Joseph Napolitano is a multidisciplinary designer and educator for the theatrical and built environment. Based in New York City, he collaborates with a variety of artists, big five tech organizations, and renowned architectural firms. His diverse work spans urban and experience design projects, large-scale public art, and production design for stage and television. Joseph is committed to merging theatre and architecture while exploring dynamic relationships between people and space. He has served as the creative director for multimillion-dollar exhibit, commercial, academic, thematic, and brand activation development. His work with the Broadway League & ad hoc committee the Broadway Green Alliance spans multiple initiatives including the Bway Bike Program in Time Square, creative reuse/recycling programming on Broadway, and sustainable approaches to physical production in the theatre. He teaches design as full time faculty, and is engaged in the research and practice of sustainable design methodology and creative-placemaking.
PRESS:
"Joseph Napolitano’s elegant set augments the remaining look and feel of the production, providing an expensively produced “feel” to the play. Kudos."
- JK Clarke, Theatre Pizzaz (The Rape of Lucrece)
"Joseph Napolitano’s set provides a sense of dread to capture the imagination. The wall pieces—blue-grey, crumbling gothic, suggesting a historic city going to rot—hang from the ceiling. They are rearranged for each of the plays and provide a single aesthetic for all three."
- Julius Ferraro, Phindie (You Know My Name)
"Joseph Napolitano’s set design works well. The overall “feel” of the production works, making the technical aspects seem non-existent, like they should. We are never directly aware of these elements, which means that their job was done with skill. Every good piece of theater requires masterful production values that don’t draw too much attention to themselves, but let the actors shine. We know they’re present, but only when we consciously think about it."
- Nicholas Linnehan, Theater That Matters (Manuscript)
UPDATES:
How we divert materials from landfills onstage
Broadway Up-cycled By Joseph Napolitano
5 Ways Broadway Goes Green, That You Can Too By Joseph Napolitano
Featured in Summer 2017 Green Sheet
5 Ways Broadway Goes Green for Earth Day 2017 on Bway Zone By Joseph Napolitano
AFFILIATIONS:
Broadway Green Alliance
NRDC - Natural Resources Defense Council
United States Institute for Theatre Technology
AWARDS:
Peoples Choice Award - ASLA, April 2017
Design Award - ASLA, June 2017
Excellence in Planning for an Existing Campus - SCUP, May 2015