About John Boesche
Biography
John Boesche’s scenic and projection designs have been seen by Chicago audiences at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Goodman Theatre, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Lookingglass Theatre, Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre, Royal George Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Victory Gardens, and others. Broadway credits include The Glass Menagerie at Roundabout Theatre, directed by Frank Galati. Regionally his work has been seen at Arizona Theatre Company, Asolo Theatre (Sarasota), Denver Center Theatre Company, Geffen Playhouse (Los Angeles), McCarter Theatre (Princeton), Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, New York Shakespeare Festival (NYC), Seattle Repertory Theatre, Shakespeare at the Folger (Washington D.C.), South Coast Repertory (Costa Mesa), and Theater On The Square (San Francisco), among others. Mr. Boesche received a Joseph Jefferson Special Awards for media design in 1988, 2005, and 2011; the Merritt Award For Excellence In Design And Collaboration in 1997; a Metro DC Dance Award in 2006; and a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle award in 2012.
Projection design accompanying the performance of music includes work with The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Eos Orchestra (New York), and The Ravinia Festival Chicago. Scenic and projection designs for dance include the Joffrey Ballet, Liz Lerman Dance Exchange (Washington, DC), Lucky Plush Productions, and Mordine & Company, among others. His designs for opera have been seen at Austin Lyric Opera, Barbican Theatre Centre (London), Brooklyn Academy of Music, Canadian Opera Company (Toronto), Dallas Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera Carolina, Opera Lyon, Opera Lyra Ottawa, Opera Pacifica, Opera Theatre of St Louis, Portland Opera, Salt Lake Opera, San Francisco Opera, Theatre de la Monnaie (Brussels), Washington Opera (DC), and Vancouver Opera, among others.
In addition to his work in theater, Mr. Boesche designs media for his own gallery installations, history museums, and outdoor events.
Select Career Highlights in Theatre
The Happiest Song Plays Last (world premiere), by Pulitzer Prize winner Quiara Alegría Hudes, directed by Edward Torres, Goodman Theatre, Chicago, 2013
Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie (world premiere), by Alan Alda, directed by Dan Sullivan, Geffen Playhouse, Los
Angeles, 2011 (Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle nomination, Projection Design, 2011)
A Twist of Water (world premiere), by Caitlin Montanye Parrish, directed by Erica Weiss, Route 66 Theatre, Chicago, 2011
(Joseph Jefferson Award winner, Projections/Video Design, 2011)
The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity (world premiere), by Kristoffer Diaz, directed by Edward Torres, Victory Gardens
Theatre, Chicago, 2009
The Ballad of Emmett Till (world premiere), by Ifa Bayeza, directed by Oz Scott, Goodman Theatre, Chicago, 2008
Beyond Glory, written and acted by Steven Lang, directed by Robert Falls, Roundabout Theatre, NYC, 2007
Vigils (world premiere), by Noah Haidle, directed by Kate Whoriskey, Goodman Theatre, Chicago, 2006 (Joseph Jefferson
Award nomination, Projection Design, 2007)
Ferocious Beauty; Genome (world premiere), conceived/choreographed/directed by Liz Lerman, touring dance/theatre
production, 2005-2010 (Metro DC Dance Awards winner, Excellence in Stage Design/Multimedia)
Finishing The Picture (world premiere), written by Arthur Miller, directed by Robert Falls, Goodman Theatre, Chicago, 2004
“RACE” (world premiere), adapted by David Schwimmer and Joy Gregory from the book “RACE” by Studs Terkel, directed
by David Schwimmer, Lookingglass Theatre, Chicago, 2003
Drowning Crow (world premiere), written by Regina Taylor, director: Kate Whoriskey, Goodman Theater, Chicago, 2001
The Odyssey (world premiere), adapted and directed by Mary Zimmerman, Goodman Theater, Chicago, 1999
Space (world premiere), written and directed by Tina Landau, Steppenwolf Theater, Chicago, 1998
Greensboro (world premiere), written by Emily Mann, director: Mark Wing Davies, McCarter Theater, Princeton, NJ, 1997
Slaughterhouse V (world premiere), directed and adapted by Eric Simonsen (from the novel by Kurt Vonnegut), Steppenwolf Theater, Chicago, 1995
Libra (world premiere), directed and adapted by John Malkovich (from the novel by Don Delillo), Steppenwolf Theater,
Chicago, 1994
The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams, director: Frank Galati, Roundabout Theater, NYC, 1994
Henry IV parts 1 & 2, Wm. Shakespeare, director: Joanne Akalitis, New York Shakespeare Festival, 1990
Select Career Highlights in Opera
The Damnation of Faust, composer: Hector Berlioz, stage director: Stephen Langridge, conductor: Sir Andrew Davis, scenery and costumes: George Souglides, lighting: Wolfgang Göbbel, video and projections: John Boesche, Lyric Opera of Chicago, opened 20 February 2010
Lulu, composer: Alban Berg, stage director: Paul Curran, conductor: Sir Andrew Davis, scenery and costumes: Kevin Knight, lighting: David Jacques, film and projections: John Boesche, Lyric Opera of Chicago, opened 7 November 2008
Don Giovanni, composer: W. A. Mozart, stage director and designer: John Pascoe, conductor: Placido Domingo, lighting: Jeff Davis, projections: John Boesche (digital video and PIGI scenic projections), Washington Opera, D.A.R. Constitution Hall, opened 29 March 2003
Galileo Galilei (world premiere), composer: Phillip Glass, libretto: Mary Zimmerman with Phillip Glass and Arnold Weinstein, stage director: Mary Zimmerman, conductor: Beatrice , scenery: Dan Ostling, costumes: Mara Blumenfeld, lighting: T. J. Gurken, projected text: John Boesche, sound: Michael Bodine, Goodman Theatre, Chicago, world premiere: 10 June 2002
The Dream of Valentino (world premiere), composer: Dominick Argento, libretto: Charles Nolte, stage director: Ann-Margaret Pettersson, conductor: Christopher Keene, scenery: John Conklin, costumes: Valentino, lighting: Joan Sullivan, projected scenery and video: John Boesche, Washington Opera, Kennedy Center Opera House, world premiere: 15 January 1994
The Death of Klinghoffer (world premiere), composer: John Adams, libretto: Alice Goodman, stage director: Peter Sellars, conductor: Kent Nagano, choreography: Mark Morris, scenery: George Tsypin, costumes: Dunya Ramikova, lighting: James Ingalls, sound design: Jonathan Deans, live video and titles: John Boesche, Theatre de la Monnaie, Brussels, Belgium, world premiere: 19 March 1991
Tannhäuser, composer: Richard Wagner, stage director: Peter Sellars, scenery: George Tsypin, lighting: Jennifer Tipton, costumes: Dunya Ramikova, Lyric Opera of Chicago 1988