Richard Pilbrow

Born in London, England on April 28th, 1933, Richard Pilbrow is considered to be one of the world’s leading theatre consultants. His father, Gordon Pilbrow, was a British Sabre Fencing Champion and a member of the British Olympic Team in Berlin and London. Pilbrow served in the Royal Air Force for two years before going on to study stage management at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London from 1953-1955. Pilbrow’s first marriage was to Viki Brinton, with whom he has two children, Abigail and Fred. Pilbrow remarried in 1974 to lighting designer Molly Friedel, with whom he had his third child, Daisy. Richard Pilbrow continues to work with his company, Theatre Projects, acting as a consultant for productions all over the world.

Key Dates & Events

• 1953 - Pilbrow begins studying stage management at London’s Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
• 1957 - Pilbrow founds Theatre Projects, a lighting design and rental company.
• 1963 - Pilbrow begins working as lighting designer at the National Theatre and Old Vic.
• 1966 - Pilbrow joins the National Theatre Building Committee.
• 1968 - Pilbrow becomes the first British lighting designer to design for a Broadway musical.
• 1974 - Pilbrow marries lighting designer, Molly Friedel.
• 1982 - Pilbrow receives an award from the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) for his outstanding achievements in the field of lighting design.
• 1995 - Pilbrow wins the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting Design for his work on the revival of Show Boat.
• 1999 - Pilbrown receives a Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award from USITT.