Rory Beaton

Lighting Designer

Rory is a freelance lighting designer whose work spans West End, Regional, International and Globally Touring productions.

His extensive West End credits include productions at The Savoy Theatre, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, The Apollo, The London Coliseum, The Garrick, Trafalgar Theatre and The Criterion.

He has also worked extensively with companies including: The Royal Shakespeare Company, Chichester Festival Theatre, Broadway Asia, Crossroads Entertainment, The Royal Court, English Touring Opera, Birmingham Rep, Trafalgar Entertainment, Kiln Theatre, London’s Southbank Centre, The Watermill, Sony Music, Cuffe & Taylor, Bristol Old Vic and Scottish Opera.

Awards and Nominations

WhatsOnStage Award nomination for Best Lighting Design for The Time Traveller’s Wife

Broadway World Award for Best Lighting Design for Jesus Christ Superstar

Broadway World Award for Best Lighting Design for The Lord of the Rings

Knight of Illumination Award nomination for Cosí fan Tutte at Opera Holland Park

Offie Award for Best Lighting nomination - Dumbledore Is So Gay

UK Pantomime Award for Best Lighting nomination - Jack And The Beanstalk, Edinburgh Festival Theatre

UK Pantomime Award for Best Lighting nomination - Aladdin, New Theatre Cardiff

New Talent in Entertainment Lighting, Presented by the Worshipful Company of Lightmongers

Michael Northen Award, Presented by the Association of Lighting Designers

City of London Lord Mayor’s Prize

Upcoming Project

2026

DISNEY'S HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL | Directors: Joseph Houston & William Whelton | Wembley Troubadour & Manchester Lowry

SWEENEY TODD | Director: Joe Murphy | Birmingham Rep

PLEASE PLEASE ME | Director: Amit Sharma | Kiln Theatre, London

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS | Director: Carrie-Ann Ingrouille | Manchester Hope Mill & Liverpool Playhouse

SUMMER HOLIDAY | Directors: Elizabeth Newman, Ben Occhipinti | Sheffield Crucible and Blackpool Grand

MIDNIGHT: A NEW MUSICAL | Director: Todrick Hall | Sadler’s Wells East

TOP G'S LIKE ME | Director: Jesse Jones | Derngate Auditorium, Northampton

2025

MIDNIGHT | Director: Todrick Hall | Sadler's Wells East

BURLESQUE | Director: Todrick Hall | The Savoy Theatre, West End

MILITARY WIVES | Director: Debbie Isitt | Theatre Royal, York

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY | Director: Matt Lenz | US Tour

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR | Director: Paul Hart | Watermill Theatre

GREASE | Director: Sam Hardie | Pitlochry Festival Theatre

THE LORD OF THE RINGS | Director: Paul Hart | Australian Tour

(THIS IS NOT A) HAPPY ROOM | Director: Hannah Price | King's Head Theatre

DEATH OF A SALESMAN | Director: Andy Arnold | UK Tour

MERCHANT OF VENICE  | Director: Brigid Larmour | UK Tour

2024

THE CREAKERS | Director: Tom Jackson Greaves | Plymouth & Southbank Centre

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE | Director: Brigid Lamour | Trafalgar & UK Tour

YOUR LIE IN APRIL | Directors: Nick Winston & Jordan Murphy | Harold Pinter Theatre, West End

PINS AND NEEDLES | Director: Amit Sharma | Kiln Theatre

STARTER FOR TEN | Director: Charlie Parham | Bristol Old Vic

WILD ABOUT YOU | Director: Nick Winston | Theatre Royal Drury Lane, West End

FOR BLACK BOYS… | Director: Ryan Calais Cameron | Garrick Theatre, West End

MERCHANT OF VENICE 1936 | Director: Brigid Larmour | Criterion Theatre, West End

TEENAGE ARMAGEDDON | Director: Georgie Straight | Garrick Theatre, West End

MIDSUMMER | Director: Ryan McBride | Mercury Theatre

MARX IN LONDON! | Director: Stephen Barlow | Scottish Opera

ALI COOK: PRINCIPLES OF DECEPTION | Director: Kate Golledge | Royal & Derngate

2023

THE TIME TRAVELLER’S WIFE: A NEW MUSICAL | Director: Bill Buckhurst | Apollo Theatre, West End

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE 1936 | Director: Brigid Larmour | RSC, Watford Palace and UK Tour

THE LORD OF THE RINGS | Director: Paul Hart | Watermill Theatre

FOR BLACK BOYS… | Director: Ryan Calais Cameron | Apollo Theatre, West End

UNEXPECTED TWIST | Director: James Dacre | UK Tour

THE JUNGLE BOOK | Director: Matt Hassall | Chichester Festival Theatre

CINDERELLA | Director: Ed Curtis | Bradford Alhambra

PETER PAN | Director: Ed Curtis | Edinburgh Festival Theatre

CINDERELLA | Director: Andrew Ryan | Bromley Churchill Theatre

DUMBLEDORE IS SO GAY | Director: Tom Wright | Southwark Playhouse

2022

SPIKE | Director: Paul Hart | Watermill Theatre & UK Tour

JEWS. IN THEIR OWN WORDS | Directors: Vicky Featherstone & Audrey Sheffield | Royal Court Theatre

FOR BLACK BOYS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE WHEN THE HUE GETS TOO HEAVY | Director: Ryan Calais Cameron | Royal Court Theatre

DEATH DROP: BACK IN THE HABIT | Director: Jesse Jones | Garrick Theatre, West End

LITTLE WOMEN | Director: Ella Marchment | Opera Holland Park

4 | Director: Rosa Crompton | Park Theatre

THE MOUNTAINTOP | Director: John Terry | Chipping Norton Theatre

HANSEL & GRETEL | Director: Stephen Barlow | Britten Theatre, London

HALF EMPTY GLASSES | Director: Kalyea Baxe | Paines Plough Roundabout

LA BOHEME | Director: James Conway | English Touring Opera

THE ULTIMATE PICKLE | Director: Eva Sampson | Paines Plough Roundabout

SNOW WHITE | Director: David Burrows | New Theatre, Cardiff

A SUDDEN VIOLENT BURST OF RAIN | Director: Yasmin Hafesji | Paines Plough Roundabout

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK | Director: Ed Curtis | Bradford Alhambra

SNOW WHITE | Director: Alan Harding | Nottingham Theatre Royal

CHRISTMAS AT BLENHEIM PALACE | Palace Light-Show & Illuminated Trail | Culture Creative / Sony Music  

THE GOLDEN COCKEREL | Director: James Conway | English Touring Opera

2021

I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE | Director: Kirk Jameson | The London Coliseum / Broadway HD

AMADIGI | Director: James Conway | English Touring Opera

THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN | Director: Stephen Barlow | Opera Holland Park

60 MILES BY ROAD OR RAIL | Director: Andy Routledge | Royal & Derngate

DUMBLEDORE IS SO GAY | Director: Tom Wright | Pleasance Theatre, London

THE WILD PARTY | Director: Cressida Carre | Guildford School of Acting

12 POEMS OF EMILY DICKINSON | Director: Matthew Eberhardt | ETO at Home

THE LITTLE GREEN SWALLOW | Director: Martin Lloyd Evans | Guildhall School

L’AMICO FRITZ | Director: Julia Burbach | Opera Holland Park

LE NOZZE DI FIGARO | Director: Oliver Platt | Opera Holland Park

A CHRISTMAS CAROL | Director: John Terry | Belgrade Theatre

ALADDIN | Director: Matt Slack | New Theatre, Cardiff

THE SECRET GARDEN | Director: Shiv Rabheru | Guildford School of Acting

ARIADNE | Director: Patricia Okenwa | ETO at Home

CHRISTMAS AT BLENHEIM PALACE | Palace Light-Show & Illuminated Trail | Culture Creative / Sony Music  

SNOW WHITE | Director: David Burrows | Hull New Theatre

SHOSTAKOVICH: MICHELANGELO SUITE | Director: James Conway | ETO at Home

2020

A CHRISTMAS CAROL | Director: John Terry | The Theatre, Chipping Norton

CHRISTMAS AT BLENHEIM PALACE | As Associate Designer | LightWorks/ Culture Creative

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS | Director: Josh Seymour | LAMDA

EARTHQUAKES IN LONDON | Director: Matt Hassall | LAMDA

OPERA SCENES | Director: Caitlin Fretwell Walsh | Royal Academy of Music

DUMBLEDORE IS SO GAY | Director: Tom Wright | Network Theatre, London

2019

MYSTERIOUS BRUISES | Director: Rikki Beadle-Blair | RADA

A CHRISTMAS CAROL | Director: Ben Occhipinti | Pitlochry Festival Theatre

SKYLIGHT | Director: John Terry | Chipping Norton Theatre

HOW LOVE IS SPELT | Director: Charlotte Peters | Brickdust, Southwark Playhouse

KISS ME, KATE | Director: Paul Hart | Watermill Theatre

THE BEST DAY EVER (A PLAY ABOUT THE END OF THE WORLD | Ned Glasier & Emily Lim | Company Three

L'ARLESIANA | Director: Oliver Platt | Opera Holland Park

BLONDE BOMBSHELLS OF 1943 | Director: Ben Occhipinti | Pitlochry Festival Theatre

MANON LESCAUT | Director: Karolina Sofulak | Opera Holland Park

SUMMER HOLIDAY | Directors: Elizabeth Newman & Ben Occhipinti | Pitlochry Festival Theatre

MACBETH | Director: James Dacre | English Touring Opera

IDOMENEO | Director: James Conway | English Touring Opera

ELIZABETH I | Director: James Conway | English Touring Opera

THE RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE | Director: Ben Occhipinti | Octagon Theatre, Bolton

SLEEPING BEAUTY | Llandudno, Qdos

2018

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST | Director: David Burrows | New Theatre, Cardiff

SLEEPING BEAUTY | Director: Gordon Barr | Byre Theatre, St. Andrews

LE NOZZE DI FIGARO | Director: Sir. Thomas Allen | Royal College of Music

COSÌ FAN TUTTE | Director: Oliver Platt | Guildhall School of Music and Drama

JONAS | Director: Bernadette Iglich | English Touring Opera

LO TACERÒ | Director: James Conway | English Touring Opera

DIDO AND AENEAS | Director: Sebastian Harcombe | English Touring Opera

RADAMISTO | Director: James Conway | English Touring Opera

DISHOOM! | Director: Pravesh Kumar | Watford Palace Theatre

LEGALLY BLONDE | Director: Hannah Roberts | Albany Theatre, Coventry

TELL US WHO WE ARE | Directors: Mary McCluskey & Anna Kenrick | All4 Scottish National Youth Performing Arts Companies

MAKLENA | Director: Maria Montague | Night Train Theatre Co.

BETTY BLUE EYES | Director: Elva Makins | Trinity Laban Conservatoire

SUMMER HOLIDAY | Directors: Elizabeth Newman & Ben Occhipinti | Octagon Theatre

COSÌ FAN TUTTE | Director: Oliver Platt | Opera Holland Park

TUMBLE TUCK | Director: Thomas Wright | King's Head Theatre

SOUNDING THE SKY | British Library

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO | Director: Blanche McIntyre | English Touring Opera

IL TABARRO | Director: James Conway | English Touring Opera

GIANNI SCHICCHI | Director: Liam Steel | English Touring Opera

2017

PETER PAN | Director: David McNeil | New Theatre, Hull

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST | Director: Gordon Barr | Byre Theatre, St Andrews

RIGOLETTO | Director: Roberto Recchia | Wexford Festival Opera

LA SCALA DI SETA | Director: Nathan Troup | Wexford Festival Opera

DUBLINERS | Director: Annabelle Comyn | Samuel Beckett Theatre, Dublin, Ireland

CATS | Director: Hannah Roberts | Albany Theatre, Coventry

CAROLINE OMINE: ONE NIGHT ONLY AT THE MERMAID | Director: Caroline Omine | Mermaid Theatre, London

DER FREISCHÜTZ | Director: Oliver Platt | Blackheath Halls

L'INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA | Director: Harry Fehr | Blackheath Halls

MAD MAN SAD WOMAN | Director: Sue Dunderdale | The Space

LOVELY UGLY CITY | Director: Jo Tyabji | Almeida Theatre

FAME! | Director: Hannah Roberts | Albany Theatre, Coventry

BOAT | Director: Ned Glasier/Amy Hodge | Battersea Arts Centre

70 ÄRS OPERA | Director: Eva-Maria Melbye | Danish National Opera, National Tour

EDWARD II | Director: Caroline Steinbein | Arts Theatre, Cambridge

2016

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST | Director: David Goodall | Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock

ALADDIN | Director: Gordon Barr | Byre Theatre, St Andrews

IL CAMPANELLO | Director: Roberto Recchia | Clayton Whites, Wexford

THE BEAR | Director: Kyle Lang | Clayton Whites, Wexford

RIDERS TO THE SEA | Director: Caitriona McLaughlin | Clayton Whites, Wexford

RENT | Director: Hannah Roberts | Albany Theatre, Coventry

THE TEMPEST | Director: Mary McCluskey | Old Sherrif Court, Glasgow

WHEREVER THE WIND TAKES YOU | Director: Alison Camilleri | Milton Court Theatre

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR | Director: Esteban Fourmi | Milton Court Theatre

PLAYTIME | Director: Abigail Yeates | Milton Court Theatre

A NIGHT OF MAGICAL CABARET | Director: Jennifer Wright | Milton Court Theatre

AN EVENING ON BROADWAY | Director: Elena Pitsiaeli | Milton Court Theatre

GO, MAKE YOU READY | Director: Patsy Rodenburg | Silk Street Theatre/ Barbican

DEALER'S CHOICE | Director: Mike Alfreds | Milton Court Theatre

PINTER TRIPLE BILL | Director : Jo McInnes | Milton Court Theatre

2015

MEPHISTO | Director: Wyn Jones | Milton Court Theatre

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM | Director: Patsy Rodenburg | Silk Street Theatre/ Barbican

2014

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS | Director: Vikki May | Deeside Theatre, Aboyne

SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD | Director: Anna Pool | Silk Street Theatre/ Barbican

2013

POMPEII | Guildhall School of Music and Drama

OPERA, MOVIES & MUSICALS | Director: Fiona Kelly | Deeside Theatre, Aboyne