Meet Ziggy Bornas

We recently connected with Ziggy Bornas and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Ziggy with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

I believe my work ethic comes from my love of storytelling and the power it has. Not everyone has a reality that they enjoy, and the fact that people can come to watch theater brings them into a world for 90 minutes a night is magical. I believe that everyone should have access to theater, and as a designer, I try to draw the audience in. Make them part of the story. There is something so special about that, and that’s why I work so hard because I know that at least someone will watch the show and feel the wonder and joy I feel when I create it. Putting in that extra time is always worth it, and it’s not about the title or the credit, it is about what people will feel while they watch it, the joy they experience, and the world they are pulled into.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am a Lighting Designer based in NYC. I study Technical Theater at LaGuardia HS. And have done many shows at school and professionally.
I currently work as the lighting designer at NGT, and have done multiple shows there. The first production was “Next To Normal”, It was followed by “Violet”, which I won a Broadway world award for: “Best Lighting Design Of A Musical”. In June of this year I designed Fun Home. And we are starting production of “Sunday in the Park with George”, opening July of 2025.
Outside of NGT, I designed “Death of a Driver” which performed at the Chain Theater, and “The Options Game” which is opened this September.
Lighting Design is such an important part of theatre. Working with a team of people to create these realities for audiences to fall into is super special. And It is something that I really enjoy doing.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Overall, the most important thing is the love for design and storytelling. If you don’t love what you do, you won’t do your best work. I have grown to love everything about lighting and how it makes me and other people feel.
Another important thing is teamwork. You won’t succeed in the theater if you aren’t willing to work with people. You need to have a very specific personality to be able to work with the same people for 12 hours every day. And learning how to work with people is a very important skill regardless of where you work.
Finally, you need to be able to problem-solve. If you can’t look at a situation and find many different solutions, then working in high-pressure situations isn’t for you. The number of split-second decisions that are made in short periods of time is pretty crazy.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I am always open to working with new people. Creatives, directors, producers, or anyone who wants a designer. Being open to new ideas, and bold choices is very important. I specialize in theater lighting design, but I love doing anything creative. You can reach out to me at [email protected] for inquiries.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Ziggybornas.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zig.zag.nyc/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziggy-bornas-619284296/
• Other: https://www.nxtgenerationtheatrics.com/

Image Credits

Ava Tucker, Ziggy Bornas