Joe Vanek

Awards

2001 - Irish Times Theatre Award Winner of Best Costume for the opera The Silver Tassie (Mark Anthony Turnage).

Nominations

2012- Irish Times Theatre Awards Nominate for Best Set Design for Orfeo (Monteverdi)

2005 - Irish Times Theatre Awards Nominate for Best Set Design for The Goat (Edward Albee)

1991- 2 TONY nominations (Set and Costume) for Dancing at Lughnasa

1991 — Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Set Designer for Dancing at Lughnasa.

Design Positions Held

2006 - 2008 Design Associate for Wexford Festival Opera

1994 - 1997 Director of Design at the Abbey Theatre Dublin

1980 - 1984 Head of Design at Watford Palace Theatre


Joe Vanek is an international designer for theatre, opera and dance. In 2015 Gandon Editions published his book Irish Theatrescapes.


Aida - Irish National Opera
Joe Vanek’s stylised set and contemporary costumes, the TV-like video effects of Aaron Kelly and, particularly, the incisive and haunting lighting by Paul Keogan work exceptionally well together, providing a meaningful background for the story but not overshadowing it.
— ★★★★★ - Bachtrack
The designer Joe Vanek has been responsible for many of the most acclaimed set designs in Irish theatre for nearly 30 years, visualising the work of revered authors such as Brian Friel, Thomas Kilroy and Frank McGuinness. Much of his work has become almost the stuff of legend, such as the now iconic wheat field in the award-winning Dancing at Lughnasa.
— The Irish Independent

Gallery


2018

Production

Company

I/Thou Cork Opera House, Liz Roche Company
Aida Irish National Opera, Dir. Michael Barker-Caven

2017

Production

Company

12 Minute Dances Cork Opera House, Liz Roche Company

2016

Production

Company

A Moon for the Misbegotten Theatre Royal Waterford, Lyric Belfast & Geva Theatre Rochester (New York), Dir. Ben Barnes
La bohème Opera Theatre Company Dublin & tour, Cond. Andrew Greenwood, Dir. Ben Barnes

2015

Production

Company

Maria de Buenos Aries Cork Opera House, Musical Dir. John O'Brien, Dir. Conor Hanratty
Grounded The Project Arts Centre (Dublin), Dir. Selina Cartmell

2014

Production

Company

Interloper Town Hall Theatre (Galway) & (Beckett Theatre), Liz Roche Company
The Rape of Lucretia Opera Collective Ireland - National Opera House Wexford & tour, Dir. Michael Barker-Caven
The Mariner Gate Theatre. Dublin Theatre Festival, Dir. Patrick Mason