Cristo Montañez (he/him) is a Mexican-American lighting designer currently pursuing his MFA in Lighting Design at the University of California, Los Angeles. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts with an emphasis on Technical Theatre from CSU Stanislaus.

 

Cristo’s lighting journey began in 2021 with Past Forward, a student production that marked his debut and quickly established his presence in the Central Valley theatre community. Since then, his dedication to visual storytelling has led to a range of professional opportunities and recognition, including the 2023–2024 Willie Award for Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical (Cabaret, Stockton Civic Theatre). His designs for Cabaret, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and Woyzeck were also nominated for Best Lighting Design in the Broadway World Sacramento Awards.

 

In addition to his work in theater, Cristo has begun exploring photography as a way to engage with light and narrative beyond the stage. His photography captures the quiet, often unnoticed moments in life that people tend to overlook. Those small glimpses of beauty, melancholy, or wonder that tend to fade too quickly. Whether behind the lighting console or the lens, Cristo’s work invites viewers to slow down, look closer, and feel more deeply.