“Lighting Design is a wondrous profession, and I am lucky to be making a living in a field that excites and challenges me.”
- Susan Hamburger
STATEMENT
Every new production is a chance to learn something different about the world around me or about the people I collaborate with. It is exciting when that magical spark starts to happen between artists and everyone comes together on a design. These creative relationships, that have evolved over years of working together with the same director or choreographer, are some of the most satisfying collaborations I have ever experienced.
Lighting design is about helping tell the story. Lighting designers show the audience where to look, but we also help frame the story emotionally and help give a sense of time or place. We make paintings with light to support and enhance every production.
BIOGRAPHY
Susan has designed the lighting for Urban Bush Women for over 14 years and has worked with such notable artists as Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, Craig Harris, Lucinda Childs, Mark Rucker and Mark Morris. Other notable dance companies she has designed for include Bessie winner Nora Chipaumire, Troika Ranch, Ellis Wood, Urban Tap and Alice Farley.
She has also designed Sunday In The Park With George, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, On The Town, A Child's Christmas in Wales, Little Shop Of Horrors, Suddenly Last Summer, The Great Highway, West Side Story, The Cryptogram, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing and Waiting for Godot as well as many other plays and performance pieces.
Hamburger’s residential work can been seen in the book Majestic Metropolitan Living: Visionary Homes in the Heart of Cities. Other residential/commercial projects include a Soho Corporate Office, a Tribeca loft, a retail showroom and a flexible use television interview studio for a New York not-for profit.
She has also been published in Real Simple magazine and on the Rosco Spectrum website. Susan is an adjunct professor as the Supervisor of Dance Production at Tisch at New York University and received her MFA from Yale School of Drama.
Various works
RESUME - SELECTED CREDITS
THEATRE
Sunday In the Park With George ⎮ James Peck ⎮ Empie Theater, PA ⎮ 2017
Searching for Romeo ⎮ Laura Josepher ⎮ Pearl Theater, NY ⎮ 2014
On the Town ⎮ Charles Richter ⎮ Empie Theater, PA ⎮ 2012
The Etiquette of Death ⎮ Everett Quinton ⎮ La Mama, NY ⎮ 2012
God’s Trombones ⎮ Avery Brooks ⎮ Apollo Theater, NY ⎮ 2008
Beyond the DMZ ⎮ Eun Hee ⎮ Seoul, Korea ⎮ 2006
The Abundance Project ⎮ Steve Bailey ⎮ Dance Theater of the Deaf ,CT ⎮ 2000
Little Shop of Horrors ⎮ William Sanders ⎮ Baker Theater, PA ⎮ 2000
The Cryptogram ⎮ Mark Rucker ⎮ Yale Repertory Theater, CT ⎮ 1996
DANCE
Alvin Ailey Dance Theater ⎮ Robert Battle ⎮ City Center, NY ⎮ 2017
Urban Bush Women ⎮ Jawole Zollar ⎮ 2004-Present
Muhlenberg College Faculty Dance Concert ⎮ Karen Dearborn ⎮ 1998-Present
Nora Chipaumire Dance ⎮ Nora Chipaumire ⎮ 2006-2014
Blondell Cummings Dance ⎮ Blondell Cummings ⎮ 2007
Troika Ranch ⎮ Dawn Stoppiello ⎮ 1998-2006
MADBoots ⎮ Jonathan Campbell,Austin Diaz ⎮ 2013-2014
Heidi Latsky Dance ⎮ Heidi Latsky ⎮ 2015-2018
Ellis Wood Dance ⎮ Ellis Wood ⎮ 2008-2014
Fly By Night Dance ⎮ Ulie Ludwick ⎮ 1999-2008
MUSIC & OPERA
New Voices in a New Space ⎮ Annette Jolles ⎮ Thalia Theater, NY ⎮ 2003-2005
Guilty, Guilty, Guilty ⎮ Diamanda Gales ⎮ Spiegeltent, NY ⎮ 2006
Symphonies 6 & 8 ⎮ Phillip Glass ⎮ BAM Opera House, NY ⎮ 2005
Loser’s Lounge ⎮ Arnold Engleman ⎮ Westbeth Theater, NY ⎮ 2002
Bang On A Can Festival ⎮ Various Artists ⎮ The Kitchen, NY ⎮ 1993
RESIDENTIAL/INDUSTRIAL/EXHIBITION
Coach Showroom ⎮ 2012-2016
Carr Residence ⎮ 2010
Carr 2nd Residence ⎮ 2011
Big Arrow Office ⎮ 2010
Marino Residence ⎮ 2009
Dig Og Mig Children’s Store ⎮ 2009
Spector/Whitton Residence ⎮ 2008
Lawrence Residence ⎮ 2007
Hirsch Residence ⎮ 2004
US Air Guitar Competition ⎮ 2003
Physical Therapy Studio ⎮ 2002
PUBLICATIONS
Designing With Light, Jason Livingston, 2014. (Cover Photo, Page 14)
Instant Expert Lighting. Real Simple, September 2011
Majestic Metropolitan Living, Clarkson Potter 2009. (Page 66-76, Milbank House)
Susan Hamburger: Lighting Dance...and Dancers. Rosco.com
Donald Holder Reveals The Collaborative World of Anastasia. Rosco.com
SPECIAL SKILLS
Adjunct Professor at New York University 2005 to Present.
Recipient of 2016/2017 CDCF Grant, 2018 IPA Grant & 2018 ADF Grant – NYU
Guest Speaker at Live Design International Convention, Las Vegas, NV 2017
Adjunct Professor at The Juilliard School 2010 to 2017.
Guest Artist at Muhlenberg College, 1998 to Present.
Guest Speaker at South Eastern Theater Conference, 2004.
Experience as Production Manager, Company Manager, Stage Manager and Interim Executive Director
Experience in Vectorworks, Lightwright and QLab.
Teaching Artist; Roundabout Education Department, Broadway Theater Institute, Theater for Young Audiences.
Experience as Modern Dance choreographer and performer.
Fluency in German, ability in French and Spanish.
Certified Fire Guard.
Certified in First Aid and CPR.
EDUCATION AND AFFILIATIONS
Yale University School of Drama MFA, Academic Honors, 1997
USA Local 829 Lighting Design
ACT-UAW Adjunct Professor
IALD - International Association of Lighting Designers Member
IES - Illuminating Engineering Society Member