Allen Lee Hughes facts for kids

Allen Lee Hughes is a famous American lighting designer. He creates amazing lighting for plays, dance shows, and operas. He has worked a lot with Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. They even have a special program named after him to help new theater artists. Allen Lee Hughes has been nominated for the important Tony Award four times!

About Allen Lee Hughes

Allen Lee Hughes studied at the Catholic University of America, where he earned his first degree. Later, he got his master's degree from New York University Tisch School of the Arts. He even became a teacher there and still shares his knowledge with students.

Designing for Broadway Shows

Since 1983, Allen Lee Hughes has designed the lighting for 12 shows on Broadway. Broadway is a famous theater district in New York City. Some of his notable works include the original play Clybourne Park and the 2012 revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.

He also designed the lighting for the original production of Once on This Island. For this show, he was nominated for a Tony Award. A newspaper review mentioned how his lighting made the painted sky look like gold or red. It could even make the sky lose its color completely, adding to the show's mood.

His most recent Broadway design was for A Soldier's Play in 2020. This work also earned him a Tony Award nomination. He has also designed lighting for many shows Off-Broadway and at other theaters across the United States.

Lighting for Dance Companies

Beyond plays, Allen Lee Hughes has worked with many famous dance companies. These include the American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and the National Ballet of Canada. His lighting helps to make the dancers and their movements look even more beautiful on stage.

The Allen Lee Hughes Fellowship Program

In 1990, a special program was created at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. It is called the Allen Lee Hughes Fellowship and Internship program. This program helps to encourage diversity in the theater world.

It gives young people from different backgrounds a chance to learn about theater. Since it started, more than 700 people have been part of this program. Many of them have gone on to have successful careers in theater.

Awards and Recognition

Allen Lee Hughes has received many awards for his amazing lighting designs. He has been nominated for four Tony Awards. These nominations were for his work on K2, Strange Interlude, Once on This Island, and A Soldier's Play.

He has also been nominated for ten Helen Hayes Awards, winning two of them. For his work on K2, he won the Outer Critics Circle Award and the Maharam Design Award. Other awards include the 2015 National Black Theatre Festival's Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design Award. In 2003, he received the USITT Distinguished Achievement Award in Lighting Design.

In 2020, Allen Lee Hughes was honored with the Ming Cho Lee Lifetime Achievement Award. This award celebrates his nearly 50 years of work in lighting design. The awards committee noted how his use of light and shadow makes every show stronger. He is one of only a few people to receive this special lifetime award.