Brett J. Banakis is beginning work on a new musical, Renascence, based on the life and poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay, with poems set to music by Carmel Dean. Renascence is set to have its world premiere with the Transport Group this fall, co-directed by Jack Cummings III and Dick Scanlan. Brett is continuing work as International Scenic Supervisor on NYC and Worldwide productions of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, with Set Design by Christine Jones. Brett continues other collaborative work with Christine Jones: they are co-designing a new musical, The Cher Show, based on the life of - and featuring the music of - Cher. They are also working on a new production of La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera, directed by Michael Mayer, with costumes by Susan Hilferty.
M.L. Geiger The Actors Company Theatre (TACT) charming production of 3 Wise Guys is running at the becket for three more weeks. Discounts available at TACTNYC.com. Now designing lighting for Leaving Eden at Playmakers Theatre in Chapel Hill, NC. ML is this year’s Distinguished Guest Designer. Also lighting Top Girls, directed by Liesl Tommy at the Huntington Theatre in Boston.
Paul Hackenmueller is currently designing a new Carmen co-production with Opera Philadelphia and Seattle Opera, a private concert by the musical artist Zedd, the Financial Community, Now Next, and Owned-Brand meetings with Target Corporation executives and the corporate worldwide re-branding of the Rezidor Hotel Group (Radisson Hotels) in Hong Kong.
Susan Hilferty is designing sets and costumes for Rinne Groff’s new play Fire in Dreamland at the Public and La Traviata at the Met, which, though it opens in December 2018, is deep in production now. She is currently working with alumni Christine Jones ‘92, Brett Banakis ‘10, Jason Ardizzone-West ‘12, Ilana Breitman ‘16, Mark Koss ‘13, Tricia Barsamian ‘07, Sarita Fellows ‘08, Dina Abd el-Aziz ‘15, Meriwether Snipes ’13, Amith Chandrashaker ’12, Lap-Chi Chu ’98, and Glenna Ryer ’13.
Constance Hoffman has recently opened a production of Don Carlos for the Washington Opera at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Andrew Lieberman designed the scenery. Her next few months will be spent in her studio, designing The Marriage of Figaro, Cosi fan Tutti, and Don Giovanni, and a new ballet about the Grimm fairy tales.
Christine Jones is currently working on the NYC production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child along with Brett Banakis ‘10. She is also designing La Traviata for the Metropolitan Opera's 2019 Season, and has recently begun a new project - The Cher Show - which she will co-design with Brett Banakis. Christine is also designing an adaptation of Cyrano, with music by the band The National, to be workshopped this summer.
Chris Muller continues work on the Dubai 2020 World Expo, while mixing in other design projects including preliminary work on a film, and consulting on a museum project. As of this writing, he is looking forward to Ready Player One; for which he did costume renderings, and the film Hostiles for which he created period illustrations.
Robert Wierzel is working on Eugene Onegin, directed by Tomer Zvulun, scenery by Erhard Rom ‘92; Hawaii Opera Theatre; and he is in pre-production for the musical A Walk on the Moon, directed by Sheryl Keller, scenery by Donyale Werle ‘02, costumes by Linda Cho at A. C. T. San Francisco.