Nominees announced for 2019 Knight of Illumination Awards

Posted on (Updated on 17 Sep 2019)

The shortlist for this year's Knight of Illumination Awards has officially been announced. Having first started in 2007 and having been conceived by lighting designers Durham and Jennie Marenghi in partnership with Claypaky, the KOI has quickly become the leading showcase for both stage lighting and video design. It is now also the most credible UK awards ceremony for projection, lighting, and digital design for the entertainment industry thanks in large part to its three panels of expert judges who cooperate with such renowned organisations as the STLD (The Society of Television Lighting and Design) and the ALD (The Association of Lighting Designers).

See the list of nominees for the 2019 Knight of Illumination Awards below.



2019 Knight of Illumination Awards shortlist

Here are the nominees in full for this year's KOI ceremony, which will be held on 15 September 2019 at Hammersmith's Eventim Apollo Theatre:

ADB Award for Plays
Aideen Malone
for Death of a Salesman, Young Vic
Jessica Hung Han Yun for Equus, English Touring Theatre & Theatre Royal Stratford East
Tom Visser for Europe, Donmar Warehouse

ETC Award for Dance
Alastair West for Victoria, Northern Ballet
Clifton Taylor for Four Quartets, The Barbican
Jennifer Tipton for Shostakovich Trilogy, San Francisco Ballet at Sadler's Wells

Hawthorn Award for Musicals
Jamie Platt for Mythic, Charing Cross Theatre
Neil Austin for Company, Gielgud Theatre
Sherry Coenen for Operation Mincemeat, New Diorama

The PRG Award for Projection Design
Andrzej Goulding for Life of Pi, Sheffield Crucible
Jack Phelan for The Second Violinist, Landmark Productions, Irish National Opera
Joshua Pharo for The Shape of The Pain, Summerhall, Edinburgh

The Robert Juliat Award for Opera
Christopher Akerlind for Katya Kabanova, Scottish Opera
Malcolm Rippeth for The Turn of the Screw, Garsington Opera
Mark Jonathan for Vanessa, Glyndebourne Festival Opera

About the Knight of Illumination Awards ceremony on 15 September

The judging panel for this year's KOI ceremony includes George Hall, Louise Levene, Neile Fisher, Michael Billington, Tim Bano, and Zoë Anderson. Chair of the KOI judging panel David Benedict admitted that this year's longlist of possible nominees in the categories of opera, musicals, dance, and plays were "eye-wideningly long." The ceremony's shortlist of nominees includes many emerging artists and veteran industry figures from both sides of the pond, in the UK and the US. The winners will be announced at the ceremony on 15 September 2019 at the Eventim Apollo.

Award-nominated production Equus on special offer for the Trafalgar Studios run

Equus, the critically acclaimed production called "excellent" and "revelatory" by Sir Ian McKellen that is now nominated for a KOI Award for its Stratford East run, is currently playing at Trafalgar Studios in London's West End. Widely considered to be shocking and provocative, Peter Shaffer's Equus continues to captivate audiences and play to packed houses. The show's run at Trafalgar Studios must end on 7 September 2019 to make way for the revival of A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, which is why you need to act fast if you want to see this spectacular and unbelievable production. Be sure to book your West End theatre tickets for Equus now to secure the best seats at London's Trafalgar Studios at the best prices before they all get snatched up!

Save up to £39 on Equus tickets when you book today as part of our #LTD20 last-minute ticket flash-sale! Get top-tier £64 tickets to Equus for just £25, valid for tonight's performance (7 August) only! Also save on top-price tickets for all performances lasting until 24 August 2019 in which you can score £64 tickets for just £39 and tickets with no booking fees for all other price bands.

🎟 Book your Equus Trafalgar Studios discounted tickets here and save up to £39!

Also be sure not miss the West End transfer of Death of a Salesman this October!

The KOI Award-nominated Young Vic Theatre production of Death of a Salesman is set to transfer to London's Piccadilly Theatre and you definitely won't want to miss it! Starring esteemed West End actress Sharon D. Clarke, American classic Death of a Salesman is now on sale for the Piccadilly Theatre run from just £45 and up.

🎟 Book Death of a Salesman West End Piccadilly Theatre tickets from £45.


The #KOI2019 Award winners have been announced. Read the Knight of Illumination Award winners in full here.


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By Nicholas Ephram Ryan Daniels

Ephram is a jack of all trades and enjoys attending theatre, classical music concerts and the opera.