Heather Gilbert is an award-winning lighting designer, based in Chicago.

Her work includes the Tony Award winning Broadway production of PARADE, by Jason Robert Brown and Alfred Uhry, directed by Michael Arden, starring Micaela Diamond and Ben Platt. Heather was nominated for a Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for PARADE. Recent work includes the Broadway production of THE SOUND INSIDE, by Adam Rapp, directed by David Cromer, and starring Mary-Louise Parker at Studio 54 for which she won the Drama Desk Award, was an honoree for the Outer Critics Circle, and was nominated for a Tony Award.

Other productions with David Cromer include DEAD OUTLAW for Audible at Minetta Lane Theatre (Drama Desk Nomination for Best Lighting Design of a Musical), OUR TOWN at the Almeida Theatre in London, where it was produced following runs in Chicago, New York, LA, Boston, and Kansas City; BUG at Steppenwolf Theatre (Jeff Award for Best Lighting Design); A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE at Writers Theatre and Williamstown Theatre Festival, and RENT at American Theatre Company/AboutFace Theatre in Chicago.

Recently Heather designer Sam Hunter’s LITTLE BEAR RIDGE ROAD, directed by Joe Mantello at Steppenwolf, and WAITRESS with Lil-anne Brown at the Muny.

Regionally, Heather’s designs have been seen at the Guthrie, Berkeley Rep, the Fifth Avenue Theatre, Studio Theatre in DC, Magic Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Huntington Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Kansas City Rep, Alley Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Court Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Writers Theatre, Chicago Children's Theatre, and many more. Other international credits include PEDRO PARAMO with Teatro Buendia in Montreal and A PERFECT GANESH at Singapore Repertory Theatre.

Heather works frequently with acclaimed directors such as David Cromer, Lili-anne Brown, Jonathan Berry, Sean Graney, Ron OJ Parson and many others Heather recieved the Michael Merritt Award for Excellence in Design Collaboration In 2023. In 2012, Heather received the 3Arts Award in Chicago. She was a recipient of the prestigious NEA/TCG Career Development Grant for Designers from TCG. Heather received her BA from Trinity University in San Antonio and her MFA from The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago. Since 2006, she has served as the head of the lighting program at Columbia College Chicago.

Currently Heather is working on CULT OF LOVE by Leslye Headland at Second Stage, directed by Trip Cullman. She is also working on the First National Tour of PARADE and FOOL FOR LOVE at Steppenwolf Theatre, directed by Jeremy Herrin.