Jason Amato (Lighting Designer)

began his career in theatre 33 years ago, running followspot for Austin's Zilker Summer Musical. Since then, he has designed over 600 regional and university theatre shows. Jason loves visual dramaturgy, sparking new conversations and collaborations with artists and audiences to make a brighter more engaged future.  

In 2013, Jason designed Austin Shakespeare’s Anthem, Off-Broadway at the Baryshnikov Arts Center, NYC. In addition to being the resident designer for 14 years at ZACH Theatre in Austin Tx., he is proud to be the resident lighting designer for Virginia Musical Theatre since 2017. He has toured internationally, designing dance at Jacob’s Pillow, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, the Smithsonian and the National Theatre in Taipei, Taiwan.

Jason has received numerous regional awards for his designs. Recently, the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region IV recognized him for both lighting and set design for Norfolk State University’s production of Thoughts of a Colored Man. The Kennedy Center also recognized Jason’s lighting in 2012 for Eurydice at Simpson College, Iowa. In 2019, BroadwayWorld Central Virginia awarded him Best Lighting Design for VMT’s La Cage Aux Folles. Jason also received 40 awards from Austin’s B. Iden Payne committee and the Austin Critics Table.  In The Austin Chronicle’s "Best of Austin," he received “Best Lighting Design on a Shoe String” in 1995. In 2002 he was honored with “Best Dazzler” in The Austin Chronicle’s Critics’ poll.  In 2008, Jason received the lifetime achievement "Outstanding Contribution to Austin Theater" award from Austin Circle of Theaters.