Current positions and works
in progress:
- Lighting Designer - SELF PORTRAIT, Miro
Dance Theatre, Philadelphia Museum of Art, May '08
- Lighting Designer - NEWYOU, Johannes Wieland, New York, June '08
- Lighting Designer - SWEET BY-AND-BY, Pig
Iron Theatre Company/Theater Slava, Philadelphia, August '08
- Lighting Designer - FLESH AND BLOOD AND FISH AND FOUL, Geoff Sobelle and Charlotte Ford, Philadelphia, September '08
- Lighting Designer - ANNA BELLA EMMA, Lisa Jo Epstein, Gas
& Electric Arts, Philadelphia, September '08
- Lighting Designer - MY HOT LABOTOMY, David Szlaza, Z Space Studios, San Francisco, Oct '08
- Recipient of a Fall 2007 TCG/ITI Travel Grant to work with Theatr Provisorium and Lubelski Teatr Tanca in Lublin, Poland
- Artistic Associate - Pig Iron Theatre Company
- Co-Founder - Mlab
- Resident Lighting Designer/Production Manager and Founding Member- Miro
Dance Theatre
Lighting
Design:
2008
NN, Lubelski Teatr Tanca, Ryszard Kalinowski, Centrum Kultury, Lublin, Poland
THE BREAKS (feat. Marc Bamuthi Joseph) (Lighting & Co-Set Design), Michael John Garces, Walker Center for the Arts
OH YES I WILL, Lisa Jo Epstein, Gas
& Electric Arts, Philadelphia
THE SEA (feat. James Sugg), Lars Jan, Old Swedes' Church, Philadelphia
2007
365 (feat. Cynthia Hopkins), Dan Rothenberg, Pig
Iron Theatre Company, Philadelphia
QUICKSILVER, Lisa Jo Epstein, Gas
& Electric Arts, Adrienne Theatre, Philadelphia
RENNIE HARRIS - 15 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia
MACHINES, MACHINES, MACHINES, MACHINES, MACHINES, MACHINES, MACHINES, Aleksandra Wolska, Rainpan 43, Philadelphia
PITCH BLACK, Prism Quartet and Miro Dance Theatre, Whitney Museum of Art, New York
CHEKHOV LIZARDBRAIN, Dan Rothenberg, Pig
Iron Theatre Company, Philadelphia
COLOR-OGRAPHY n., Dayton Contemporary Dance
Company, (Kevin Ward, Rennie Harris, Donald Byrd, Reggie Wilson)
2006
PROGRESSIVE COMA, Johannes
Wieland, Ailey Citigroup Theatre, New York
GADGET, David Szlaza, The Thick
House, San Francisco
LIE TO ME, Anthony Rizzi, Miro
Dance Theatre, Live Arts Festival, Philadelphia
VOICES UNDER WATER, Lisa Jo Epstein, Gas
& Electric Arts, Adrienne Theatre, Philadelphia
SCOURGE, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, International Tour
MISSION TO MERCURY, Dan Rothenberg, Pig
Iron Theatre Company, Philadelphia
THE MANIFEST, Lauri Stallings, Hubbard
Street Dance Chicago
COMPENDIUM, Rennie Harris, Rennie Harris Puremovement, Easton, PA
2005
COMA (Preview) & REVERSE, Johannes
Wieland, Ailey Citigroup Theatre, New York
HURDY GURDY, Miro Dance Theatre, Live Arts Festival, Philadelphia
PRINCE SCARECROW (work in progress), Rennie Harris, National Tour
ANNA BELLA EMMA, Lisa Jo Epstein, Gas
& Electric Arts, Philadelphia
THE SECRET GARDEN, Plays and Players Theatre, Philadelphia
REVOLUTIONARY ROW, Sande Shurin Theatre, New York
2004
- THE NUTCRACKER, Peoria
Ballet, Peoria Civic Center, Peoria, IL
- MOVE!!, Deeply
Rooted Dance Theatre, Harris Theatre for Music and Dance, Chicago
- HEAVEN, Deeply
Rooted Dance Theatre, Harris Theatre for Music and Dance, Chicago
- LEGENDS OF HIP HOP, Rennie
Harris Puremovement, New Victory Theatre, NY
- HUMAN INTEREST STORY, Walkabout
Theatre Company, Breadline Theatre, Chicago
- THE PEOPLE COULD FLY, Walkabout
Theatre Company, Vittum Theatre, Chicago
2003
- CUPCAKE 2003, Sara Sweet Rabidoux, Hoi
Polloi, Tokyo Metropolitan Arts Space, Tokyo, Japan
- FOUR
WORLD PREMIERS, Phrenic
New Ballet, Mandell Theatre, Philadelphia (choreographers: Thaddeus Davis,
Matthew Neenan, Amanda Miller, Christine Cox)
- MISSING MEMAW, Stephan Mazurek, Walkabout
Theatre Company, Breadline Theatre, Chicago
- A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, Daniel Shea, Will
Act For Food Theatre Co, WNEP Theatre, Chicago
- THE FAMILY OF MANN, Jamy
Harpole, Backstage Theatre Company, Chicago
- THE GLASS MENAGERIE, Jamy
Harpole, Chicago Academy for the Performing Arts, Chicago
2002
- THE SHALLOW
END, Sean McLevy, Cochrane Theatre, London
- NINE, Debbie
Seymour, Cochrane Theatre, London
- MORE GRIMM TALES, Kirstie Davis, Watford Palace Youth Theatre, Watford
2001
- WASTE,
Tristan Brolly, Greenwich Playhouse, Greenwich
- ELEGIES FOR ANGELS, PUNKS AND RAGING QUEENS, Hannah Chissick , Pleasance
Theatre, London
- A BRIGHT
ROOM CALLED DAY, Debbie Seymour, Mountview Theatre Conservatory, London
- MAYDAYS,
Andrew Jarvis, Mountview, London
- ABSOLUTE HELL, Richard Williams, Mountview, London
- STEEL MAGNOLIAS, Helena Uren, Westminster Theatre, London
- GYPSY,
Ian Good, Westminster Theatre, London
- THE ACCRINGTON
PALS, Sean McLevy, Mountview, London
2000
- GRIMM TALES, Helena Uren, Mountview, London
- THE PRIME
OF MISS JEAN BRODIE, John Adams, Mountview, London
- THE MUSIC MAN, Mark Stoddard, Phoenix Theatre, Phoenix, AZ
- UNDER MILK WOOD, Gregory Jaye, Theatre Works, Peoria, AZ
- CLUE, Gregory Jaye, Theatre Works, Peoria, AZ
1999
- TWIGS, Michael Barnard, Phoenix Theatre, Phoenix, AZ
- GOODBYE
CHARLIE, Robyn Allen, Theatre Works, Peoria, AZ
- JUBILEE 2000, Cathy Krish, Audrey Auditorium, Flagstaff, AZ
- CHESS,
Gregory Jaye, Theatre Works, Peoria, AZ
- SISTER MOSES AND OTHER WORKS, Desert Dance Theatre Company, Chandler
Center for the Arts, Chandler, AZ
- SPRING TRAINING, Actors Theatre of Phoenix, Herberger Theatre Center,
Phoenix, AZ
- THE DINING ROOM, Grahm Whitehead, Paradise Valley Community College,
Phoenix, AZ
- MARVIN'S ROOM, Cass Foster, Central Arizona College, Coolidge, AZ
1998
- NATE THE GREAT, Cass Foster, Central Arizona College, Coolidge,
AZ
- STATE OF LA DANSE, Heymann Performing Arts and Convention Center,
Layfayette, LA
- THE BIG SHOT OF AFRICA, world premiere, Nick Faust, Raven Productions,
Tulane University
- HAMLET, Jim Fitzmoris, Raven Productions, Theatre Marigny, New Orleans,
LA
-
FACING MEKKA and REPERTORY, Rennie
Harris Puremovement, US tour, March '03-present
- COOPED and STIFF, Spymonkey,
Inc., international tour, Aug. '01 - May '02
- RIVER ON FIRE,
Kali Theatre Co., national tour, England, spring '01
- SISTER MOSES, Desert
Dance Theatre Co., Arizona tour, Spring '99
Production:
- Co-Founder, Mlab, June ’04
- Production Manager & Resident Lighting Designer, Miro
Dance Theatre, Philadelphia, October ’04 - present
- Production Manager, Johannes Wieland, New York, October '05 - present
- Production Manager, H-Art Management, APAP Showcase,
Citigroup Theatre, Alvin Ailey Studios, New York
- Production Manager, Rennie Harris Puremovement,
Philadelphia, August '03 – December ‘04
- Lighting and Technical Director, PICA’s
TBA Festival, Lincoln Hall, Portland, OR, September ‘04
- US Technical Liaison / Technical Director, US Dance Showcase, Tokyo Performing
Arts Market, Tokyo, Dec. '03
- Assistant Production Manager, Arizona Production Management, CSK Auto Convention,
MGM Grand Hotel,
Las Vegas, spring ‘00
Tour:
- Production Stage Manager, Johannes Wieland, PROGRESSIVE COMA, International Tour, Summer '07
- Technical Stage Manger, SPATIAL THEORY and SKETCHY, Bill
Shannon, Sept. ‘03 - present
- Production Stage Manager, Rennie Harris Puremovement,
US & international touring, March '03 - October '07
- Stage Manager, Cedar Lake Ensemble,
EMERGE and BEYOND THE RED, US tours, Springs ’04 &
‘05
- Production Technician, Hubbard
Street Dance Chicago 2, Germany tour, January ‘05
- Technical Stage Manger, Spymonkey,
COOPED and STIFF, International Tour, Aug. ’01 - May
‘02
- Lighting & Technical Director, Kali
Theatre Co., RIVER ON FIRE, National Tour, England, spring ‘01
- Lighting Dir/Tech Dir/SM, Desert Dance Theatre Co., SISTER MOSES,
Arizona tour, spring ‘99
Technical Director, Pense Performing Arts Center, Fall '98 - Spring '99
Teaching, part-time: Intro. to Technical Theatre and Stagecraft
TD / Technical Stage Manager, Arts in the Desert Series, Pence Performing Arts Center, '98-'99
Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
Bachelor of Fine Arts - Lighting Design and Technical Direction - 1998
Lighting Designs:
Vinegar Tom, Ron Gural, Spring '98
An Evening of Dance, Spring '98 (thesis show)
Archangels Don't Play Pinball, Jose Luis Solis, Spring '97
An Evening of Dance, Spring '97
the Tulane / ACTF production, Madame de Sade, Jose Luis Solis, Fall '96
the Spring '96 One Act Festival
Technical Director / Master Welder:
A Streetcar Named Desire, Ken Risch, Fall '97
Color-ography, The Dances of Jacob Lawrece
Dayton Contemporary Dance Company
"Byrd uses lines dissolving and reforming, and tableaux juxtaposed to action, with lighting (by James Clotfelter) that reinforces the onward-leading vision."
"Terrific lighting design by Clotfelter always beckons the dancers on..."
- Phillippa Kirraly, Seattle Post - Intelligencer, May 4, 2007"... the choreographers were marvelously well assisted by the production designers, who created a rich stage world, mostly out of light..."
- Kate Dobbs Ariail, Classical Voice of North Carolina, February 20, 2007
Lie
to Me
Miro Dance Theatre, Live Arts Festival, The Cinema, Philadelphia,
PA
"...a gnarled, invitingly impenetrable-seeming world with too many mysteries to savor for thoughts of the unknown or present moment to arise."
- Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times, September 16, 2006
"...mind expanding visuals."
"...a dense, hypnotic experience."
"...a study in understatement pointing to the profound. "
- Lisa Kraus, The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 11, 2006
Voices
Underwater
Gas & Electric Arts, Adrienne Theatre, Philadelphia, PA
"The lighting, sound and skeletal set are subtle, moody and deftly executed."
- M.J. Fine, City Paper, September 2006
"...handsome to look at; set in the attic, with angled white beams, a narrow white bed, and lots of white books, it is all moodily raked by dark shadows."
-Toby Zinman, The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 2, 2006
Hurdy
Gurdy
Miro Dance Theatre, Live Arts Festival, Plays & Players Theatre,
Philadelphia, PA
"This piece by Miro Dance Theater delivers a mix of visual and aural brilliance . . . in a palette of purple and silver, black and white."
" Production values are superb..."
- Lisa Kraus, The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 10, 2005
A
Human Interest Story (or ‘The Gory Details and All’)
Breadline Theatre, Chicago, IL
“The environment for the production – a shrewd creation by set designer Joey Wade (with superb lighting design by James Clotfelter) – is the essence of minimalism and dislocation.”
- Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun Times, January 15, 2004
"absorbing theatrics"
- Michael Phillips - Chicago Tribune, Janruary 12, 2004
“…James Clotfelter’s lighting lavishly supported the program’s four inventive choreographic concepts.”
- Merilyn Jackson, The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 15, 2003
“James Clotfelter's lights…blows away most community theatre groups offerings...”
- Mark Turvin, Goldfish Publishers, August 21, 1999
“James Clotfelter's lighting design is, in a word, atrocious. While it seems at some points to have the correct rock inspirations, there are so many dead spots on the stage that some performers standing center are still completely in shadow.”
- Mark Turvin, Goldfish Publishers, May 8, 1999Chess won a Theatre Works “Wobie Award” for “Best Lighting Design”
The
Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me
On the Spot Theatre, Phoenix, AZ
“With the assistance of little more than James Clotfelter's expert lighting, he shifts among Drake's various personae with quick precision.”
- Robert L. Pela, Phoenix New Times, April 22, 1999