Christine,
a native to Illinois, first studied dance in college, but a knee injury
led her to lighting design classes at the same university. "When I
understood the power of lighting, I was hooked," says Binder. "As a
dancer, I was only interpreting someone else's ideas. But as a designer,
I saw that I could participate in the creative process in a more
meaningful way and make a bigger impact on the final product." She has
designed in Chicago and all around the country. Ms. Binder's opera
designs include work at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Opera
Theatre, San Diego Opera, New York City Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Houston
Grand Opera, Theater An der Wein in Vienna, Austria and the Seito Kinen
Festival in Matsumoto Japan. In theatre, Chris has worked with The
Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare, The Court Theatre,
Redmoon Theatre, Northlight, Lookingglass Theatre Company, the McCarter
Theatre, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Recent designs include Brothers Karamazov, produced by the Lookingglass Theatre Company; The Ox Herder's Tale at the MCA, produced by Blair Thomas and Co.; and Madama Butterfly for the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Ms. Binder has received two Jeff Citations for her work with Redmoon Theatre (Frankenstein and Frankie and Johnny)
and has been nominated for the Jeff Award for her work with Court
Theatre, Northlight Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre Company. Ms. Binder
is an Artistic Associate with Lookingglass Theatre Company. She
resides in Oak Park, Illinois with her husband Claude and her son, Cody.