Stephen Sakowski
Associate Professor of Lighting and Sound Design
Stephen Sakowski received his M.F.A. in Theatre, Lighting Design from The University of California, San Diego, and his B.F.A. in Theatre Design & Technology from Otterbein University. He is a member of United Scenic Artists Local 829.
Stephen joined the faculty at The University of Toledo’s Department of Theatre and Film in 2015. At UToledo, he teaches courses in Lighting Design, Sound Design, Fundamentals of Design and Theatre Technology. In addition to serving as the Production & Design Coordinator he regularly designs lighting and sound for UToledo’s Department of Theatre & Film.
Stephen is an award winning freelance lighting designer for stage, film and television. His work is regularly seen on TV, where he has served as a lighting director for Global Citizens Live, the NCAA Final Four Concert, the NBA’s special events such as the NBA All Star Game Halftime Performances, NBA2K League, the NBA Draft Lottery, and The NBA Draft. Theatrically Stephen has designed nationally and regionally at professional theatre companies and he has been recognized three times with Kennedy Center Certificates of Merit for his lighting designs at UToledo and in 2020 received the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Lighting Design (Chicago’s top theatre prize) for the world premiere of All Quiet on the Western Front.