...on working with steven
Steven is a great collaborator and a gifted designer. I admire Steven’s gift to help focus the story and atmosphere with gorgeous pictures. He remains calm and is detailed in his work. He’s a Gem!
Glenn Casale, Director
Steven is a fantastic collaborator and brings a level of precision and expertise to each and every project. He sees and clearly understands the world of the play and fully enhances that world with his lighting that fully illuminates the story being told. Steven brings a level of comfort and professionalism with him wherever he goes.
Michael Matthews, Director
In addition to having exquisite taste and talent, Steven has an innate understanding of the creative process - he comes to the table with a strong vision, but also allows room for collaboration. While Steven is incredibly efficient, but never sacrifices excellence for expediency - he is uniquely able to craft beautiful lighting and make it appear effortless.
Richard Israel, Director
Steven is a smart, attentive collaborator, and he offers up his terrific and tasteful choices with enthusiasm and expedience. He was a real life-saver in a fast and furious tech period on a new musical with tricky multi-faceted design.
Matt Lenz, Director
Steven is fantastic to collaborate with. His work is focused, dynamic and consistently complimented my directing.
Ricky Hinds, Director
I loved working with Steven on the LA premiere of I AM HARVEY MILK at Disney Hall. Not only does have a terrific aesthetic but he is a joy to collaborate with. I'm thrilled with the work we accomplished together. … He also went crazy with rainbow colors.
Noah Himmelstein, Director
STEVEN YOUNG is "the best" ! We've worked together as Designer/Director at least four times. He has made my job easier each time by his knowledge and professionalism. I want to add that he's so easy to work with that you get spoiled. I look forward to our next collaborations. I wouldn't want to do it without him.
Ken Page, Director/Writer/Actor
Making 200 men on risers look 3-dimensional and individual seems like it should be easy but it is extremely difficult. The first six designers I worked with just couldn’t get it right. Steven Young understood it right off the bat, so we could concentrate on making art instead of just getting the guys on the back row in light.
Steven has been lighting the Chorus for fifteen years now. We do big production shows with dancers, sets, costumes, video, etc. Steven is one of the main reasons our shows look so good. Easy to work with and full of stage savvy, Steven is a huge asset to our productions. I wouldn’t trade him for the highest paid Broadway designer.
Bill Bowersock, Concert Producer GMCLA
Steven Young is a joy to work with. He’s incredibly generous with his time, generous with his talent (which overflows), and generous with his kindness. When I think about people I want to have “in the room” when I’m creating something, Steven’s at the very top of the list.
Roger Bean, Playwright/Director
Steven and I bonded over a show that both of us loved, and so we started working together on shows ever since. I think we are up to over 30 shows at this point. That’s a lot of shows. Like many people that work together often, we’ve developed a sort of short hand language and trust; I work with the actors to create a real world in which a play or musical can exist, and Steven fleshes out that world, adding details and touches that always reinforce and amplify my ideas. He comes prepared with thoughts and options, and then fights for what he believes in, but always to serve the story.
Nick DeGruccio, Director
AWARDS
IESNA Awards of Merit for The Aquarium of the Pacific, The Pacific Collections retail store, Hard Rock Cafe Tampa, Choctaw Casino and Resort, Dragons Wild Shooting dark ride
Lumen West Awards, Awards of Excellence for Akin Gump Los Angeles Law Offices, Hard Rock Cafe Tampa and Choctaw Casino and Resort
IESNA Awards of Merit for The Aquarium of the Pacific, Pacific Collections retail store, Hard Rock Cafe Tampa, Choctaw Casino and Resort, Dragons Wild Shooting dark ride
Lumen West Awards, Awards of Excellence for Akin Gump Los Angeles Law Offices, Hard Rock Cafe Tampa and Choctaw Casino and Resort
Themed Entertainment Association Thea Award for 5D Castle Theater, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, Hengqin Island, Zhuhai, China, Beyond All Boundaries a 4D cinematic experience at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Kongen Park Firefighter attraction in Norway
2016 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award Nomination for American Idiot, La Mirada Performing Arts Center
2015 UC-CCM Alumni Award of Excellence
2013 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award Nomination for Next to Normal, McCoy-Rigby Entertainment
2013 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award Nomination for Spring Awakening, La Mirada Performing Arts Center
2011 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award Nomination for Miss Saigon, McCoy-Rigby Entertainment
2010 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award Nomination for Carousel, Reprise Theatre Company
2010 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award Nomination for God Save Gertrude, Theatre@Boston Court
2009 LADCC Nomination for Kiss of the Spider Woman, Havok Theatre Company
2008 Ovation Award for Jekyll & Hyde, Cabrillo Music Theatre
2008 LADCC Award for Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story, Havok Theatre Company
2007 Ovation Award for Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings, Theatre@Boston Court
2007 LA Weekly Award for Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings, Theatre@Boston Court
2005 Ovation Award for Songs for a New World, Rubicon Theatre Company
2005 Inland Theatre League Award for 1776, Performance Riverside
2004 Angstrom Lifetime Achievement Award, Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle
2004 Inland Theatre League Award for Children of Eden, Performance Riverside
2004 Inland Theatre League Award for Once on this Island, Performance Riverside
2003 Inland Theatre League Award for Sweeney Todd, Performance Riverside
2003 Inland Theatre League Award for Forever Plaid, Performance Riverside
2003 Inland Theatre League Award for Big River, Performance Riverside
2003 Inland Theatre League Award for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Performance Riverside
2002 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award Nomination for The Laramie Project, Theatre@Boston Court
2002 Robby Award for Side Show, The Colony Theatre
2002 Inland Theatre League Award for The Scarlet Pimpernel, Performance Riverside
2002 Inland Theatre League Award for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Performance Riverside
2001 Inland Theatre League Award for Jesus Christ Superstar, Performance Riverside
Backstage West Garland Awards for:
Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings, Theatre@Boston Court
A Picture of Dorian Gray, Theatre@Boston Court
Hot Mikado, Musical Theatre West
Side Show, The Colony Theatre
2009 Outstanding Season of Lighting Design