CTG's Sherwood Award Goes To Christopher Kuhl

Christopher Kuhl, a Los Angeles-based lighting designer, has been selected for Center Theatre Group's 2011 Richard E. Sherwood Award. The announcement was made today by CTG's Director of Education and Community Partnerships Leslie Johnson.

The Sherwood Award provides financial support for early career theatre artists living and working in Los Angeles. Created in memory of Richard E. Sherwood, the $10,000 award identifies innovative and adventurous artists in all aspects of the field, and works with them to build a creative relationship with CTG.

"We are delighted to add Chris to the cadre of talented artists supported through this award," said Johnson. "His dedication to improving the field and his body of work which pushes existing boundaries aligns with the vision of the Sherwood Award."

Kuhl's work personifies this by blending scenic and lighting elements seamlessly into a production. For example, a recent design utilized reflective yarn sewn across a steel frame to create onstage light-reflective bounce cards. "I strive to create live performance that is entirely immersive for an audience, pushing them to think about what theatre, dance and opera are," said Kuhl.

Kuhl's recent credits include "The Author" and "Eclipsed" at CTG's Kirk Douglas Theatre. He has also worked at REDCAT, UCLA Live, Los Angeles Opera, BAM, the Walker Art Center and the Beijing International Music Festival. Kuhl is also the recipient of the Portland Civic Theatre Guild Drammy Award for Lighting Design and the Dance Resource Center Horton Award.

Since 1996, the Sherwood Award has met a vital need in the theatre landscape. "If we are to have a dynamic theatre expressing the world of the 21st century, we must recognize and nourish the explorative artist, particularly in the struggle of the early years of a career," said Dorothy Sherwood, wife of Richard E. Sherwood.

Richard E. Sherwood was a patron of the arts with a special appreciation for emerging artists who are in the vanguard of theatre. He was president and then chairman of the CTG Board of Directors from 1980 until his passing in 1993. The award is established as an endowed fund at CTG by his family, friends, colleagues and fellow board members, to honor Sherwood's passionate commitment to theatre.

The Sherwood Award will be presented to Kuhl at the Ovation Awards ceremony produced by LA Stage Alliance.