Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Karin innovates with light and shadow to help each production tell its unique story. Karin brings plenty of her own ideas to the design table while relishing the opportunity to collaborate with a director's vision and other design elements. She's well-versed in the latest entertainment technology while being firmly grounded in the basics. While her specialties are dance and rock and roll musical theater, her experience includes intimate dramas (Circle Mirror Transformation at the Guthrie's Dowling Studio) to full-scale dramatic works (Kung Fu Zombies with Mu Performing Arts). Karin is available for work in and outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul areas. Her designs have appeared on stages in New York (Joyce Theater, Syracuse Stage), Mexico City (Centro Cultural Roberto Cantoral), Oregon (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Rhode Island (Trinity Rep), Ohio (Cleveland Playhouse), and San Francisco (ODC Dance Commons). Full design resume available at http://karinolsonlighting.com
Regional Theater Guthrie Theater - Minneapolis, Oregon Shakespeare Festival - Ashland, Alliance Theater - Atlanta, Cleaveland Playhouse, Trinity Rep, Syracuse Stage, North Carolina Black Rep Minneapolis Theater Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Children's Theater Company, Stages Theatre Company, Mu Performing Arts, Artistry / Bloomington Civic Theater, Frank Theater, Mixed Blood Theatre, Walking Shadow Theatre Company, SteppingStone Theatre, Workhaus Collective, Pangea World Theater, Teatro del Pueblo, Interact Theater, Illusion Theater, Combustible Company Dance BrkFst Dance, Alternative Motion Project, Collide Theatricals, Twin Cities Ballet, Hatch Dance, HoneyWorks Dance, Alexandra Bodnarchuk Dance Project, Stuart Pimsler Dance & Theater, TU Dance, The Karen L Charles Threads Dance Project, rosy simas danse Musical/Opera Minnesota Opera, Skylark Opera, Mu Daiko, Alive & Kickin', Minneapolis Musical Theatre, Taiko Arts Midwest for Educational Institutions St. Olaf, Simpson College - Iowa, Macalester, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Augsburg College, Benilde-St. Margaret's School, Apple Valley High School, Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists Touring Lighting Designer/Production Manager/Stage Manager BrkFst Dance, Stuart Pimsler Dance & Theater, TU Dance, casebolt and smith, The Karen L Charles Threads Dance Project, Hatch Dance
How to Cultivate Your REM Sleep - Hatch Dance - Southern Theater March 2026. Words by Jon Fergussen, Choreography by Helen Hatch Magic Girl - Emily Michaels King - Red Eye Theater - Oct 2025 Only the Perverse Fantasy Can Save Us - Arena Dances - Walker Art Center McGuire Theater - June 2025. Choreo by Mathew Janczewski The Show - E/D - Red Eye Theater - April 2025. by Emily Michaels King and Debra Berger Impressions - Threads Dance - Luminary Arts Center - Nov 2024. choero by Karen Charles StormClutter - BrkFst Dance - Walker Arts Center McGuire Theater - June 2024. Choreo by MonaLisa Berman, MN Joe, and the BrkFst company Merge - Mathew Janczewski and Taja Will - Cowles Center for Dance - March 2024 Let America Be America - Threads Dance - Threads Dance Project - Southern Theater - Nov 2023. Choreo by Karen Charles. We Are Cosmic - Alternative Motion Project - Southern Theater - Nov 2023. Choreo by Joanna Lees Give Ear - HoneyWorks - Southern Theater - June 2023. conceived by Berit Ahlgren and Nathan Keepers Hatch Dance - Paradise - Southern Theater Feb 2023. Words by Jon Fergussen, Choreography by Helen Hatch
UPCOMING: A Chorus Line. directed by Steven DiMenna, Choreo by Eddie Gutierez, Scenic Design by Ben Olsen. April 2026 UPCOMING: The Butler Did It by Jeffrey Hatcher, directed by David Goldstein, Scenic design: Ben Olson. July 2026 Goosebumps, the Musical by Danny Abosch and John McClay. directed by Ellen Fenster Nov 2025 The Revolutionist - co-production with PRIME Productions - directed by Shilli Place - March 2023 The Humans - directed by Lily Tung Crystal - Sept 2022 Atacama - presented by Full Circle Theater - directed by Lara Trujillo Pride and Prejudice- directed by Lisa Channer November 2019 Aubergine- directed by Flordelino Lagundino in the Andy Boss thrust September 2019 The Picture of Dorian Gray- presented by Collide Theatricals. Directed by Regina Peluso and Michael Hanna March 2019 Korean Drama Addict's Guide to Losing Your Virginity- presented by Mu Performing Arts in the Andy Boss thrust. Directed by Randy Rayes August 2018 Tot- presented by Mu Performing Arts in the Andy Boss Theater. Directed by Randy Reyes June 2016 A Little Night Music- presented by Mu Performing Arts directed by Rick Shiomi July 2014 Into the Woods- presented by Mu Performing Arts directed by Rick Shiomi July 2012 Well- directed by Michael Bigelow Dixon Jan 2008
NOW ONSTAGE: Hungry Like The Wolf by Sandra Suthers, directed by Laura Leffler. now - April 12, 2026 I Am Betty. Music and Lyrics by Denise Prosek. Book and additional Lyrics by Cristina Luzárraga. Directed by Miaja Garcia. Nov/Dec 2024 and 2023 Behind the Sun by Stanley Kipper and Laura Drake. Direction by Richard Thompson. Sept 2024 Handprints by Greta Oglsby. directed by Rick Thompson Jan 2024 The Defeat of Jesse James by Jeffrey Hatcher and Chan Poling. directed by Rick Thompson. May 2023 RuneStone! directed by Tyler Michaels King - May 2022 River Road Boogie by Joe Minjares - directed by Raul Ramos - April 2015 Debutante's Ball by Eric “Pogi” Sumangil - directed by Randy Reyes - March 2015 Sweet 15- presented by Mixed Blood directed by Mark Valdez - March 2009
UPCOMING: Wizard of Oz, the Ballet. choreo by Denise and Rick Vogt. 2027 Romeo and Juliet, the Ballet - set to the music of Queen (Dragon Attack), Fitzgerald Theatre, Mar 2025 and Feb 2026 Lise Holton's Carmina Burana, set on Twin Cities Ballet dancers, at the Fitzgerald Theatre, Nov 2025 Beauty and the Beast presented at Ames Center in May 2025. A Minnesota Nutcracker, presented at Northrop Stage. Dec 2024-2025 Frankenstein and other Spooky Tales (featuring James Sewell's Grave Matters) at the Fitzgerald Nov 2024 Coppelia. Ames Center May 2024 A Minnesota Nutcracker- presented at Ames Center 2011-2025 Cinderella 1944- presented at Ames Center May 2023/2016/2013 and Cowles Center for Dance and Performing Arts Mar 2016 Dracula; the ballet - presented at Ames Center October 2021 Pink Floyd's The Wall; the ballet- presented at the Cowles Center for Dance March 2018, at Ames Center January 2019, and at the Fitzgerald Theatre March 2023 Ruby Slippers - filmed for streaming at Ames Center May 2020 Essence (Red, Firebird, Frankenstein, Classicana)- presented at the Cowles Center for Dance February 2019. Classical Connections (Frankenstein, Classicana, Rodeo, Flames of Paris)- presented at Cowles Center for Dance and Performing Arts Mar 2017 Wizard of Oz (ballet)- presented at Ames Center May 2012/2011
UPCOMING: In the Heights, directed by Maija Garcia, July 2026 UPCOMING: Billy Elliot, directed by Kelly Foster Warder. Jan 2027 Once On This Island by Lynn Ahrens (book/lyrics) and Stephen Flaherty (music). Directed by Kelly Foster Warder. Scenic Design by Eli Sherlock. Sept 2025 Waitress. Music and Lyrics by Sara Bareilles. Book by Jessie Nelson. Directed by Amanda White. April 2025 Rent by Jonathon Larson directed by Kelli Foster Warder Oct 2024 Tick Tick Boom by Jonathan Larson directed by Kelli Foster Warder at Theatre L'Homme Dieu July 2024 The Sound of Music directed by Max Wojtanowicz. April 2024 Songs for a New World. Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown. Directed by Vanessa Brooke Agnes, Colleen Somerville, and Max Wojtanowicz. Sept 2021 A New Brain. Music and Lyrics by William Finn. Book by William Finn and James Lapine. directed by Ben McGovern. Oct 2019 Our Town by Thornton Wilder. directed by Ben McGovern Sept 2019 Footloose directed by Ben McGovern July 2019 Awake and Sing by Clifford Odets directed by Ben McGovern Sept 2018 Legally Blonde. Book by Heather Hach. Music and Lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin. Directed by Angie Timberman. July 2018 Proof by David Auburn directed by Alan Sorenson Sept 2013 On the Town by Leonard Bernstein directed by Wendy Lehr April 2013 Love is Alive... and Kickin'. with Alive and Kickin' directed and choreographed by Michael Matthew Ferrell. Mar 2013 Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley directed by Wendy Lehr May 2012 Inspecting Carol. directed by Karen Weber Dec 2011 Brighton Beach Memoirs. Black Box. Sept 2011 Fiorello. directed by John Command. Oct 2008