From the show Oranges & Elephants
Photograph from The Keepers of Infinity - lighting design by Johanna Town
From the show The Keepers of Infinity
Photograph from Tonight@8.30 - lighting design by Johanna Town
From the show Tonight@8.30
Johanna Town's picture

Johanna Town

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Biography

Johanna is one of the UK’s leading Lighting Designers. She has worked across theatre, opera and events designing no less than 400 productions both internationally and in the UK.  Her work has been seen in the West End and on Broadway as well as UK tours and international productions. For more information please visit johannatown.co.uk

Originally from Blackpool, Johanna has since gone on to work with some of the UK’s most respected theatrical institutions including the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Royal National Theatre, The Bridge, Chichester Festival Theatre and The Manchester Royal Exchange.

Over the years, Johanna has worked with a vast array of the most respected directors and designers in the industry. She takes an enormous amount of inspiration from these people as well as the world around her.  Johanna’s passion for the arts extends to sharing her ideas and artistic musings with the next generation of lighting practitioners. To this end, in 2015, Johanna was made a Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she still regularly designs and mentors. 

Prior to her illustrious career in design, Johanna was the Head of Lighting at London’s Royal Court Theatre for many years including designing and working alongside the architects on their lighting refurbishment in 2000. 

In addition to her impressive variety of work, she contributes to numerous publications both internationally and at home. Johanna is the Chair of The ALD; an International Lighting Association for people in production lighting and is an Associate Artist for London’s Theatre 503. 

Previous productions

Current credits

Show name Type Venue/Company Role Creative team Closes
Rinaldo Opera Estonia Opera house
Estonia Opera House
Lighting Designer Director: William Relton
Set designer: Cordelia Chisholm
27 Jan 2100

In repertoire

Show name Type Venue/Company Role Creative team
Tamerlano Opera Grange Festival
Grange Festival
Lighting Designer
Norman Conquests Theatre Chichester Festival Theatre Lighting Designer Director: Blanche McIntry
Set designer: Simon Higlett
Miss Julie Theatre Theatre by the Lake, Keswick Lighting Designer

Previous productions

Show name Type Venue/Company Role Creative Team Opened
How the Other Half Loves Theatre Salisbury Playhouse
Wiltshire Creatives
Lighting Designer Feb 2023
The Tempest Theatre RSC Stratford Lighting Designer Director: Elizabeth Freestone
Set designer: Tom Piper
Feb 2023
The Tempest Theatre RSC Stratford Lighting Designer Director: Elizabeth Freestone
Set designer: Tom Piper
Feb 2023
Famous 5 Musical Theatr Clwyd Lighting Designer Sep 2022, Oct 2022
Famous 5 Musical Theatr Clwyd Lighting Designer Sep 2022, Oct 2022
Fishermans Friends Musical Plymouth, then touring
ROYO
Lighting Designer Aug 2022
Identical Musical Nottingham, Salford,
Kenny Wax Ltd
Lighting Designer Aug 2022
Tamerlano Opera Grange Festival
Grange Festival
Lighting Designer Jun 2022
Baskerville Theatre Mercury Colchester Lighting Designer Aug 2021
Mr & Mrs Nobody Theatre Jermyn Street Theatre Lighting Designer Jul 2021
Lone Flyer Theatre Jermyn Street Theatre Lighting Designer Jun 2021
Lone Flyer Theatre Jermyn Street Theatre Lighting Designer Jun 2021
The Death of a Blackman Theatre Hampstead Theatre Lighting Designer Jun 2021
The Crucible Theatre Pitlochry Festival Theatre Lighting Designer Director: Elizabeth Newman
Jun 2019
Napoli Brooklyn Theatre Malvern Festival Theatre & Tour
Original Theatre Company
Lighting Designer Director: Lisa Blaire
Apr 2019, Jun 2019
Napoli Brooklyn Theatre Malvern Festival Theatre & Tour
Original Theatre Company
Lighting Designer Director: Lisa Blaire
Apr 2019, Jun 2019
Blithe Spirit Theatre Pitlochry Festival Theatre Lighting Designer Jun 2019
Napoli Brooklyn Theatre Malvern Festival Theatre & Tour
Original Theatre Company
Lighting Designer Director: Lisa Blaire
Apr 2019, Jun 2019
Napoli Brooklyn Theatre Malvern Festival Theatre & Tour
Original Theatre Company
Lighting Designer Director: Lisa Blaire
Apr 2019, Jun 2019
Miss Julie & The Creditors in Rep Theatre Theatre by the Lake, Keswick Lighting Designer Director: Tom Littler
Set designer: Louie Whitemore
Mar 2019, Apr 2019
Miss Julie & The Creditors in Rep Theatre Theatre by the Lake, Keswick Lighting Designer Director: Tom Littler
Set designer: Louie Whitemore
Mar 2019, Apr 2019
Rutherford & Son Theatre Sheffield Theatres Lighting Designer Director: Caroline Steinbeis
Set designer: Lucy Osbourne
Feb 2019
Saturday Night Sunday morning Theatre Guildhall School of Music and Drama Lighting Designer Nov 2018
The Watsons Theatre Minerva Theatre Chichester
Chichester Theatre
Lighting Designer Nov 2018
Her Naked Skin Theatre Salisbury Playhouse Lighting Designer Oct 2018
Habit of Art Theatre York and UK tour
Original thetare Company
Lighting Designer Aug 2018
Sense & Sensebility Theatre Theatre by the Lake, Keswick
Thetare by the lake
Lighting Designer Jul 2018
Perfect Nonsense Theatre Theatre By the Lake
Theatre By The Lake
Lighting Designer May 2018
Desire the Night Theatre Hampstead Theatre
Hampstead Theatre
Lighting Designer May 2018
Big Corner Theatre Octagon Theatre Bolton
Octagan Theatre
Lighting Designer Apr 2018
Frankinstein Theatre Royal Exchange Manchester
Royal Exchange
Lighting Designer Mar 2018
Here I belong Theatre Pentabus, then touring
Pentabus
Lighting Designer Mar 2018
A Kings Ransom Opera Open Norwich
Into Opera
Lighting Designer Feb 2018
Oranges & Elephants Musical Hoxton Halls
Oranges & Elephants
Lighting Designer Director: Sussie McKenna
Set designer: Sara Perks
Jan 2018
Guys & Dolls Musical Manchester Royal Exchange Studio Lighting Designer Director: Micheal Buffong
Dec 2017
Trestle Theatre Southwark Playhouse
Papatango Theatre Company
Lighting Designer Director: Cathal Cleary
Set designer: Francis Bradshaw
Nov 2017
Cherry Orchard Theatre Guildhall School of Music and Drama Lighting Designer Director: Christian Burges
Set designer: Poly Sullivan
Oct 2017
Norman Conquests Theatre Chichester Festival Theatre Lighting Designer Director: Blanche McIntry
Set designer: Simon Higlett
Oct 2017
Fox on the Fairway Theatre Queen's Theatre Hornchurch Lighting Designer Director: Phillip Wilson
Aug 2017
Remarkable Invisible Theatre Theatre by the Lake, Keswick Lighting Designer Aug 2017
Miss Julie Theatre Theatre by the Lake, Keswick Lighting Designer Jun 2017
Julius Caesar Theatre Sheffield Theatres Lighting Designer May 2017
Fracked dont use the F word Theatre UK tour
Jonathan Church productions
Lighting Designer Apr 2017
The Tennent of Wildfell Hall Theatre Bolton Octagon Theatre Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Johanna Town
Apr 2017
House of Bernarda Alba Theatre Royal Exchange Theatre Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Johanna Town
Feb 2017
Experience Theatre Hampstead Downstairs Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Johanna Town
Director: Tom Attenburgh
Set designer: Polly Sullivan
Jan 2017
The Star Theatre Liverpool Playhouse
Liverpooleveryman
Lighting Designer Director: Philip W8lson
Set designer: Matthew Wright
Dec 2016
Great Expectations Theatre Guildhall Silk street
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Lighting Designer Director: Christian Burges
Set designer: Agnes Treplin
Nov 2016
Here I belong Theatre Pentabus Village Hall Tour
Pentabus
Lighting Designer Director: Elizabeth Freestone
Set designer: Ellan Parry
Oct 2016
King Lear Theatre Royal Exchange Theatre
Talawa & Royal Exchange & Birmingham Rep
Lighting Designer Director: Micheal Buffon
Set designer: Signe Beckmaaa
Apr 2016, May 2016
My Mother Said Theatre St James Theatre London
Tiny Fires
Lighting Designer Director: Paul Robinson
Set designer: Signe Beckmann
Apr 2016
King Lear Theatre Royal Exchange Theatre
Talawa & Royal Exchange & Birmingham Rep
Lighting Designer Director: Micheal Buffon
Set designer: Signe Beckmaaa
Apr 2016, May 2016
Brainstorm Theatre NT Theatres
Islington Community Theatre
Lighting Designer Director: Ned Glasier & Emily Lim
Set designer: Charlie Damigos
Mar 2016
The Nap Theatre Sheffield Theatres Lighting Designer Director: Richard Wilson
Set designer: James Cotterill
Mar 2016
Don Quixote Theatre RSC Swan Theatre Lighting Designer Director: Angus Jackson
Set designer: Robert Innes Hopkins
Mar 2016
5 Finger Excerise Theatre The Print Room Lighting Designer Director: Jamie Glover
Set designer: Andrew Edwards
Jan 2016
Pines Theatre Hampstead Downstairs Lighting Designer Director: Lisa Spirling
Set designer: Polly Sullivan
Dec 2015
Lulu Theatre Guildhall Silk street Lighting Designer Director: Christian Burges
Set designer: Agnes Treplin
Nov 2015
The Magna Carta Plays Theatre Salisbury Playhouse Lighting Designer Oct 2015
The Crucible Theatre Royal Exchange Theatre Lighting Designer Director: Caroline Steinbise
Set designer: Max Jones
Sep 2015
Crush Theatre Coventry belgrade then touring, then touring
Big Broad Productions
Lighting Designer Sep 2015
Dear Lupin Theatre Apollo Theatre
Kenny Wax
Lighting Designer Director: Phillip Franks
Set designer: Adrain Linford
Jul 2015
Brainstorming Theatre NT
Islington Community Theatre
Lighting Designer Director: Ned Glasier
Jul 2015
Educating Rita Theatre Chichester Theatre Lighting Designer Director: Micheal Buffong
Set designer: Ellen Cairnes
Jun 2015
Animals Theatre Theatre 503 Lighting Designer Director: Lisa Cagnacci
Apr 2015
Deposit Theatre Hampstead Theatre Lighting Designer Director: Lisa Spirling
Mar 2015
A Mad World My Masters Theatre Wolverhampton, then touring
English Touring Theatre & ATG productions
Lighting Designer Director: Sean Foley
Set designer: Alice Powers
Feb 2015
All My Sons Theatre Ipswich, then touring
Talawa Theatre Company
Lighting Designer Director: Micheal Buffong
Set designer: Ellen Cairns
Feb 2015
Arcadia Theatre Opens Brighton Theatre Royal, then touring
English Touring Theatre & ATG productions
Lighting Designer Director: Blanche McIntyre
Set designer: Jonathon Fesnsom
Jan 2015
Each Slow Dusk Theatre Pentabus Lighting Designer Director: Elizabeth Freestone
Oct 2014
Uncle Vanya Theatre St James Theatre
Jagged Edge
Lighting Designer Director: Russell Bolam
Oct 2014
Pitcairn Theatre Minerva chichester, then touring
Chichester OOJ
Lighting Designer Director: Max Stafford Clarke
Set designer: Tim Shortall
Aug 2014
Our Countries Good Theatre Croydon, then touring
Out of Joint
Lighting Designer Director: Max Stafford Clarke
Set designer: Tim Shortfal
Apr 2014
Porgy and Bess Opera Copenhagen Opera House Lighting Designer Director: John Doyle
Set designer: Liz Ascroft
Mar 2014
Moon Over a Rainbow Shawl Theatre Ipswich, then touring
Talawa Theatre Company
Lighting Designer Director: Micheal Buffong
Set designer: Soutra Gilmour
Feb 2014
The Keepers of Infinity Theatre 90 The Park
The Moving Theatre
Lighting Designer Director: Zoe Lafferty
Set designer: Phil Lindley
Jan 2014
Tonight@8.30 Theatre Nuffield Southampton, then touring
ETT
Lighting Designer Director: Blanche McIntry
Set designer: Robert Innes Hopkins
May 2013
Location availability:
  • Australasia & Asia Pacific
  • North America
  • Scotland
  • UK London
  • UK Provinces
  • Western Europe & Scandinavia
Contact method Details
Mobile phone

07973 897286

Email address

johannatown@me.com

Agent name

Clare Vidal-Hall

Agent phone

020 8741 7647

Agent website

http://www.clarevidalhall.com

Agent email

info@clarevidalhall.com

Website

http://www.johannatown.co.uk

Theatre:
  • West End
  • Commercial Tour
  • Regional (Main House)
  • Regional (Studio)
Musical:
  • West End
  • Commercial Tour
  • Regional (Main House)
Opera:
  • International
  • Large scale
  • 'Country House'
Dance:
  • Medium Scale
  • Small Scale
Architectural:
  • Displays & Art
  • Domestic
  • Gardens
Education:
  • Lectures
  • Workshops
  • Training

News

Appearing here soon... a collection of articles from the Focus magazine archives.