School Notes: David Geffen School of Drama
January/February 2025

Tony-winning lighting designer joins faculty

Two-time Tony Award–winning lighting designer Donald Holder ’86MFA will join the faculty of David Geffen School of Drama at Yale as professor in the practice and will serve as head of the lighting design concentration at the Geffen School and lighting design advisor at Yale Repertory Theatre, effective July 1. 

James Bundy ’95MFA, Elizabeth Parker Ware Dean of the Geffen School and artistic director of Yale Repertory Theatre, said, “We are fortunate to have such a distinguished practicing artist joining our faculty, as he combines imaginative and technical prowess with a profound commitment to preparing new generations of practitioners for a lifetime of work in the field.”

A global leader in his field, Don Holder numbers among his credits more than 60 Broadway productions, as well as hundreds of others at every major American regional theater, eminent international venues, and opera companies including Metropolitan Opera, English National Opera, Dutch National Opera, Kirov Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Chicago Lyric, and the Berlin Staatsoper.

Prior to his full-time appointment, Donald Holder will join the admissions committee for the lighting design concentration. In his new roles, he succeeds Stephen Strawbridge ’83MFA, who will begin his phased retirement on July 1 and will continue teaching half time through June 30, 2027.