"Heather is fun and cool and makes good choices, trust her” - Jen Schriever

If that’s not enough….Heather Gilbert is also an award-winning (mostly award-nominated) lighting designer for the stage. She recently designed MIDNIGHT AT THE NEVER GET by Mark Sonnenblick at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London, directed by David Cromer and starring Ben Platt. It was maybe the most fun show ever to design, and you all hope a version of it comes to a theater near you, truly.

Heather has been nominated for the Tony Award 5 times and has the expensive dresses to prove it. Mostly recently she received 2 nominations in the 2025-2026 season for Best Lighting Design of a Play, for FEAR OF 13 at the James Earl Jones and BUG at MTC-Friedman Theatre, both directed by David Cromer. She was also nominated for GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK along with David Bengali on Video Design (Winter Garden), PARADE (Jacobs Theatre), and THE SOUND INSIDE (Studio 54). She was nominated for the Drama Desk for PARADE, actually won it for THE SOUND INSIDE, and was nominated for DEAD OUTLAW in its original off-Broadway run.

She also designed LITTLE BEAR RIDGE ROAD (Booth Theatre), DEAD OUTLAW (Longacre Theatre), and CULT OF LOVE ( Second Stage-Hayes Theatre) on Broadway.

Since she never got to give any speeches for these nominations, she wants to point out here that none of those shows would have happened with her amazing teams of associates, programmers, and electricians. It’s Best Lighting Design, not Best Lighting Designer, and it’s all about the people.

Off Broadway, Heather recently designed GIRL INTERRUPTED… (Public Theatre). Other off-Broadway includes LOWCOUNTRY at the Atlantic Theatre, DEAD OUTLAW at Audible/Minetta Street, OUR TOWN at Barrow Street, and probably more. Maybe?

Regionally, Heather’s designs have been seen at Steppenwolf Theatre, Old Globe, Guthrie, Berkeley Rep, the Fifth Avenue Theatre, Studio Theatre in DC, Magic Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Huntington Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Kansas City Rep, Alley Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Court Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Writers Theatre, Chicago Children's Theatre, and many more.

Heather received the Michael Merritt Award for Excellence in Design Collaboration in 2023. In 2012, Heather received the 3Arts Award in Chicago and was a recipient of the prestigious NEA/TCG Career Development Grant for Designers from TCG.

Heather received her BA from Trinity University in San Antonio and her MFA from The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago. She teaches Lighting Design at the University of Michigan.