Robert Sondergaard is a Vancouver-based lighting and set designer whose work spans theatre, dance, opera, television and large-scale live events. Over a career of more than three decades, he has designed work ranging from intimate contemporary dance to large musical productions and international televised ceremonies.
Robert began his career as a Production Assistant with Ballet BC, where he developed a lasting connection to dance. He later served as the company’s Lighting Director, remounting productions and touring throughout Canada and internationally. His dance credits include collaborations with Ballet BC, Kidd Pivot, Radical System Art, Company 605, MovEnt, Nederlands Dans Theater, the Royal Swedish Ballet and other contemporary dance companies. He has worked with choreographers including Crystal Pite, Aszure Barton, Shay Kuebler, Donald Sales, Dana Gingras, Peter Chu, Lisa Gelley and Josh Martin. His lighting design for Crystal Pite’s A Picture of You Falling was shortlisted for a Knight of Illumination Award.
Musical theatre has been another central part of Robert’s practice, bringing together his interests in performance, music and visual storytelling. His credits include work for Arts Club Theatre Company, Canadian Stage, Western Canada Theatre, Thousand Islands Playhouse, Theatre Under the Stars, Royal City Musical Theatre, Rain City Theatre, Théâtre la Seizième and Align Entertainment. Recent productions include Shrek The Musical, 9 to 5 The Musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Legally Blonde, Ring of Fire and Jesus Christ Superstar. His work has also toured North America, including We Will Rock You for Annerin Productions.
Robert has received three OVATION! Awards for Outstanding Lighting Design, for Rent, Jesus Christ Superstar and American Idiot, as well as numerous additional OVATION! and Jessie Richardson Theatre Award nominations. He also collaborated with internationally renowned visual artist Stan Douglas on Helen Lawrence, the Arts Club Theatre Company/Canadian Stage production that integrated live theatre and film. Robert toured with the production throughout Canada, Scotland, Germany, Belgium and the United States.
Beyond the stage, Robert works as a production designer for televised sporting events, ceremonies and major live productions. His credits include Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games; the Invictus Games; Canada Winter Games; Canada Summer Games; the North American Indigenous Games; and Grey Cup Halftime Shows for the CFL.