Steven Young is a multifaceted lighting designer whose work moves between the theatrical and permanent installations. In more than thirty-five years he has designed over four hundred stage productions — for McCoy Rigby Entertainment, South Coast Rep, Reprise Theatre Company, and Theatre Under the Stars among others, and for sixteen years as resident lighting designer for the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles.
As Principal Designer and Director of Design at Visual Terrain, he has lit dark rides, museums, and attractions including Dragons Wild Shooting at Lotte World, Beyond All Boundaries at the National WWII Museum, the Pacific Collection retail store at the Aquarium of the Pacific, and the Battleship IOWA.
His work has received three Ovation Awards, an LA Weekly Award, Thea Awards from the Themed Entertainment Association, IES Awards of Merit, and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle's Angstrom Lifetime Achievement Award. He teaches master classes and mentors emerging designers at UCLA, holds an MFA from University of Cincinnati CCM, and is a member of United Scenic Artists Local USA-829.
...on working with steven
Steven is a great collaborator and a gifted designer. I admire Steven’s gift to help focus the story and atmosphere with gorgeous pictures. He remains calm and is detailed in his work. He’s a Gem!
Glenn Casale, Director
Steven is a fantastic collaborator and brings a level of precision and expertise to each and every project. He sees and clearly understands the world of the play and fully enhances that world with his lighting that fully illuminates the story being told. Steven brings a level of comfort and professionalism with him wherever he goes.
Michael Matthews, Director
In addition to having exquisite taste and talent, Steven has an innate understanding of the creative process - he comes to the table with a strong vision, but also allows room for collaboration. While Steven is incredibly efficient, but never sacrifices excellence for expediency - he is uniquely able to craft beautiful lighting and make it appear effortless.
Richard Israel, Director
Steven is a smart, attentive collaborator, and he offers up his terrific and tasteful choices with enthusiasm and expedience. He was a real life-saver in a fast and furious tech period on a new musical with tricky multi-faceted design.
Matt Lenz, Director
Steven is fantastic to collaborate with. His work is focused, dynamic and consistently complimented my directing.
Ricky Hinds, Director
I loved working with Steven on the LA premiere of I AM HARVEY MILK at Disney Hall. Not only does have a terrific aesthetic but he is a joy to collaborate with. I'm thrilled with the work we accomplished together. … He also went crazy with rainbow colors.
Noah Himmelstein, Director
STEVEN YOUNG is "the best" ! We've worked together as Designer/Director at least four times. He has made my job easier each time by his knowledge and professionalism. I want to add that he's so easy to work with that you get spoiled. I look forward to our next collaborations. I wouldn't want to do it without him.
Ken Page, Director/Writer/Actor
Making 200 men on risers look 3-dimensional and individual seems like it should be easy but it is extremely difficult. The first six designers I worked with just couldn’t get it right. Steven Young understood it right off the bat, so we could concentrate on making art instead of just getting the guys on the back row in light.
Steven has been lighting the Chorus for fifteen years now. We do big production shows with dancers, sets, costumes, video, etc. Steven is one of the main reasons our shows look so good. Easy to work with and full of stage savvy, Steven is a huge asset to our productions. I wouldn’t trade him for the highest paid Broadway designer.
Bill Bowersock, Concert Producer GMCLA
Steven Young is a joy to work with. He’s incredibly generous with his time, generous with his talent (which overflows), and generous with his kindness. When I think about people I want to have “in the room” when I’m creating something, Steven’s at the very top of the list.
Roger Bean, Playwright/Director
Steven and I bonded over a show that both of us loved, and so we started working together on shows ever since. I think we are up to over 30 shows at this point. That’s a lot of shows. Like many people that work together often, we’ve developed a sort of short hand language and trust; I work with the actors to create a real world in which a play or musical can exist, and Steven fleshes out that world, adding details and touches that always reinforce and amplify my ideas. He comes prepared with thoughts and options, and then fights for what he believes in, but always to serve the story.
Nick DeGruccio, Director