UK - At the Annual Lighting Lunch held on Monday 16 December, the Association for Lighting Production and Design (the ALPD) awarded four new fellowships to Peter Hunter, Steve Huttly, Nick Peel and Alan Luxford.
Introducing the new fellows, chair of the ALPD, Johanna Town, said: “This year our ALPD fellowships go to four very dedicated lighting individuals, who have spent a lifetime’s career in our amazing industry.”
Peter Hunter: After training at LAMDA Hunter spent a season at Chichester, before moving to the Redgrave Theatre, Farnham, where he rose to become chief electrician. In 1980 he moved to Salisbury Playhouse as lighting designer and chief electrician. Now retired, he continues to be generous with his time, knowledge and support of the next generation.
Steve Huttly: Huttly started his career in lighting whilst studying History and Politics at the University of Kent. His first post as a chief electrician/lighting designer was at Basingstoke, followed by the Nuffield Theatre Southampton and then Greenwich Theatre, where he was fortunate to work with some of the world's best lighting designers.
Huttly moved to Guildhall School of Music & Drama as a teacher and lighting HOD, where he encouraged many a student who didn’t even know that lighting was a thing. Huttly was also responsible for the complete overhaul of the main theatre electrical installation and the introduction of a moving light rig. He worked on over 70 of the school’s productions. Now in retirement Huttly continues to teach and is a very active member of the ALPD, as co-chair of the ALPD awards scheme developing and encouraging the recognition of designers and production staff at all stages of their careers.
Nick Peel: Peel found his love of theatre in the Drama studios of Sheffield University before moving to the West End and the Phoenix Theatre. Moving on to the Peacock Theatre and The Rocky Horror Show, Peel eventually settled at the Pit Theatre with the RSC for nine years. Peel eventually joined Huttly at the Guildhall, where they became a powerhouse duo who have taught and mentored many of the leading lighting designers of today.
Alan Luxford: Luxford caught the bug for stage lighting at the age of 12 when the drama teacher invited Maggie Smith and Robert Stephens to perform on the school stage. It was Luxford who helped to light it alongside the technicians from the NT, leading to him asking the question, “How do I get a job in stage lighting?” and was recommended to write to Strand Electric and Engineering Company.
Joining Strand as a young trainee Luxford helped looked after the showroom in Covent Garden, where many of the early ALD & ABTT meetings were held. One evening watching a lecture by Francis Reid it was suggested he join, and member 43 was created.
In 1973 Luxford became a UK representative for the company and in 1978 was promoted to export sales manager, and was allocated Eastern Europe and Russia, as well as Australia and New Zealand. He was the assistant lighting director for the BBC recording of five operas and ballets at the Bolshoi Theatre in 1987, but it took until 1994 to sell them a Galaxy Nova control.
In 2006 with Genlyte now having taken over the US part of Strand and the UK arm closed, Luxford moved to a Strand European dealer. Then later, when Genlyte opened a new company – Strand Lighting Europe – in the UK, Luxford became its general manager. In 2008 Philips took over and Luxford was no longer with the Strand brand until 2010, when he was asked to work again as the Eastern European and Russia dealers, completing, it seems, a full circle.
