Yichen Zhou is a lighting and set designer born and raised in China. She holds an M.F.A. in Lighting Design at the Geffen School of Drama at Yale and a B.A. in Theatre from Smith College, where she explored a range of art including installation, architecture, and photography.
During her journey across continents, she found a home in the theatre, where understanding is possible, pain is heard, and the trivial joy of existence is celebrated, even in this era of political distress and mistrust. She surrenders to the transient and ritualistic nature of theatre and celebrates this truthfulness that is both specific and universal.
In her practice of scenography, Yichen is deeply fascinated by the truth one finds through imagination; the possibilities and dangers behind a stage door; how darkness has colors; and how silence can say more.
Most importantly, Yichen is motivated by a profound faith in the power of stories in political and cultural landscapes. She believes that story is where we came from, and where we're going to. Story is the secret of our interconnectedness and the weapon to fight against the abyss. Therefore, she is eager to tell stories that are provoking, inspiring, and awakening. She is always excited to tell a story with you.
IG: @yichen.zhou.design
Email: zhouyichendesign@gmail.com
Coming Soon
Sept - Oct 2026 / The Chinese Lady / ArtsWest, Seattle / Dir. Zenaida Rose Smith and Christie Zhao / Lighting Designer
Oct 2026 / Henry V / The Juilliard School / Dir. Michael Rudko and Jenny Lord / Lighting Designer
Oct 2026 / Othello / The Juilliard School / Dir. Jimonn Cole / Lighting Designer
Nov 2026 / The Moors / The Juilliard School / Dir. GT Upchurch / Set Designer
Dec - Jan 2026 / Last Five Years 过去五年 / Shanghai West Bund Theatre 西岸大剧院小剧场 / Dir. Zhenyu Yao / Lighting Designer
Feb 2027 / Wait Until Dark / Maltz Jupiter Theatre / Dir. Peter Flynn / Lighting Designer
Design
2026 / In The Black / Elberson Fine Arts Center, North Carolina / Dir. Abigail Onwunali / Lighting Designer
2026 / Potsdam/ Virginia Symphony Orchestra / Dir. Mikhaela Mahony / Lighting Designer
2026 / To Kill A Pig/ Soho Playhouse Lighthouse Series / Dir. Christie Zhao / Lighting Designer
2026 / Radioman/ Paradise Factory / Dir. Tatiana Baccari / Lighting Designer
2026 / Manon!/ Heartbeat Opera / Dir. Rory Pelsue / Lighting Designer
2025 / Burn Book/ Mabou Mines / Dir. Rory Pelsue / Lighting Designer
2025 / Turandot & Puzzles and Games/ Alice Tully Hall / Dir. Mikhaela Mahony / Lighting Designer
2025 / This Restless House: Agamemnon's Return / The Juilliard School / Dir. Evan Yionoulis / Set Designer and Lighting Designer
2025 / Julius Caesar / The Juilliard School / Dir. Daniel Fish & Mikhaela Mahony / Set Designer and Lighting Designer
2025 / The Beast of Hungary / The Juilliard School / Dir. Jenny Lord & Michael Rudko / Set Designer and Lighting Designer
2025 / Invasive Species/ King’s Head Theatre, London / Dir. Michael Breslin / Transferred by Associate Lighting Designer Ben Jacobs / Lighting Designer
2025 / Your Name Means Dream / TheatreWorks Hartford / Dir. José Rivera / Lighting Designer
2025 / Faust / Heartbeat Opera / Dir. Sara Holdren / Set Designer and Lighting Designer
2025 / This Little Light of Mine / Kentucky Opera / Dir. Kimille Howard / Set Designer and Lighting Designer
2025 / The Return of Benjamin Lay / The Frank Shiner Theatre & The Sedgwick Theater / Dir. Ron Daniels / Lighting Designer
2024 / KIN / Chain Theatre / Dir. Spencer Whale / Lighting Designer
2024 / Undercity / Culture Lab LIC / Dir. Sammy Zeisel / Lighting Designer
2024 / Science in Theatre Festival/ Brooklyn Art Haus / Lighting Designer
2024 / The Woman In Black / Weston Theatre Company / Dir. Jacob Basri / Lighting Designer
2024 / Vile Isle / The Tank / Dir. Spencer Whale / Lighting Designer
2024 / King John / The Juilliard School / Dir. Evan Yionoulis / Set Designer and Lighting Designer
2024 / National Playwrights Conference / Eugene O'Neill Theater Center / Lighting Designer
2024 / The Thin Place / Chester Theatre Company/ Dir. Gabby Farrah/ Set Designer
2024 / Invasive Species/ Vineyard Theatre / Dir. Michael Breslin / Lighting Designer
2024 / The Far Country / Yale Repertory Theatre / Dir. Ralph B. Peña / Lighting Designer
2024 / The Royale/ Yale Cabaret / Dir. Lauren F. Walker / Set Designer and Lighting Co-Designer
2023-2024 / BIKINI (workshop) / La Mama CultureHub / Dir. Michael Breslin/ Lighting Designer
2023 / The Rasa Project / National Sawdust / Creator Landon Wilson and Peng Guan / Set Designer
2023 / Three(film) / Dir. Amie Song / Production Designer *Cannes Film Festival La Cenif final selection*
2023 / Invasive Species / The Tank / Dir. Michael Breslin/ Lighting Designer
2023 / Furlough's Paradise/ Yale Iseman Theatre / Dir. Leyla Levi / Lighting Designer
2023 / Marys Seacole / Yale Repertory Theatre / Dir. Leyla Levi / Lighting Designer
2023 / Dr Ride's american beach house / Yale Cabaret / Dir. Rebeca Nobles / Lighting Designer
2022 / Ghosts / Yale University Theatre / Dir. Jacob Basri / Lighting Designer
2022 / BURNBABYBURN: an american dream / Yale Summer Cabaret / Dir. Jacob Basri / Lighting Designer
2022 / If We Could Turn Back Time / Connecticut College Palmer Auditorium / Chor: Conn Coll seniors / Lighting Co-Designer
2022 / Twelfth Night / Yale Iseman Theatre / Dir. James Fleming / Lighting Designer
2021 / #4 / Yale Cabaret / Dir. Abigail C. Onwunali / Lighting Designer
2020 / Peter and the Starcatcher / Smith College Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre / Dir. Cathy Kennedy / Set Designer
2020 / The Magic Flute / UMass Amherst Bowker Auditorium / Dir. Ellen Kaplan / Lighting Designer
2019 / The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time / Smith College Theatre 14 / Dir. Ellen Kaplan / Set Designer, Lighting Co-Designer
2019 / Persephone’s Diary / LOCAL Gallery / Chor. Michelle Marroquin / Lighting Designer
2019 / The Moors / Smith College Theatre 14 / Dir. Isabelle Brown / Lighting Designer
2019 / As You Like It / Smith College Theatre 14 / Dir. Daniel Kramer / Set Designer
2018 / A Number 好几个 / Beijing Inside-Out Theatre 北京中间剧场 / Dir. Nan Zhang / Set Designer
2018 / Last Word / Wuxi Zhifan Theatre / Dir. Rutong Ji / Lighting Designer
2018 / Active Inference/ Smith College Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre / Chor. Aubrey Johnson / Lighting Designer
2017 / A Kind of Alaska / Smith College Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre / Dir. Micaela Brinsley / Set Designer
2017 / Poof! / Smith College Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre / Dir. Nykole Darby / Set Designer
2017 / Icarus's Mother / Smith College Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre / Dir. Isabelle Brown / Lighting Designer2026 / Manon! / Heartbeat Opera / Dir. Rory Pelsue / Lighting Designer
Assistantship and Others
2026 / All That Fall / Mabou Mines / LD. Jennifer Tipton / Associate Lighting Designer
2025 / When the Hurly Burly’s Done / Public Theatre / LD. Jennifer Tipton / Assistant Lighting Designer
2023 / The Cottage (Broadway) / Hayes Theatre / LD. Jiyoun Chang / Assistant Lighting Designer
2023 / Redwood / Ensemble Studio Theatre / SD. Ao Li / Associate Set Designer
2022 / Sheepdog; The House of the Negro Insane / Contemporary American Theatre Festival / SD. Claire DeLiso / Associate Set Designer
2019 / Mlima's Tale / Westport Country Playhouse / SD. Claire DeLiso / Assistant Set Designer
2019 / The Selfish Giant / Beijing Children's Art Theatre / SD. Charlotte Lane / Assistant Set and Costume Designer
2019 / Working; Promenade; Roadshow / New York City Center Encore! Off-Center / SD. Donyale Werle / Set Design Apprentice
2018 / Cinderella / Seven Ages Investment Co. Ltd. / LD. Nan Zhang / Lighting Assistant
2018 / Snow; Disgraced; On the Concept of the Face Regarding the Son of God / The Great Theatre of China / Technical Assistant and Interpreter
2017 / Murder Ballad / China Dream Live Entertainment Co. / Follow Spot Operator, ASM
2017 / World Stage Design Expo / SD. Kedong Liu / Exhibition Assistant
Teaching
2020 / Harvard Summit for Young Leaders in China / Theatre Design Course Lecturer, Capstone Leader
Award
2024 / Lawrence and Rita Holder Lighting Design Award
2024 / Connecticut Critics Circle Nomination for Outstanding Lighting Design / The Far Country
2020 / 1st Place in Multidisciplinary Design, La Mama DesignFest
2020 / Yvonne Sarah Bernhardt Buerger Prize
2020 / The Peggy Clark Kelley Design Prize
2019 / The Peggy Clark Kelley Design Prize
Education
2020 - 2024 / Yale School of Drama, MFA in Lighting Design
2016 - 2020 / Smith College, BA in Theatre
2018 / DIS Copenhagen, Architecture Studio
Interview
Ascending Magazine, Folio I . Act 2 | 10.2020, Artist Interview