Brett J. Banakis 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 his 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.
Paul Hackenmueller opened The Golden Cockerel at The Santa Fe Opera this past summer. This fall he is designing Macbeth with Opera San Antonio and a new co-production of Tosca for Boston Lyric Opera and Opera Omaha. Ongoing consulting and design partnerships continue with Target Corporation for both their fall national meetings, as well as the company’s $3 billion dollar new retailing concepts rolling out over the next two years. Paul will end the year with Bruno Mars and his New Year’s Eve bash performance at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.
Susan Hilferty designed sets and costumes for Illyria, written and directed by Richard Nelson at the Public Theatre. Turn Me Loose, celebrating the Civil Rights activism of the late Dick Gregory, is running at the Wallis Annenberg Center in LA. She is designing La Traviata at the Met, which, though it opens in December 2018, is in production now. Susan is in pre-production for An Ordinary Muslim at New York Theatre Workshop and Uncle Vanya at the Old Globe. 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, and Glenna Ryer ‘13.
Constance Hoffman opened David Henry Hwang's M. Butterfly at the Cort Theatre in October (Directed by Julie Taymor, Sets by Paul Steinberg, Lights by Don Holder.) She is currently in the early stages of designing the three Mozart/DaPonte Operas for the San Francisco Opera. This winter break, Constance will be in Bratislava to open Sadko, which premiered this past summer in Ghent at the Vkaamse Opera.
Andrew Jackness is currently completing his third season as Production Designer on the NBC show Blindspot, as well as the upcoming feature by Julian Fellows - The Chaperone. He has previously designed the pilot and first season of The Blacklist, and has received a primetime Emmy nomination for his design of pilot for the series Masters of Sex. His career includes numerous works in theater, opera, ballet, and film.
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 has begun work as Art Director on the Sustainability Pavilion for the Dubai 2020 World Expo, for Thinc Design. He is also beginning a new series of paintings.
Peter Nigrini has just finished work on The SpongeBob Musical and this winter will be moving on to something completely different with Claudia Rankine's The White Card at ART and Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice at Opera Theater of Saint Louis.
Paul Steinberg Semiramide by Rossini, directed by David Alden, opened at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden on November 19th. The Twilight Zone by Ann Washburn, directed by Richard Jones, will be in rehearsal at the Almeida Theater, London. Previews begin December 5th.
Christopher Young’s work can be seen in the Christmas windows of Tiffany & Co. New York flagship.