Joseph Napolitano is a theatrical designer and creative director for the stage, screen, and built environment. Based in New York City, his extensive portfolio spans live performance, experience design, and education. His collaborators range from regional artists to global organizations like Google and Netflix. Outside of his work in the live theater industry, he has served as a creative director for multimillion-dollar entertainment, exhibit, thematic, corporate and architectural projects. As a scenic and costume designer, he maintains a practice of symbiotic academic and professional work. He teaches design as full time faculty, and is engaged in the research of sustainable design methodology. 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.
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