JOHN'S LIGHTING DESIGN BIO
John has been designing lighting professionally since 1975, in addition to writing software and occasionally painting scenery. Recent lighting designs include What the Butler Saw at the Mark Taper Forum last year (with Ken Billington), a new ballet version of Peter Pan for Nashville Ballet, and 2011's Broadway benefit performance of The Visit starring Chita Rivera, plus ongoing work with Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre.
One of his favorite designs was for the Signature Theater production of The Trip to Bountiful, directed by Harris Yulin and starring Lois Smith, which earned him Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel nominations for Outstanding Lighting Design. He also designed the New York and London productions of Jelly Roll! starring Vernel Bagneris as well as subsequent national tours. Over the years he has lit plays, musicals, ballets, modern dance, religious pageants, galas, restaurants, and nightclubs for clients across the United States, Europe, and Asia.
He has been an associate designer to Ken Billington since 1984, with whom he has worked on many notable productions, including the Broadway productions of Chicago, The Red Shoes, and Inherit the Wind as well as An Evening with Jerry Herman, Chess, The Lisbon Traviata, Lips Together Teeth Apart, West Side Story, Sweet Sue, Sylvia, The Belle of Amherst, Nunsense, and Annie Warbucks.
As architectural lighting supervisor for KB Associates, Inc., he was involved in the design of many prominent attractions, including Tavern on the Green and the Russian Tea Room in New York, King Xmhu in Sapporo, Aba Daba Disco in Phuket, and SeaWorld in Orlando.
From 2004 to 2020, John was a member of the Adjunct Faculty at the Tisch School of the Arts Department of Design for Stage and Film at New York University.
As of 11/8/2020
JOHN'S CONDENSED LIGHTING DESIGN RESUME
Many apologies for the non-columnar format...
John McKernon Lighting Designer 9/17/10
Production Theatre/Director, Choreographer, or Producer Year
BROADWAY
One Mo' Time Longacre / Vernel Bagneris 2002
Associate to Ken Billington:
Drowning Crow Biltmore /Marion McClinton, MTC 2004
An Evening With Jerry Herman Booth /Lee Roy Reams 1998
Chicago Richard Rodgers & Shubert /Walter Bobbie 1996 - present
Inherit the Wind Royale /John Tillinger 1996
The Red Shoes Gershwin /Stanley Donen 1993
Sweet Sue Music Box & Royale /John Tillinger 1987
OFF-BROADWAY
The Trip to Bountiful Signature Theatre / Harris Yulin 2005
Jelly Roll! Theatre Royal Stratford East, London 1995
Jelly Roll! 47th St (Puerto Rican) & Kaufman /Dean Irby 1994, 95
Further Mo' Village Gate/Vernel Bagneris 1990
Hot Chocolate Harold Clurman/Larry Alford 1985
Amahl and the Night Visitors BAM Playhouse/G.C. Menotti 1984
Othello Roundabout Theatre/Gene Feist 1979
Associate to Ken Billington:
Wonder of the World Manhattan Theatre Club / Chris Ashley 2002
Time and Again Manhattan Theatre Club/Susan Schulman 2001
Sylvia Manhattan Theatre Club & John Houseman /John Tillinger 1995
Party Douglas Fairbanks/David Dillon 1995
Two Gentlemen of Verona New York Shakespeare Festival Delacorte/Adrian Hall 1994
Annie Warbucks Variety Arts/Martin Charnin 1993
Lips Together, Teeth Apart Manhattan Theatre Club & Lucille Lortel/John Tillinger 1991
The Lisbon Traviata Manhattan Theatre Club & Promenade /John Tillinger 1989
Mark Taper Forum, Marines Memorial
NATIONAL TOURS
Jelly Roll! A. Dean Irby 1996-97
Associate to Ken Billington:
Chicago (8 companies) Walter Bobbie / Melissa King 1997-present
Belle of Amherst (with Julie Harris) Charles Nelson Reilly 2000
Lettice and Lovage (Julie Harris) Michael Blakemore 1993
Annie Get Your Gun (Cathy Rigby) Susan Shulman 1992
West Side Story (US. & Europe) Alan Johnson 1990
Chess Des MacAnuff 1990
Nunsense Dan Goggin 1989
REGIONAL & STOCK
…Putnam.. Spelling Bee Muhlenberg Summer Musicals / Bill Mutimer 2010
The Mikado Muhlenberg Summer Musicals / Charles Richter 2010
An American Tragedy Muhlenberg Theatre Assoc. / Charles Richter, Barbara Siman 2010
The Trip to Bountiful Goodman Theatre / Harris Yulin 2008
Crazy for You North Shore Music Theatre / Richard Stafford 2007
One Mo' Time Williamstown Theatre Festival / Vernel Bagneris 2001
A Map of the World Bridges Int'l Rep Co. / Aaron Levin 2001
The School of Jolly Dogs Eugene O'Neil Theater Center 1996
DANCE
The Nutcracker N.C. School of the Arts / Robert Lindgren 1998-2008
The Nutcracker Oregon Ballet Theatre/James Canfield 1993-2002
Romeo and Juliet American Repertory Ballet /Septime Webre 1994
Romeo and Juliet Eugene Ballet/Toni Pimble 1984
A Midsummer Night's Dream North Carolina Dance Theatre/Norbert Vesak 1984
Pearl Lang Dance Company Pearl Lang 1983-2001
Santa Barbara Ballet Various 1977-1982
Pauline Koner Dance Consort Pauline Koner 1976-1980
Heritage Dance Theatre (Assistant to Eugene Lowery) Agnes DeMille 1975
EVENTS
Gala 2010 Benefit Westport Country Playhouse / Joe Calarco 2010
Camp Show Benefit Hole in the Wall Gang Camp / James Naughton 2007
Nothing Like A Dame '98 Shubert Theatre/Phyllis Newman 1998
Folk Songs Plus / USA 92nd St. Y/Charles Repole 1993-94
ASCAP Tribute to S. Sondheim Pierre Hotel/Arthur Whitelaw 1991
American Image Awards Sheraton Center/Arthur Whitelaw 1988
AADA 100th Anniversary Gala Vivian Beaumont/Arthur Whitelaw 1985
ARCHITECTURAL
Wagner/Lampkowski Residence Point Pleasant, PA 2007
SAC Capital, Ltd. - Renovations New York, NY 2001
Rocking Horse Cafe - Renovations New York, NY 2000
Tavern on the Green New York, NY 1986-06
Glassman & Elias Offices New York, NY 1995
Aaron Residences New York & Pennsylvania 1990-91
Ken Billington, Inc.: Associate Designer/Architectural Projects Supervisor:
38 projects, including 1984-2002
The Russian Tea Room New York, NY 2000-02
Tavern on the Green Central Park, NY 1986-2007
Thomas/Donahue Residences New York City & Connecticut 1987-98
Gladstone's Universal CityWalk, CA 1993
King Xmhu Nightclub Sapporo, Japan 1991
Maison du Caviar Tokyo, Japan 1988
Club El Morocco New York City 1987
OTHER CREDITS
Author of Lightwright computer program 1979-present
Member, Lighting Dimensions Magazine Advisory Board 2001-2005
The Medium (Scene Design) Wolf Trap Opera / Frank Rizzo 1977
The Telephone (Scene Design) Wolf Trap Opera / Lou Galterio 1977
Scenic Design Associate to A. Christina Giannini:
Einstein on the Beach Europe & Metropolitan Opera / Robert Wilson 1976
ACADEMIC
NYU Tisch School of the Arts Adjunct Faculty 2004-2020
EDUCATION
BFA, North Carolina School of the Arts (Lighting & Scenic Design) 1975
UNION AFFILIATION
Member, United Scenic Artists Local 829 since 1984
AWARDS
The Trip to Bountiful (Signature Theatre production) was nominated for Outstanding Lighting Design for both the Drama Desk Award and the Lucille Lortel Award in 2006