Richard Pilbrow, lighting designer, producer, writer and co-founder of the Association for Lighting Production and Design (ALPD, originally ALD) and its President for many years, died on 6 December at the age of 90.
Pilbrow was the first Lighting Director of the National Theatre and the founder of Theatre Projects in 1957, now a leading consultancy firm specialising in venue design but he started out by renting out lights recovered from under the stage at Drury Lane. He also co-founded the Association of British Theatre Technicians, the Institute of British Theatre Consultants and the Society of British Theatre Designers. His books on lighting and consultancy are standard texts in the industry and technical theatre education.
ALPD Vice-President Rick Fisher said, "Richard truly was one of a kind, someone who only saw solutions and opportunities. While others can speak more eloquently about his brilliance at design and theatre consulting, his embrace of technological innovations, his importance as author, producer and mentor, what I am most reminded of when I think about this wonderful inspirational man is his true enthusiasm for all the people who make up our world. His instigation of countless associations including the ALPD is a legacy from which we all benefit.
"He was always excited to see how we would develop and what we all could achieve singly and together as a profession. We can best honour him by working together to improve our industry and create magic in performance."
A statement on the Theatre Projects web site said, "Richard created and embodied the spirit of Theatre Projects—demonstrating values like inclusion, innovation, community-centric thinking, kindness—and directed the company’s course, time and again, as our industry and our scope of services changed. Even after Richard’s retirement, he stayed close with team members and remained a committed advocate for the arts; our work will forever benefit from his passion."