KEN YUNKER 
Lighting Designer
member United Scenic Artists #829

Ken Yunker is the resident lighting designer for the Sarasota Opera Association (15 years). In addition, he served as a principal designer for the Tony Award winning Alliance Theatre Company in Atlanta (2004 to 2018) which included designs for 10 world premiers. Previous to Sarasota, Mr. Yunker served as resident lighting designer for The Atlanta Opera for 25 years and 54 productions.
  
Mr. Yunker’s career began as an assistant lighting designer to Duane Schuler at Lyric Opera of Chicago for 18 productions. He also served as interim technical director for Lyric, adapting European productions to fit the Lyric stage. 35 years later, Ken’s career has encompassed more than 600 designed productions, 82 of which are for the Sarasota Opera, the only American opera company to perform every note ever written by Verdi.

Mr. Yunker’s lighting credits span 15 states and two other countries, including work with Florida Grand Opera, Bermuda Arts Festival, Fios Americas Brazil, Utah Symphony and Opera, Tulsa Opera, Fort Worth Opera, San Antonio Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Arizona Opera, Nevada Opera Theatre, Mobile Opera, and North Carolina Opera to name a few. A long-time resident of Atlanta until 2018, he designed regularly for Georgia Shakespeare, The Black Arts Festival, Theatre in the Square, Kenny Leon’s True Colors, Theatrical Outfit, Georgia Ensemble, Atlanta Lyric, Ballethnic Dance Company and Rotaru Ballet. 
​
University design and master class affiliations include Brenau University, Georgia State University, Clayton State University, Emory University, Florida State University and Cleveland Institute of Music. 

Atlanta regional awards include the Suzie Bass award for The Geller Girls, Avenue X and Pancakes, Pancakes! with nominations for August: Osage County, Into The Woods, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Troubadour, Rejoice and The Persians. At Theatre in the Square Mr. Yunker earned seven Jenny Awards, all for Best Lighting.  In 2002 he was nominated for Artist of the Year at The Atlanta Abbey Awards and was featured in Creative Loafing’s Best of Atlanta.


4/20