Thomas R. Skelton
Thomas R. Skelton (September 24, 1927– August 9, 1994) was a lighting designer. In a career spanning more than four decades, he was best known for his lighting designs for ballet and Broadway theatre productions.
Biography
Born in North Bridgeton, Maine, Skelton graduated from Middlebury College, Theatre Department. He pursued an interest in modern dance after moving to New York, studying dance with Martha Graham and José Limón. His lighting career started as an apprentice to Jean Rosenthal at the American Dance Festival. He worked for Robert Joffrey's new dance company as a lighting designer and stage manager.
By the 1950s he was published regularly in Dance Magazine with his lighting methods. He taught at both Yale University and New York Studio and Forum of Stage Design.
Most of his work was within the world of dance, particularly ballet. He designed lighting for, among others, the American Ballet Theatre, The Joffrey Ballet, the New York City Ballet and the Ohio Ballet, for which he was Associate Director. His method was published as 'The Handbook for Dance Stagecraft' between October 1955 and December 1956 in Dance Magazine.