Gilbert Vaughn Hemsley Jr. (1936–1983) was a noted United States lighting designer and teacher of lighting design.

Biography

He was born in

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. Hemsley studied history at Yale, earned an MFA at Yale Drama School in 1960, and worked as assistant to lighting designer Jean Rosenthal. He was production manager for the inaugurations of U.S. Presidents Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter, and for massive stage events like ''Einstein on the Beach'', and U.S. tours by the Bolshoi Opera and Bolshoi Ballet. But he is best known for his work as a lighting designer on Broadway, at numerous regional theatres, dance companies, New York City Opera, Miami Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Opera Company of Boston, and as the lighting director at the New York City Opera. Hemsley taught lighting design at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and was celebrated there for his generosity with students, many of whom served as assistants at New York City Opera and elsewhere. He died in 1983.

Legacy

A 150-seat black box theatre on the UW campus is named for him. A notable attendee of his memorial service in New York City was Beverly Sills, who announced the establishment in Hemsley's name of apprenticeship funds at New York City Opera and at Wisconsin. A not-for-profit was set up to continue his legacy of training and career opportunities for early-career lighting designers. Many of his students, assistants, and mentorship-beneficiaries have gone on to careers (including directing and management, as well as design) at the major performing arts producing organizations in the United States. These include New York City Opera, New York City Ballet, Chicago Lyric Opera, The George Balanchine Trust, Public Broadcasting System, and various Broadway shows.

References

External links

*
Gilbert Helmsley Papers
at the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research
The Gilbert V. Hemsley, Jr. Internship in Lighting
* ttps://performingartslegacy.org/glorskymaxine/love-of-lighting-design/ Love of Lighting Design, second list itembr>American Ballet Theatre Repertory ArchiveNYCO Archives, Columbia University
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hemsley, Gilbert 1936 births 1983 deaths American lighting designers David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University alumni Artists from Bridgeport, Connecticut