Barbara Samuels

arbara Samuels (she/her) is an Obie and Henry Hewes Design Award winning queer lighting designer, producer, and organizer. Barbara uses a diversity of approaches to create design-forward live events – aiming to unearth the human condition while destabilizing harmful power structures in and out of the theater.

New York credits include designs at Soho Rep, MCC, Lincoln Center, Ars Nova, NYTW, Target Margin, TFANA, Playwrights Horizons, 2ST, WP Theater, The Bushwick Starr, BethMorrison Projects, New Georges, and Clubbed Thumb. Regional: Pig Iron, BardSummerscape, The Alley, Long Wharf, ACT., Woolly Mammoth, Playmakers, Kansas City Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse, Shakespeare Theater Company, and Trinity Rep.

Barbara is grateful to have recently served as Creative Producer for Snatch Adams & Tainty McCracken Present It’s That Time of the Month! at Soho Rep. Barbara served as the General Manager of Obie Award-winning 13P from 2008-2012, and as Producing Director of Morgan Gould and Friends from 2014-2018.

Barbara is an alum of the 2022-24 WP Producers Lab, and the 20216 Target Margin Institute. She is a New Georges Affiliated Artist and Wingspace member. Barbara currently teaches lighting and drafting at Fordham University. She holds a BA from Fordham University and an MFA in Lighting Design from NYU. She proudly serves as an Eastern Region Member Rep on the Eastern Region Board of United Scenic Artists, Local 829 IATSE.