Mark Howett is a director who began his career as a lighting technician at the National Theatre in Perth. He studied Theatre Design (specializing in Lighting) at the School of Drama at Yale University.
His first significant professional design was for Jim Sharman's Opera Australia production of The Rake’s Progress. Mr Howett has since worked as a lighting designer, vision designer and director for international productions in theatre, film, dance and opera. He worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber, Geoffrey Rush, Cate Blanchett, Rufus Norris, Gale Edwards, Neil Armfield and Francesca Zambello. Many of his works are, or have, toured internationally. This includes Evita, Cabaret, Blood Brothers, Cloudstreet, No Sugar, Up the Road and As You Like It (stage), Norma (Opera Australia), Rites and Amalgamate (Australian Ballet & Bangarra Dance Theatre). Many works have been broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Commission, and many of his designs have illuminated New York, the West End and Europe.
A Noongar man who grew up in Busselton, Mr Howett is also a multi-Greenroom and Helpmann Award winner. He was the lighting designer for Helpmann award nominated Boorna Waanginy the Trees Speak, the immersive walk-through Kings Park for the 2016 and 2019 Perth Festivals. He also created the lighting for Noongar Wonderland, the multisensory sound and light experience that closed the 2022 Perth Festival, and is a founding member of Bangarra Dance Company.
