Ian Claar

Ian Claar is a Canadian-American theatrical lighting designer, staged violence choreographer and theatrical intimacy artist that has been involved in theatre and the performing arts for nearly 20 years.

He began his theatrical journey as one of the founding members of his middle school drama programme, and quickly continued into community theatre as an electrician and light board operator for the Reston Players (a company he still works with to this day). Although his career path was originally planned to go into Behavioural Psychology and Criminal Profiling, theatre quickly took hold and Ian began pursuing a career in the arts directly out of high school. Ian continued to hone his craft in lighting, and has worked with many of the staples of the DC Metro theatre community including Signature Theatre, Synetic Theatre, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, and many others.

Having had an interest in the art of stage combat from a young age, Ian was afforded the opportunity to train under a SAFD Certified Teacher at Christopher Newport University. He continues to study and train in the art through local classes and regional workshops, and actively works as a fight choreographer and educator in the community. He has choreographed the violence for over 40 shows throughout the DC area and has worked with such companies as Theatre Prometheus, Mosaic Theatre Company, AvantBard Theatre, and many high schools and educational theatre programmes.

He has a degree in Design and Technical Theatre from Christopher Newport University and is an Advanced Actor/Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors. He is the Managing Director of The Noble Blades stage combat troupe, and has received training from Theatrical Intimacy Education, Intimacy Directors International, Intimacy Directors & Coordinators, and Intimacy Coordinators of Color.

Lighting Design credits include Ada and the Engine and Suddenly Last Summer [Helen Hayes Recommended] (Avant Bard Theatre), Surfacing (ExPats Theatre DC), Overtures (Signature Theatre) Grand Concourse (Prologue Theatre Co.), My Father’s Dragon (Synetic Theatre), Topographies (Human Landscape/Space Time Dance), and Anon(ymous) (Theatre Prometheus), Bullets Over Broadway (Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre).

Production Fight Direction credits include Einstein’s Wife (ExPats Theatre DC), Matilda (Levine Music Theatre), The Game's Afoot (Reston Players), She Kills Monsters (DC International School), Or, (Theatre Prometheus), Dracula (Edison Drama), Superior Donuts (Reston Players), The Addams Family Musical (Rock Ridge Performing Arts), The Three Musketeers (Wakefield School), The Lion King, Jr. (Encore Stage & Studio), and Peter and the Starcatcher (Reston Players).

Ian is a proud member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada, AFL-CIO, CLC. (I.A.T.S.E.), Local 22.
Joined May 2021.

Ian is a proud Associate Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographer’s Society, a national theatrical labor union.
Joined Oct 2023.