Photo Credit: Ron Colbroth

Although our hearts are heavy, we celebrate the life of Paul Marantz — a man whose light, both literal and metaphorical, brightened every corner it touched. From the moment he first flicked a switch in a marionette workshop at age ten, Paul’s boundless curiosity and playful spirit set him on a path to transform how we experience the world around us. By eleven, he had already fashioned a miniature theater with working lights and dimmers; in his teens, he brought modern dance recitals to life with his talent for illumination. At Oberlin College, and later through graduate work at Case Western Reserve University and Brooklyn College, he honed his craft, always driven by wonder and a desire to evoke emotion through light.

We often like to reflect on the past 12 months of achievements, innovations, and the state of design for cultural and performing arts venues. These insights reflect the changing needs and preferences of the artists, audiences, venue managers and operators, as well as the observations of those of us in the industry tasked with conceiving and developing these beautiful spaces.