Down Stage Designs LLC
Lighting Design, Sound Design, Scene Design Consultation, Corporate, Dance, Theatrical.
Nathan Tomlinson
Designer / Owner
He has designed and managed projects featured in several prominent industry magazines such as PLSN, Live Sound International, Total Productions US, and Live Design. He has served as the Midwest Regional Project Manager for Barbizon Lighting Companies.
Nathan’s work has given him the opportunity to travel extensively both nationally and internationally, he has helped produce and designed for festivals in North America, Europe, and Asia. He serves as the Resident Lighting Designer and Production Manager for the BDF for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival annually in Scotland.
His versatility is further evident in that has also worked creatively with a variety of Grammy award-winning artists for many television broadcast, film and commercial as well as corporate events.
He has also worked together with many notable choreographers such as Emmy award-winning Lynn Taylor-Corbett, Lar Lubavitch, Ann Reinking, Melissa Hayden, Shapiro and Smith just to name a few. Nathan had the fortunate opportunity to create original designs for premiers of choreography previously un-staged by Bob Fosse. Nathan currently is the resident Lighting Designer for several Chicago based dance companies.
Here’s what others say of his artistry …
“…lighting designer Nathan Tomlinson evoked the ever-changing hues of grief, flirtation and resilience. The elements converged in a concert of distinguished artistic voices playing with the limitless possibilities of movement.”
“…outstanding and original work by Nathan Tomlinson.”
-LUCIA MAURO Dance Critic, Chicago Tribune 2006
“Resident lighting designer Nathan Tomlinson created a distinct universe for each work,”
“Quite literally, resident lighting designer Nathan Tomlinson evoked the ever-changing hues of grief, flirtation and resilience. The elements converged in a concert of distinguished artistic voices playing with the limitless possibilities of movement”
-LUCIA MAURO Dance Critic, Chicago Tribune 2007
“….. made his dancers look wonderful, and managed to combine delicacy, clarity and mystery throughout, with several images straight from old master paintings. Nathan Tomlinson's lighting added immeasurably, as it did in many works on the bill.”
“Throughout, the production values were high, with Nathan Tomlinson’s gorgeous sculptural lighting of particular note.”
-HEDY WEISS Dance Critic, Chicago Sun Times 2008
“lit with sunset glow by Nathan Tomlinson.”
SID SMITH Chicago Tribune 2010
“the piece opens with a striking lighting design by Nathan Tomlinson”
-HEDY WEISS Dance Critic, Chicago Sun Times 2010
“lush with warm colors, pleasing and swift choral whirls and lifts, and brisk, straightforward episodes, all shrewdly bathed in Nathan Tomlinson's nostalgic golden lighting.”
SID SMITH Chicago Tribune 2011
“haunting lighting (by Nathan Tomlinson, whose artistry was on display throughout the evening),”
-HEDY WEISS Dance Critic, Chicago Sun Times 2011
“The show stealer (IMO) is the light and sound display by Nathan Tomlinson from Chicago”
“It has an air of sleek, dark mystery, enhanced by Nathan Tomlinson's columns of spotlight,”
SID SMITH Chicago Tribune 2012
“The entire concept is so intricately interwoven with Nathan Tomlinson's lighting”
“Tomlinson is especially respected for his dynamically innovative lighting designs.”
JOHN NEVIN Aotpt, 2012
“Nathan Tomlinson is one of the most prolific performers in Chicago dance, but he’s only on stage before and after the shows.”
“What’s a little more surprising is how Tomlinson’s designs always flow so naturally out of the choreography he lights, as if the movement of light were part of the movement of the dance.”
JOHN NEVIN, aotpr, 2013
“A final kudo to company lighting designer Nathan Tomlinson who created distinctive atmospheres for this varied program.”
ANGELA ALLYN, Chicago Stage Standard, 2013
“Resident lighting designer Nathan Tomlinson created a distinct universe for each work,”
“Quite literally, resident lighting designer Nathan Tomlinson evoked the ever-changing hues of grief, flirtation and resilience. The elements converged in a concert of distinguished artistic voices playing with the limitless possibilities of movement”
-LUCIA MAURO Dance Critic, Chicago Tribune 2007
“….. made his dancers look wonderful, and managed to combine delicacy, clarity and mystery throughout, with several images straight from old master paintings. Nathan Tomlinson's lighting added immeasurably, as it did in many works on the bill.”
“Throughout, the production values were high, with Nathan Tomlinson’s gorgeous sculptural lighting of particular note.”
-HEDY WEISS Dance Critic, Chicago Sun Times 2008
“lit with sunset glow by Nathan Tomlinson.”
SID SMITH Chicago Tribune 2010
“the piece opens with a striking lighting design by Nathan Tomlinson”
-HEDY WEISS Dance Critic, Chicago Sun Times 2010
“lush with warm colors, pleasing and swift choral whirls and lifts, and brisk, straightforward episodes, all shrewdly bathed in Nathan Tomlinson's nostalgic golden lighting.”
SID SMITH Chicago Tribune 2011
“haunting lighting (by Nathan Tomlinson, whose artistry was on display throughout the evening),”
-HEDY WEISS Dance Critic, Chicago Sun Times 2011
“The show stealer (IMO) is the light and sound display by Nathan Tomlinson from Chicago”
“It has an air of sleek, dark mystery, enhanced by Nathan Tomlinson's columns of spotlight,”
SID SMITH Chicago Tribune 2012
“The entire concept is so intricately interwoven with Nathan Tomlinson's lighting”
“Tomlinson is especially respected for his dynamically innovative lighting designs.”
JOHN NEVIN Aotpt, 2012
“Nathan Tomlinson is one of the most prolific performers in Chicago dance, but he’s only on stage before and after the shows.”
“What’s a little more surprising is how Tomlinson’s designs always flow so naturally out of the choreography he lights, as if the movement of light were part of the movement of the dance.”
JOHN NEVIN, aotpr, 2013
“A final kudo to company lighting designer Nathan Tomlinson who created distinctive atmospheres for this varied program.”
ANGELA ALLYN, Chicago Stage Standard, 2013
