Lee Keenan, M.F.A.

About

Mr. Lee Keenan is a Senior Lecturer of Lighting Design. He teaches Theatrical Design I, II and III, Design Technology, and Introduction to Theatre, Theatre Practicum and Rehearsal and Performance. He also designs lights for Mainstage productions, serves as Mentor for student lighting designers, and mentors Second Stage Labs.

Mr. Keenan has designed lights for The House Theatre of Chicago (company member), Lookingglass Theatre, Court Theatre, Albany Park Theatre Project, Northlight Theatre,  500 Clown, Next Theatre, Silk Road Theatre Project (Artistic Associate), Steppenwolf Theatre SYA & Garage Rep, the Griffin Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre: Short Shakes, Bailiwick Chicago, Buzz22, Theatre Seven, Eclipse Theatre Company, Walkabout Theater Company, About Face Youth Theatre,  Apple Tree, Circle Theatre, Bailiwick, Infamous Commonwealth, Illinois Humanities Council, Chicago Festival of the Arts, Northwestern University, the Building Stage, Santa Barbara Dance Alliance, Milwaukee Repertory, Centerstage Baltimore, Ardienne Arsht Center Miami and Kansas City Rep. He is proud to be unionized lighting designer as member of USA 829.

Mr. Keenan's local scenic designs have been seen at The House Theatre of Chicago, Silk Road Theatre Project, Collaboraction, Barrel of Monkeys, The Building Stage, Vittum Theatre, Infamous Commonwealth, and the Hypocrites. Mr. Keenan is a founding company member of Sandbox Theatre Project where he helped design site specific experiences from 2003-2008.

In recent years his research focus has been on immersive theatre with projects including lighting Albany Park Theatre Project’s Learning Curve, scenic and lighting designs for Chicago Board Game Café, and scenic and lighting designs for The House Theatre of Chicago’s immersive game rooms The Last Defender and Nova to Lodestar.

Mr. Keenan is Co-Chair of the city-wide Michael Merritt Awards Steering Committee.

Degrees

M.F.A., Northwestern University

B.A., University of California, Santa Barbara

Awards

• Recipient 2012 Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award given by Michael Merritt Committee
• Nominee 2012 Equity Joseph Jefferson Award for Costume Design, Death and Harry Houdini
• Nominee 2012 Non-Equity Joseph Jefferson Award for Lighting Design, Spring Awakening
• Nominee 2012 Non-Equity Jefferson Award for Lighting Design, The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek
• Nominee 2009 Non-Equity Joseph Jefferson Award for Lighting Design, Rose and the Rime
• Nominee 2008 Equity Joseph Jefferson Award for Lighting Design, Around the World in 80 Days
• Recipient 2008 After Dark Award for Best Lighting Design, Noir, and Around the World in 80 Days
• Nominee 2008 Non-Equity Joseph Jefferson Award for Lighting Design, Hope Springs Infernal
• Recipient 2007 After Dark Award for Best Lighting Design, Caravaggio
• Co-recipient 2007 After Dark Award for Overall Technical Achievement, Golden Child
• Co-recipient 2004 After Dark Award for Best Design Team, The Misanthrope
• Co-recipient 2000 Santa Barbara Independent "Indy" Award, A Midsummer Nights Dream