AS YOU LIKE IT

Shakespeare’s classic becomes a sprightly comedy of Eros in Michael Michetti’s fanciful take on this often-performed Bard favorite. Few productions of the master’s comic romps conjure this much buoyant fun. The seamless integration of music into the mistaken-identity narrative—courtesy of Robert Oriol’s compositions, David Coleman’s song arrangements, and Christine Sang’s graceful choreography, including gymnastics—gives this rendition a musical comedy feel. The frosting on the cake is a strong emotional resonance. - Backstage.com, November 2006 A Noise Within’s designers do more with less. Sibyl Wickersheimer’s set transforms from court to forest. Angela Calin’s beautiful costumes are regal in the court scenes. Robert Oriol’s music, which turns text into song and provides underscoring, is beautiful and well performed. And the sound design, which includes subtleties like a hand breaking the surface of a stream and arms stirring the air, is cued perfectly by operator Paula Eagleman and stage manager Liza Tognazzini. - BlogCritics Magazine, October 2006

A PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY

Steven Young's evocative lighting, Amanda Seymour's lovely costumes and Robert Oriol's eerie sound are all integral to the period ambience, while choreographer John Pennington's dance sequences act as striking visual metaphors to the main action. - LA Times, March 2006 The play gathers steam in Act 2, leading off with John Pennington’s stunning choreography as Dorian’s demons descend to collect their due. Eclipsing any single element is the overall production design, a fantastical collage of objects, dance, lighting (Steven Young) and sound (Robert Oriol) reflecting the title character’s demented world. - LA Weekly, March 2006 Almost setless (through Michetti's use of bits of picture frame for everything from fireplaces to mirrors is stunning in its simplicity), the piece depends on the ensemble to hold up doors, take the place of walls, and through an almost constant sequence of near-dance-like movements (John Pennington choreographs when it actually becomes dance), create the atmosphere in which the play takes place. Robert Oriol's superb sound design and Steven Young's integral lighting do the rest. - Pasadena Star News, March 2006

VON LUTZ

If it weren't for Robert Oriol's brightly cheery lighting plot, one might need a pair of military nighttime goggles to get a good look at Dennis Miles' outrageously dark comedy. - Backstage.com, October 2005 On the technical side, set design by Dan Mailley is charming, complete with desirable chess set pieces for chess lovers. Lighting design by Robert Oriol is effective and well done. - Maestro Arts and Reviews, September 2005

CRAWL, FADE TO WHITE
	With Miguel Montalvo's spare set and striking costumes, Jason Mullen's effective lighting and Robert Oriol's evocative sound design and original music, the designers handle the many creative and technical challenges well. - Backstage.com, October 2005

NEUROTICA

Choreographing a verbal dance between Brown and lighting and sound designer Robert Oriol must have been no small feat. Oriol provides crisp, perfectly executed design elements, including a virtual underscoring of effects and perfectly chosen song snippets. - Backstage.com, May 2005 Jon Shear's direction is tight and the show's design first-rate, particularly Robert Oriol's lighting and sound design, which turns Karyl Newman's blue set into a convincing approximation of an isolation tank. - Los Angeles Times, June 2005 The lighting and design of Robert Oriol are an integral element of the show and are done to precision. Neurotica clearly stands out in a class of show that is too frequently mediocre. - Metro LA, May 2005 Set designer Karyl Newman's aluminum-foil floor and Robert Oriol's lighting create realistic waterlike reflections. Oriol, who also provides the numerous inventive sound effects, adds torturously unnerving dripping noises to accentuate the atmosphere. - Variety, May 2005

LEARNED LADIES
	As usual at NOTE, the actors don't hold back. They take Biederman's slapstick cues and over-the-top concept (nods to designers Robert Oriol for sound and lighting design and Ricky Lyle for costumes) and go for broke. - Backstage.com, March 2005

THE INSIDE JOB
	There's a striking visual quality to the staging. This is enhanced by the graphic quality of the clear bright colors and simplicity of Jeffrey Atherton's set design and Robert Oriol's lighting design. - A CurtainUp Los Angeles Review, November 2003

BUDDY BUDDETTE
	Jason Adams' amazing array of abstract sets, Robert Oriol's lighting, Teresa Shea's uproarious costumes, and Martin Carillo's sound effects and original music enrich the electric, off-kilter atmosphere. - Frontiers Newsmagazine, August 2003

G-NOME
	The atmosphere is enhanced by evocative original music and sound design of Robert Oriol. - Variety, July 2003

HAMLET, THE 1ST QUARTO
	Robert Oriol's moody lighting, Amy Kane's sound, Lauren Helpern's set, and Bo Foxworth's fight choreography help this production zing along. - Backstage West, 2003

WILFREDO

The sets, lights and music of Jeffrey Atherton, Rand Ryan and Robert Oriol, respectively, provide a proper surrealistic aura to the proceedings. - Variety, May 2002 Jangling guitar riffs, pools of lurid light and a neat wooden arena of a set (by respective designers Robert Oriol, Rand Ryan and Jeffrey Atherton) establish a focused moment in time, even if that moment is pretty damned hallucinatory. - LA Weekly, May 2002

RICHARD III
	Robert Oriol has constructed a marvelously clean and understated sound design, to which his light design plays a very close second. - Wenzel Jones - Backstage West, September 2002