Director: Tony Mercer
    Swan Lake on Ice Theatre Bangkok International Dance Festival, then touring
    Imperial Ice stars     		Lighting Designer Director: Tony Mercer
    Set designer: Eamon D'Arcy
    The Hunchback of Notre Dame Theatre Guildford Yvonne Arnaud
    Guildford School of Acting     		Lighting Designer Director: Nigel West
    Set designer: Roger Ness
    Little Red Ridding Hood Theatre The Customs House
    The Customs House Theatre Trust     		Lighting & Projection / Video Designer Director: Steven Lee Hamilton
    Nutcracker on Ice Theatre Archiboldi Theater Milan, then touring
    Imperial Ice stars     		Lighting Designer Director: Tony Mercer
    Set designer: Eamon D'Arcy
    Aladdin Theatre Fairfield Halls, Croydon
    UK Productions     		Lighting Designer Director: Sarah Redmond
    Set designer: UK Productions
    Cinderella: A Fairytayle Theatre Northern Stage
    Northern Stage     		Lighting Designer Director: Jake Smith & Katy Weir
    Set designer: Alison Ashton
    Shakespears R & J Theatre Reading Rep
    Reading Rep     		Lighting Designer Director: Paul Stacey
    Set designer: Anna Kelsey
    The Bench Theatre The Customs House Lighting Designer Director: Olivia Millar-Ross
    Set designer: Lee Ward
    Cinderella Theatre The Customs House
    The Customs House     		Lighting & Projection / Video Designer Director: David Hopper
    Chop, Dissolve, Burn Theatre Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne
    Alphabetti Theatre & WANC     		Lighting Designer Director: Paul James
    Set designer: Molly Barrett
    Peter Pan On Ice Theatre Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation, then touring
    Imperial Ice stars     		Lighting Designer Director: Tony Mercer
    Soapbox Racer Theatre Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne Lighting Designer Director: Rosie Bowden
    Set designer: Ali Pritchard
    Person Spec Theatre Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne
    Forest Sound Theatre     		Lighting Designer Director: Alfie Heffer
    Peter Pan On Ice Dance ICC Newport
    Imperial Ice stars     		Lighting Designer Choreographer: Tony Mercer
    Peter Pan - The Return of Captain Hook Theatre Fairfield Halls, Croydon
    UK Productions     		Lighting Designer Director: Sarah Redmond
    Set designer: UK Productions
    Robin Hood - Pantomime Theatre The Customs House
    The Customs House Theatre Trust     		Lighting Designer Director: Ray Spencer
    Set designer: Alfie Joey & Mike Brown
    Holliday Inn Theatre Bellairs Theatre
    Guildford School of Acting     		Lighting Designer Director: Nigel West
    Set designer: Amy Yardley
    The Pirate Queen Theatre Bellairs Theatre
    Guildford School of Acting     		Lighting Designer Director: Anna Fox
    Set designer: Amy Yardley
    Meggie Magicia Theatre Civic Theatre, Gosforth, then touring
    Pen Gwyn Productions     		Lighting Designer Director: Natasha Haws
    Set designer: Lee Ward
    The Wasp Theatre The Customs House
    The Customs House     		Lighting Designer Director: Jake Smith
    Set designer: Amy Watts
    Brotherhood Dance Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne
    Alphabetti Theatre, Northern Roots & Vitamin Noir     		Lighting & Projection / Video Designer
    Amour Theatre Bellairs Theate
    Guildford School of Acting     		Lighting Designer Director: PHYLLIDA CROWLEY-SMITH
    Set designer: Amy Yardley
    Some Enchanted Evening Theatre Barn Theatre, Cirencester, then touring
    Barn Theatre, Cirencester     		Lighting Designer Director: Paul Milton
    Set designer: Corin Hayes
    Tree Theatre Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne Lighting Designer Director: Rachel Glover
    Cinderella Theatre Rickmansworth Watersmeet
    Jordan Productions     		Lighting Designer Director: Simon Jessop
    Set designer: Julie Godfrey
    Rapunzel Theatre The Customs House Lighting Designer Director: Ray Spencer
    Set designer: Sami Fendall
    Cinderella Theatre Bellairs Theate
    GSA     		Lighting Designer Director: PHYLLIDA CROWLEY-SMITH
    Set designer: Jason Denvir
    Curtains Theatre Bellairs Theate
    GSA     		Lighting Designer Director: Nigel West
    Set designer: Jason Denvir
    Our Laygate Theatre The Customs House
    The Customs House Theatre Trust     		Lighting Designer Director: Mina Anwar
    Set designer: John Rainsforth & Gareth Hunter
    The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow Theatre Bellairs Theate
    Guildford School of Acting     		Lighting Designer Director: Racky Plews
    Set designer: P J McEvoy
    Richard III Theatre Guildford School of Acting Lighting Designer Director: Nicholas Scrivens
    Set designer: Rodger Ness
    Arbuthnot & Dame Bella's Christmas Adventure Theatre The Customs House Lighting & Projection / Video Designer Lighting designer: John Rainsforth
    Director: David Hopper
    Set designer: Natasha Haws
    Peter Pan Theatre Rickmansworth Watersmeet
    Jordan Productions     		Lighting Designer Director: Michael Burgen
    Cinderella Theatre Kettering Lighthouse Theatre
    Jordan Productions     		Lighting Designer Director: Paul Milton
    Snow White Theatre The Customs House
    The Customs House Theatre Trust     		Lighting Designer Director: Ray Spencer
    Set designer: Fox and Shriek
    All About My Mother Theatre GSA
    GSA Conservatiore     		Lighting Designer Director: Hannah Bannister
    Set designer: Elliott Squire
    Love and Information Theatre GSA
    GSA Conservatiore     		Lighting Designer Director: Sean Linnen
    Set designer: Elliott Squire
    Cosmonaut’s Last Message Theatre GSA
    GSA Conservatiore     		Lighting Designer Director: Nadia Papachronopoulou
    Set designer: Elliott Squire
    Dolly Mixtures The Musical Theatre The Customs House
    The Customs House Theatre Trust     		Lighting Designer Director: Mina Anwar
    Set designer: David Wilkinson
    Bobby Robson Saved My Life Theatre The Customs House, then touring
    ION Productions     		Lighting Designer Director: Jamie Brown
    Set designer: Gareth Hunter
    Mack and Mabel Theatre The Mill Studio - Yvonne Arnaud
    GSA     		Lighting Designer Director: Julian Woolford
    Everywhere We Go Theatre The Customs House
    Boyle Yer Stotts Productions     		Lighting Designer Director: Dale Meeks
    My Uncle Freddy Theatre The Customs House
    The Customs House Theatre Trust     		Lighting Designer Director: Gareth Hunter
    End of The Peir Theatre The Customs House
    ION Productions     		Lighting Designer Director: Neil Armstrong
    Set designer: Gareth Hunter
    Educating Rita Theatre Customs House
    ION Productions     		Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Johnathan Rainsforth
    Director: Neil Armstrong
    Dolly Mixtures The Musical Theatre The Customs House
    The Customs House Theatre Trust     		Lighting Designer Director: Ray Spencer
    Set designer: David Wilkinson
    Alice in Wonderland Theatre The Customs House Lighting Designer Director: Ray Spencer
    Set designer: Fox and Shriek
    Contact method Details
    Website www.johnrainsforth.com
    Agent name Richard Ireson - Narrow Road
    Agent email richardireson@narrowroad.co.uk