Goodman Lighting Designer Michael Philippi Dies Suddenly; First Preview of High Holidays Canceled

By Robert Simonson
October 27, 2009

Longtime Goodman Theatre lighting designer Michael Philippi collapsed and died today on his way to technical rehearsal at the theatre, a spokesperson for the company announced.

Mr. Philippi was currently working on High Holidays by Alan Gross.

Due to the death, the Goodman has canceled its first preview performance of the play, which is Oct. 31. The theatre is in the process of contacting ticketholders to that performance. The Goodman’s Resident Lighting Designer, Robert Christen, will assume work on High Holidays.

Mr. Philippi's many credits at the Goodman include Desire Under the Elms, Death of a Salesman, The Speed of Darkness, King Lear, Finishing the Picture, A Life in the Theatre, Heartbreak House, Blue Surge, Boy Gets Girl, Somebody Else’s House, On the Open Road and Pal Joey. The first three traveled to Broadway; Desire was on Broadway this past spring.

Of his work on Death of a Salesman, the New York Times wrote, "Michael Philippi's lighting floods the stage with a darkness that is always threatening to consume, the image of the tidal pull of depression itself."

Mr. Philippi's collaboration with Goodman artistic director Robert Falls can be traced back to Falls' days at the Chicago company Wisdom Bridge Theatre, where he worked with Falls, Steven Robman and Brian Dennehy on Rat in the Skull.

Other Chicago credits include designs for Northlight Theatre, St. Nicholas Theatre Company, Court Theatre, Remains Ensemble and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Mr. Philippi’s regional credits include the new Guthrie Theater’s inaugural production of The Great Gatsby and designs for Alliance Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Mark Taper Forum and Arena Stage. His New York credits include Boy Gets Girl at Manhattan Theatre Club, Blue Surge at the Public Theater and Frank’s Home and Breath, Boom at Playwrights Horizons.

He received Jeff Awards for Terra Nova and In the Belly of the Beast, both at Wisdom Bridge Theatre, and Hollywood Drama-Logue Awards for Kabuki Medea at Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Changes of Heart at Mark Taper Forum.