Anna Louizos (born June 24, 1957) is an American

scenic designer Scenic may refer to: * Scenic design * Scenic painting * Scenic overlook * Scenic railroad (disambiguation) * Scenic route * Scenic, South Dakota, United States * Scenic (horse), a Thoroughbred racehorse Aviation * Airwave Scenic, an Austria ...

and

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and unify the vis ...

. She is known for her

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

-nominated sets for the musicals ''

In the Heights ''In the Heights'' is a musical with concept, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. The story is set over the course of three days, involving characters in the largely Dominican American neighborhood of ...

'' and '' High Fidelity'', as well as the

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...

, and touring productions of ''

Avenue Q ''Avenue Q'' is a musical comedy featuring puppets and human actors with music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx and book by Jeff Whitty. It won Best Musical, Book, and Score at the 2004 Tony Awards. The show's format is a parody of ...

''. Louizos was represented on Broadway with ''

Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...

'' at the

Broadway Theatre Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''T ...

in 2013–15.

Early life and training

Louizos was born and grew up in Yuba City,

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

. She saw her first Broadway musical, ''

Applause Applause ( Latin ''applaudere,'' to strike upon, clap) is primarily a form of ovation or praise expressed by the act of clapping, or striking the palms of the hands together, in order to create noise. Audiences usually applaud after a performanc ...

'' with

Lauren Bacall Lauren Bacall (; born Betty Joan Perske; September 16, 1924 – August 12, 2014) was an American actress. She was named the 20th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the American Film Institute and received an Academy Honorary ...

, at age fifteen. Interested in performing as an actress, Louizos studied at

Mills College Mills College at Northeastern University is a private college in Oakland, California and part of Northeastern University's global university system. Mills College was founded as the Young Ladies Seminary in 1852 in Benicia, California; it w ...

Oakland Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay ...

, before transferring to

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...

to complete a

degree Degree may refer to: As a unit of measurement * Degree (angle), a unit of angle measurement ** Degree of geographical latitude ** Degree of geographical longitude * Degree symbol (°), a notation used in science, engineering, and mathematics ...

in acting. "Instructors recognized her talent as a visual artist, and progressively her post-graduate focus shifted to design," wrote Andy Smith of

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) is an American nonprofit organization that raises funds for AIDS-related causes across the United States, headquartered in New York City. It is the theatre community's response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. ...

. She used to live in the East Village,

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

. She received an MFA in Scenic design from NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

Career

Louizos served as art director at the

47th Tony Awards The 47th Annual Tony Awards was broadcast by CBS from the Gershwin Theatre in New York City on June 6, 1993. The host was Liza Minnelli. The ceremony The theme of the ceremony was to commemorate the 100th anniversary of theatre in Times Square, ...

in 1993, and was associate scenic designer for the Broadway musical '' The Red Shoes'' in December of that year. She continued as an associate designer with the Broadway production of ''

The Scarlet Pimpernel ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is the first novel in a series of historical fiction by Baroness Orczy, published in 1905. It was written after her stage play of the same title (co-authored with Montague Barstow) enjoyed a long run in London, having ...

'' (1997) at the Minskoff and

Neil Simon Theatre The Neil Simon Theatre, originally the Alvin Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 250 West 52nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, the theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was built for ...

s. From April to June 2000, she was associate scenic designer for the

comedic play A play is a work of drama, usually consisting mostly of dialogue between characters and intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. The writer of a play is called a playwright. Plays are performed at a variety of levels, from ...

''Taller Than a Dwarf'' and ''

Uncle Vanya ''Uncle Vanya'' ( rus, Дя́дя Ва́ня, r=Dyádya Ványa, p=ˈdʲædʲə ˈvanʲə) is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1898, and was first produced in 1899 by the Moscow Art Theatre under the dir ...

'' on Broadway. Her first major production credit as scenic designer came in 2003, with the critically acclaimed musical ''

''. Written by

Jeff Whitty Jeffrey Daniel Whitty (born September 30, 1971) is an American playwright, actor, and screenwriter. For the stage musical ''Avenue Q'', he won the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical. For his work on the Fox Searchlight film '' Can You Ever F ...

Robert Lopez Robert Lopez (born February 23, 1975) is an American songwriter for musicals, best known for co-creating ''The Book of Mormon'' and ''Avenue Q'', and for co-writing the songs featured in the Disney computer-animated films '' Frozen'', its seque ...

and

Jeff Marx Jeff Marx (born September 10, 1970) is an American composer and lyricist of musicals. He is best known for creating the Broadway musical ''Avenue Q'' with collaborator Robert Lopez. Early life Marx grew up in Hollywood, Florida. He attended ...

, the musical premiered off-Broadway before opening on Broadway at the

John Golden Theatre The John Golden Theatre, formerly the Theatre Masque and Masque Theater, is a Broadway theater at 252 West 45th Street ( George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, the Golden Theatre was ...

. Wrote one reviewer of Louizos' sets: " heprovides an adaptable row of ramshackle houses that convey a down-at-heel atmosphere and somehow change character to fit the mood, rather like glorified dolls' houses." Following the opening of ''Avenue Q'', Louizos became art director for eight episodes of the 2003

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...

Sex and the City ''Sex and the City'' is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by Darren Star for HBO. An adaptation of Candace Bushnell's newspaper column and 1996 book anthology of the same name, the series premiered in the United Stat ...

''. Her second Broadway scenic design was for the play ''

Golda's Balcony ''Golda's Balcony'' is a play by William Gibson. It follows the trajectory of the life of Golda Meir from Russian immigrant to American schoolteacher to a leader of international politics as the fourth Prime Minister of Israel. Much of its fo ...

'' at the

Helen Hayes Theatre The Hayes Theater (formerly the Little Theatre, New York Times Hall, Winthrop Ames Theatre, and Helen Hayes Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 240 West 44th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Named for actres ...

in 2003. Subsequent credits include the Broadway shows '' Steel Magnolias'' (2005), '' High Fidelity'' (2006), ''

Curtains A curtain is a piece of cloth or other material intended to block or obscure light, air drafts, or (in the case of a shower curtain), water. A curtain is also the movable screen or drape in a theatre that separates the stage from the auditoriu ...

'' (2007), ''

All About Me ''All About Me'' is a British television sitcom starring Jasper Carrott about a multicultural family living in Birmingham. It was broadcast on BBC One from 2002 to 2004. ''All About Me'' was created by Steven Knight, who also wrote two of the e ...

'' (2010), and ''

Baby It's You! ''Baby It's You!'' is a jukebox musical written by Floyd Mutrux and Colin Escott, featuring pop and rock hits of the 1960s, with a special emphasis on songs by the Shirelles and other acts signed to Scepter Records. The show "tells the story of ...

'' (2011).Jones, Kenneth
"Producers of ''Baby It's You!'' Eyeing Broadhurst Theatre and Beth Leavel"
''Playbill''. January 14, 2011. She designed sets for the

Manhattan Theatre Club Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) is a theatre company located in New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has g ...

2008 production of ''

To Be or Not to Be To Be or Not to Be may refer to: * ''To be, or not to be'', the soliloquy from ''Hamlet''. Films and TV, theatre and books * ''To Be or Not to Be'' (1942 film), directed by Ernst Lubitsch * ''To Be or Not to Be'' (1983 film), a remake produced ...

'' on Broadway at the

Samuel J. Friedman Theatre The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, formerly the Biltmore Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 261 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1925, it was designed by Herbert J. Krapp in the neo-Renai ...

. Other scenic design work includes the regional premieres of ''

Minsky's ''Minsky's'' is a musical by Bob Martin (book), Charles Strouse (music), and Susan Birkenhead (lyrics), and is loosely based on the 1968 movie ''The Night They Raided Minsky's''. Set during the Great Depression era in Manhattan, the story cen ...

'', and '' Vanities, the Musical'', as well as the off-Broadway productions of ''

Altar Boyz ''Altar Boyz'' is a musical comedy with music and lyrics by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker and book by Kevin Del Aguila (based on an idea by Marc J. Kessler and Ken Davenport). Centering on a fictitious Christian boy band from Ohio, the ...

'' and '' Tick, Tick... Boom!''. Other off Broadway productions include ''

Sons of the Prophet ''Sons of the Prophet'' is a play by Stephen Karam. It is a comedy-drama about a Lebanese-American family and was a finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Productions ''Sons of the Prophet'' premiered in a production by Huntington The ...

'', '' Olive and the Bitter Herbs'', ''

Crimes of the Heart ''Crimes of the Heart'' is a play by American playwright Beth Henley. It is set in Hazlehurst, Mississippi in the mid-20th century. The play won the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play. In 1986, the p ...

'', and '' The Foreigner''. In November 2008, Louizos designed sets for the musical '' White Christmas'' on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre and multiple productions in the US since 2004, as well as the UK production. A year later, in November 2009, the musical returned to

in a revival production at the Marquis Theatre. She most recently served as the scenic designer for the Broadway musical ''

'', which opened in March 2013 at the

. In December 2014, it was announced that her next project would be

-bound '' School of Rock''.

Awards and nominations

;

Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

*''

The Mystery of Edwin Drood ''The Mystery of Edwin Drood'' is the final novel by Charles Dickens, originally published in 1870. Though the novel is named after the character Edwin Drood, it focuses more on Drood's uncle, John Jasper, a precentor, choirmaster and opium ...

'' (2013, Best Scenic Design of a Musical) (nominee) *''

'' (2008, Best Scenic Design of a Musical) (nominee) *'' High Fidelity'' (2007, Best Scenic Design of a Musical) (nominee) ;

Drama Desk Awards The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fo ...

*''

Irving Berlin's White Christmas ''Irving Berlin's White Christmas'' was an LP album of songs by Rosemary Clooney from the movie ''White Christmas (film), White Christmas,'' released by Columbia Records in 1954 in music, 1954 (CL 6338). The album was also released as a set of fo ...

'' (2009, Outstanding Set Design of a Musical) (nominee) *''

'' (2007, Outstanding Set Design of a Musical) (nominee) *''

'' (2007, Outstanding Set Design of a Musical) (nominee) *'' High Fidelity'' (2007, Outstanding Set Design of a Musical) (nominee) ;

Lucille Lortel Awards The Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. The Awards are named for Lucille Lortel, an actress and theater producer, and have been awarded since 1986. They are produced by the League of Off-Broadway Theatres ...

*'' In Transit'' (2011, Best Set Design) (nominee) *''

'' (2007, Best Set Design) (nominee) *''

'' (2003, Best Set Design) (nominee) ; Emmy Awards *'' The 46th Annual Tony Awards'' (1993, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program) (nominee)

References

External links

Official Website''Who's Who'' Biography
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Louizos, Anna 1957 births American scenic designers Women scenic designers Living people People from Yuba City, California Mills College alumni Tisch School of the Arts alumni People from Marysville, California People from the East Village, Manhattan