Resident Designers
Gillian Bradshaw-Smith, Sets
Gillian Bradshaw-Smith, Sets
Gillian Bradshaw-Smith was born and spent her early childhood in India. She completed her fine art studies at the University of Reading, Berkshire, England. Her sculpture and paintings have been extensively exhibited in America and Europe, and she recently worked with a number of well-known photographers creating sets and backgrounds. In 1990, she painted a recreation of the original Andre Delfau backdrop design for the New York Theater Ballet's revival of Annabell Lee. In 1992, she designed and painted the sets for Donald Mahler's Cinderella, also for the New York Theater Ballet. For this company, she has also produced the set for The Magic Rose, A Tale of Beauty and the Beast, which toured extensively throughout the U.S. in 1994. That year, she also redesigned the set for the New York Theater Ballet's Nutcracker. Her association with Dances Patrelle began in 1993, designing the acclaimed sets for the company's New York premiere of Romeo & Juliet and subsequently the acclaimed productions of Macbeth, The Firebird and The Yorkville Nutcracker. Ms. Smith recently designed the sets for St. Louis Ballet's Swan Lake, choreographed by Francis Patrelle.
David Grill, Resident Lighting Designer
David Grill, Resident Lighting Designer
David Grill has designed lighting for Theater, Dance, Opera, Television, Architectural Projects, and Industrials taking him from the Great Wall of China to the Great Stage of Radio City Music Hall. Mr. Grill received a Primetime Emmy Award for Best Lighting Direction for the Opening Ceremony Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games. He recently lit Cinderellabration at the Walt Disney World Resort Magic Kingdom Park. Dance credits include works for the Milwaukee Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Ballet Met, Ballet Austin, Ballet NY, Northern Ballet Theatre, Cincinnati Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Dayton Ballet, ABT 2, Dances Patrelle (Resident Designer), Numerous Choreographers and the Purchase College Conservatory of Dance. Mr. Grill also lit the National Tour of Sweet Charity, served as the Associate Lighting Designer for the Tony, Dora and Oliver Award Winning Musical The Who's Tommy, and provided Lighting Direction for The Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. Television Credits include the Last Comic Standing II New York, Paralympic Winter Games 2002 Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the Republican Nation Convention (Associate Designer), Larry King Live, and The Women's Sports Awards. He has also provided Lighting Direction for CNN's Atlanta Studio, the National Memorial Day and July 4th Concerts and the Superbowl XL — XXXII — XXXIII — XXXV Half-time Shows. Architectural projects include the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Museum, Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Cauldron Park and the Florida Museum of Natural History's Hall of Florida Fossils. His extensive Corporate Theater credits include Estee Lauder, Pfizer, Georgetown University, Avon, ITT, Mass Mutual, Dow Jones, and Verizon. Mr. Grill has been featured in numerous publications including Lighting Dimensions and TCI and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Purchase College, State University of New York.
Rita B. Watson, Resident Costume Designer
Rita B. Watson, Resident Costume Designer
Rita B. Watson has designed costumes for over 40 years. For the Albany Berkshire Ballet she has designed ten full-length ballets, and many concert pieces. Ms. Watson has also designed for Juilliard Dance Ensemble, Manhattan Ballet, and Joffery II dancers. Design credits for the theatre include Brunswick Music Theatre, Williams College Theatre and The Williamstown Theatre Festival, where she designed costumes for 27 years. She owned her own atelier creating custom clothing, Rita's Custom Fashions in Williamstown, MA. for 20 years. She has since retired from that, and is now Rita's Special Occasion Flowers, designing flowers and decor for parties and weddings. Ms. Watson has designed costumes for nearly 40 ballets by Francis Patrelle, including Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Rhapsody in Blue, The Firebird and two new ballets featuring Cynthia Gregory, Clara, and Fuoco a Fiama. She recently designed the costumes for the full-length production of POP and St. Louis Ballet's Swan Lake, choreographed by Francis Patrelle. Ms. Watson has two children and one granddaughter.
