Dr. Joel E. Rubin was the co-founder and a Past President of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) and Founding Chair and Chair Emeritus of its International Committee. He was one of the seven founding members of the International Organization of Scenographers, Theatre Architects, and Theatre Technicians (OISTAT), the UNESCO-related international organization with national centers in 35 countries; and served for eight years as President of that organization. Born on September 5, 1928 in Cleveland, Ohio, He passed away on March 27, 2024, at the age of 95.
Pat MacKay, founder of LDI, notes: "There's no way to truly capture Dr. Joel's impact on our theatrical industry, his passion for all things International, his mentorship of generations of professionals and students. The USITT and OISTAT would not be who and what it is today without Joel. Lighting equipment manufacturing and theatre consulting are what they are because of Joel."
Awards and honors include the Annual USITT Founders Award given in his name; member of the College of Fellows of the American Theatre; Fellow, American Educational Theatre Association; Fellow and Lifetime Honorary Member of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology; Gold Pin Recipient of OISTAT; International Jury of the Prague Quadrennial of Scenic and Costume Design and Theatre Architecture; Joel was the Co-Producer of the United States Exhibitions for the Prague Quadrennial in 1987 and again in 1991, leading the United States to the grand prize, the Zlatou Triga, on the first occasion and the Gold Medal in 1991. Joel received the Wally Russell Award for lifetime achievement in theatre lighting in 2010. His biographical profile is in Who's Who in America.
Related story: USITT: Throwback: Joel E. Rubin On Lighting
Raised in Cleveland Ohio where he was a young and active recruit at the Cain Park Theatre. He studied at Case-Western Reserve. Went on to Yale School of Drama where he studied under Stanley McCandless and along side his future co-author Lee Watson. Joel then went on to Stanford for his PhD.
Rubin co-authored — with Lee Watson — Theatrical Lighting Practice, which inter-relates training for lighting design, the profession of theatrical lighting, and chapters on current practices in lighting for various performance types.
His doctoral dissertation, "The Technical Development of Electric Stage Lighting Apparatus in the American Theatre," is considered a standard reference. Over the years he has authored several score articles appearing in a wide range of publications here in the United States and in foreign journals in over twenty countries.
A move to New York begins his storied and impactful two decades as executive vice-president of Kliegl Bros. Lighting and another as principal consultant and managing director of Artec Consultants.
Rubin's work at Kliegl Lighting brought him the opportunity to work with a worldwide array of lighting designers and consultants, both supplying equipment and producing innovative new designs. "It was a rare opportunity," Rubin said, "to learn from working one on one", rattling off a list that among others included in the lighting field — Jean Rosenthal, Abe Feder, Peggy Clark, Charles Elson, Gil Weschler, Gil Helmsley, Tharon Musser, John Gleason, Jo Mielziner, Ed Kook, Rudi Kuntner, Ron Bates, Pat MacKay, Cash Crouch, Martin Aronstein, Tom Skelton, Richard Pilbrow, Claude Engel, Leslie Wheel, Hans Sondheimer, Ken Palius, lmero Fiorentino, Bill Klages, and Sal Bonsignore.
Kliegl provided most of the theatrical and architectural lighting systems in the building of Lincoln Center and the Los Angeles Music Center, and Rubin directed a large share of Kliegl's work on those projects, including developing over 100 different fixture types, the first large-scale use of the then new tungsten-halogen lamps in the public areas and audience chamber of the Metropolitan Opera House. Joel's work at Kliegl also included his management role over the development of SCR dimmers, a complete line of tungsten-halogen fixtures for theatre, and another complete line for television, high-density dimmer racks and lighting control memory systems.
At Artec Consultants, Rubin's role included both project management and responsibility for the design of the production lighting systems on such major projects as The Bartok National Concert Hall in Budapest; The Accolade Project Theatres at York University; the Skirball Center at New York University; the Frederick P. Rose Hall and the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center; the Sibelius Concert Hall in Finland; the Fox Cities, Four Rivers Performing Arts Centers and the Segerstrom Concert Hall in the United States; Sala Sao Paulo in Brazil and Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto.
He then founded Joel E. Rubin and Associates. There, he brought extensive specialist knowledge to this work including architectural and theatrical lighting and lighting control as well as the design of the production lighting systems for new theatres and concert hall facilities in Iceland, Denmark, Poland, Singapore, Canada, Israel, Hong Kong, and the United States.
Joel is survived by his wife of 70 years Lucille S. Rubin, children Brian, Jennifer and Rebecca, and grandchildren Cadence, Rachel, Julia, and Brian Jr.
The family suggests that Contributions in Celebration of his life be sent to either the:
Fellows Fund of the USITT, which seeds new initiatives;
or
The Sam Scripps International Fund, which provides help for USITT work abroad including the Prague Quadrennial and World Stage Design
In honor of his’s 95th birthday last year, a Facebook group was established where people have shared tributes and greetings. The group is “private” but visible to all. Just request to be admitted. Celebrating Dr Joel: https://www.facebook.com/groups/901096554375555. Please share.
Personal notes can be sent to Joel’s daughter Rebecca Rubin
Email: [email protected]
Mailing address: 724 Lee avenue, Fredericksburg Virginia 22401
The Rubin Family and the Fellows of the USITT plan A Celebration of Dr. Joel’s Life and Contributions to our industry and International Theatre for 2025, in conjunction with the annual USITT conference in Columbus, Ohio March 5-8, 2025