CHRISTIAN EPPS

“Lighting is a silent partner in every production who must know when to step forward
and when to stand back”

Christian Epps’ career as a lighting designer has spanned more than two decades, covering everything from major motion pictures and broadcast television, to live theater, music videos and special events. He has been commissioned to work with such global powerhouses as Nike, IBM, Sprite, McDonald’s, Buena Vista Television, GE Capitol, Home Depot, and Panasonic. Christian is honored that his work has been showcased in legendary venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Kodak Theater, the Kennedy Center, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Apollo Theatre and the White House. Christian’s work has been seen across the United States as well as eight countries and three continents.

A few of Christian’s television highlights include: “President Clinton: Live at the White House,” “United Jewish Communities Host Al Gore,” the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games (competition and press areas) for TNT, “The Black Movie Awards” for HBO, John Leguizamo’s “Freak” (on Broadway) for Turner Broadcasting Systems, “Dinner & a Movie” and “Man-Made Movie” for TBS, “The Source Awards,” “The Stellar Awards,” “Comic View,” and “106 & Park” for Black Entertainment Television, Jamie Foxx’s “Laffapalooza” for Showtime, and “The Tom Joyner Show”.

Live events and theatre have provided an opportunity for Christian to help audiences make dramatic, emotional connections to the production. Christian has created spectacular designs for “The American Black Film Festival”, “The St. Lucia Jazz Festival”. the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, Jubilation, the Indiana Repertory Company and the Williamstown Theatre Festival. As far as theater goes, he has worked on productions from “Fiddler on the Roof,” to “Tambourines to Glory.” Christian’s work in the theatre has been recognized by the 2007 LA Drama Critics’ Circle Career Achievement Award, the 2009 Backstage West Award, and, most recently, the 2009 NAACP Theatre Award.

Christian grew up on the island of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He began his career in creative lighting design by volunteering in high school. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Technical Theatre: Lighting and Scenery from Howard University in Washington, D.C.. Christian was awarded a scholarship in Lighting Design at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and has been mastering his craft ever since.