David Simpson, production consultant for Lone Star Ballet in Amarillo, Texas since 2002, died April 20 following a stroke. Simpson also worked as director of production for 4th Wall, Ltd. in Amarillo and on major events on a freelance basis. Simpson often traveled to California to work on events including those for the Larry King Cardiac Foundation, Operation Smile, Young Musicians Foundation, and the Oscar De La Hoya Foundation. He also accepted a Golden Touch Award at the Golden Nail Awards in Amarillo in 2007 for producing Odyssey, the opening production of the $32 million Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts.
Simpson also worked on the original award-winning Broadway productions of The Will Rogers Follies, A Life In Revue, Nick 'N Nora, Anna Deavere Smith's Twilight Los Angeles 1992 and Victor/Victoria.
Simpson also had an active professional career as a creative producer, having managed award-winning World Fair and theme park productions in Japan and Korea as well as well-received entertainment projects in Tunica, Miss. and Los Angeles, Calif.
As a lighting designer, lighting director, or automated lighting programmer, Simpson worked on projects ranging from television specials and award shows to feature films, concerts and original Broadway productions.
Simpson’s network television credits include The Roseanne Show, Barbara Streisand's Timeless New Years Eve special, MTV Video Music Awards and Country Music Awards among many others. He designed lighting for the televised behind-the-scenes craft award shows for both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the Oscars) and the Academy for Television Arts and Sciences (the Primetime Emmys).
His feature film work included Death Becomes Her, Forrest Gump, Michael Jackson's Moonwalker and Invaders From Mars, which he called his personal favorite. He designed or directed lighting for such musicians as Andrea Bocelli, Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Chaka Khan, David Bowie and Celine Dion.
