VCA Design & Production 2021

Amelia Hutchinson

Amelia Hutchinson is an emerging designer whose design career began after graduating with a bachelors degree in Architecture from the University of South Australia in 2018.

The jump to Production Design was led by the desire to push the creative constraints of the literal world and through clever design create environments that evoke emotion and enhance storytelling.

Since studying at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) she has worked in various roles on an independent television serious and several short films including designing, Starlings of the Hyperreal (2021).

Amelia enjoys creative collaborations in all areas of the Art Department and is passionate about drafting and set design and always looking to grow her creative thinking.

Atoosa
Monazami

Atoosa is an emerging designer whose passion for storytelling and background in Architecture fueled her desire to pursue production design. She has a profound interest in creating visually evocative spaces that inspire audiences and leave a lasting impression.

While at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), Atoosa has deepened her knowledge of interconnecting story themes and spatial design and learned practical skills including prop making, scenic art and set dressing/buying.

She has also worked on several student films and interned on the upcoming Apple TV series Shantaram (2021). Atoosa is looking forward to connections with creative collaborators and to become a key team member within art departments.

Grace
Mallinson

With multidisciplinary creative passions, Grace Mallinson has recently completed her studies in Production Design, both undergraduate and graduate, at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA).

Based in regional Victoria, with a love of storytelling at her core, Grace’s skillset in costume, set and graphic design has contributed to many theatrical productions, most recently Legally Blonde (2019, James Terry Collective), and the opera of Little Women for the VCA in 2021.

Her current collaborations include, The Dinosaurs: 65 Million Ways to Say Goodbye, to open as a new work in 2022. Grace was also the recipient of the VCA Director’s Design Award in 2019, for excellence in her graduating year.

Amelia
Lane

Amelia is a costume and set designer who has recently completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Design and Production) at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). At the VCA, Amelia has undertaken roles as Set and Costume Designer for Wax - Atlas / Gadhaban Kurrawan, Costume Designer for Baccarat, Associate Costume Designer for The Hello Girls and Assistant Costume Maker for On the Town and Disclosure.

After interning with Costume Designer Cappi Ireland and costume art finishing for the ABC series FIRES (2021), Amelia began working professionally as Costume Art Finisher on FIRES and Warner Bros series Love Me (2021).

Amelia has a passion for experimentation with aesthetics and blending historical and modern costume designs as well as installation design. Amelia strives to challenge the boundaries of traditional theatre with her interests in abstract and metaphorical design that resonates with modern audiences.

Max
Bowyer

Max (He/Him) is an English born set, costume and digital designer/maker, based in Melbourne/Naarm.

Inspired by the use of space, human motivations and technology, Max’s passion for live performance design stems from its connection to our lives in the modern world and a drive of world building. Theatre and music theatre lit his passion for live performance which combined with his love of storytelling, architecture, design and creating to drive his work.

With a technical and methodical approach to his practice, Max is excited to explore the post-pandemic industry and the multitude of stories that will emerge from the challenges and successes of the past few years.

Caroline
Chen

Caroline Chen is a live performance designer based in Melbourne, Australia. Her design concept focuses around building a sensory connection between audience and stage. She has completed her degree in Bachelor of Design, major in Performance Design at the University of Melbourne.

Her works at the University of Melbourne have been displayed at MSDx Exhibition. She was also the Production Manager and Costume & Makeup Designer for student theatre group MUCTG. Her designs in this community have been nominated by UMSU for Union House Theatre Awards.

Milly
Hines

Milly is a passionate and creative theatrical and graphic designer, having recently graduated from The University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Design (Performance and Graphic Design).

Throughout her degree, Milly has taken pride in her practise, aiming to create dynamic designs that radiate ingenuity and originality. She most enjoys creating spaces that prompt audiences and performers alike to reflect and garner deeper understandings based on their own internal perspective.

Having worked on actualised productions as a student, Milly's past experiences in addition to her developed knowledge and skills only make her more invigorated to continue to learn and grow as a designer, eagerly looking forward to working more actively in field of space and light in performance.

Harry
Gill

Harry is an emerging set and costume designer based in Naarm/Melbourne and a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Design and Production) at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). Harry has a keen eye for design and aesthetics and through his designs seeks to make theatre relevant and meaningful to contemporary audiences.

Harry’s VCA design credits include Costume Design for The Spook (director Daniela Farinacci), Set Design for The Hello Girls (director Jason Langley), and Design for WOW (choreography Alice Dixon & Caroline Meaden). Harry has recently completed internships with Dann Barber on Chess (director Tyran Parke), as well as with Anna Cordingley, on the design of the Monet’s Garden exhibition.

Last year, Harry’s efforts were recognised, with the Orloff Family Charitable Trust Scholarship for excellence. Alongside his theatrical design work, Harry is currently employed at Charcoalblue - Theatre Design Consultancy.

Jessica
Johnston

Jessica Johnston is a costume and set designer with a particular interest in film and television productions. Having previously attended the Australian Ballet School and completing a short course in 3D animation, Jessica moved to work within theatre production, which allowed her more collaborative and creative expression.

During her time at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), she has worked within the Costume and Set departments and has completed her studies by designing set and costume for Amrita Hepi’s work, Here We Have It.

Jessica has also worked as the Costume Assistant on Solace directed by Stepanka Cervinkova, and ongoing work Composure, by Madeleine Chaplain. During her final year at VCA she interned with the art department on the series Love Me, directed by Emma Freeman, where she gained experience in set dressing and construction.

Oli
Lacoon
Williamson

Oli is an emerging performance maker, specialising in set and costume design. Originally hailing from Tarntanya (Adelaide), he is now based in Naarm (Melbourne), where he completed his training at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA).

Oli is a proudly queer identifying artist, and this informs his mission to find beauty in the imperfect, unrefined and unwanted. This translates into bold, detailed designs, often with a nod to camp and a touch of humour, but always with a commitment to deep dramaturgy and world building.

Oli completed his professional debut, designing costumes for S/WORDS (Lewis Major Projects/Adelaide Festival of Art). At the VCA Oli designed costumes for a new interdisciplinary dance work entitled 10 degrees, and designed the set for The Spook by Mellissa Reeves (dir. Daniella Farinaci). Having also undertaken a secondment in the Art Department for upcoming television series Literary Lethargy (Baby Banksia Productions), Oli looks forward to continuing his work in both the live performance and filmic spaces.

Sasha
Vulling

Sasha is a Naarm (Melbourne) based artist graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Design and Production) from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) in 2021. Sasha has a high-octane enthusiasm for both making and design, with credits spanning film and television, music videos and live performance.

Notable projects include Supalonely (for BENEE), The Newsreader (ABC) and New Weather (VCA). In their time at VCA Sasha set designed devised work The World that Was and costume designed the theatre production of Cloud 9.

Sasha has built costumes and sets for a number of productions at VCA, with a particular passion and proficiency for scenic art, moulding and casting, metalworking and carpentry.

Xasha
Chua-Huggins

XaSha Chua-Huggins is set and costume designer/maker who intends to create escapist outlets. She is eager to provide opportunities for audiences to periodically observe and exist within alternate realities.

XaSha’s credits while studying at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) include: Set Designer for Sweet Charity (directed by Jayde Kirchert); Associate Set Designer for Cloud Nine (directed by Maude Davey); Set and Costume Designer for Pile of Bones (choreographed by Stephanie Lake); Costume Manager for Pool (no water) (directed by Leticia Cáceres); Costume Crew for Mad Forest (directed by Sean Mee) and Swim Between the Flags (by the 2019 VCA Theatre Company); Workshop Crew for Flora the Red Menace (directed by Jason Langley) and Doctor Faustus Lights the Lights (directed by Alyson Campbell).

Devoted to generating moments to dream, XaSha aspires to create unique worlds for all forms of entertainment.

Casey
Harper-Wood

Casey completed his undergraduate theatre design training at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) in 2012, before returning to deepen his craft through the Master of Design for Performance.

Theatre highlights include award-winning productions of The Leenane Trilogy (fortyfivedownstairs/Kin Collective) and Hart (SheSaid), alongside designs for Arts Centre Melbourne, St Martins Youth Arts Centre, Dancehouse, Union House Theatre, Riot Stage, Darebin Speakeasy, Theatreworks and La Mama. Casey has designed music videos for artists ranging from Justin Bieber through to The Cat Empire and Something For Kate, and runway sets for Melbourne Fashion Festival and Melbourne Fashion Week.

The 2021 recipient of the Trina Parker Scholarship, Casey has designed VCA productions of Gaban by Brook Andrew and costumes for Promiscuous/Cities by Lachlan Philpott, alongside interning with Richard Roberts and Christina Smith. He assisted Richard Roberts on HMS Pinafore and The Pirates of Penzance for State Opera of South Australia.

Weijia (Silvia) Shao

Silvia Shao, interested in conceptual and abstract works, considers herself as a creative-work lover. She believes there is no boundary on what she can do, either as a ‘designer’, or as a ‘human’, an ideology carrier. Although specifically trained as a set and costume designer, she loves working closely with lighting and sound.

During her time at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), she has developed her interests in architecture, graphic design, and contemporary dance. She has designed costumes for VCA contemporary dance piece, MENTAL, choreographed by Carol Brown, and interned with Eugyeene Teh and Andrew Bailey.

Yunfan Zhang

Yunfan is a stage designer, graphic designer and jewellery designer who has studied fine arts skills since childhood. She studied performance design in Shanghai and Hong Kong, China and later worked as a visual designer at the Shanghai Opera House.

She completed a Master of Design for Production (Stage) at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), designing costumes and set for the opera The Coronation of Poppea during her studies in 2021.

Previous credits include The Xiucai and The Executioner (Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, 2012). Her design project for Sweeney Todd was also selected for the 10th China Arts Festival (2013).

Lin
Kerr

Lin is an emerging designer holding a Bachelor degree in Film & TV from Swinburne University and a Master of Production Design (Screen) from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA).

Lin is passionate about graphic design for the art department, and is interested in the ways that graphics can help establish time, place, tone, and believability.

Lin has contributed her skills to numerous student films throughout her studies, and was an art department intern on the ABC TV series The Newsreader.

Jessica
Motet

Jessica Motet is a graphic designer that uses her creative skills to provide support by connecting brands to people and making information more accessible. By building upon the existing design foundations of the brand, she creates a stronger brand presence through tailored strategies and branding collateral.

Jessica has particular experience in creating digital marketing designs and content creation that seek to create meaning and connections through design.

John
Yin

John Yin graduated with a Bachelor of Design majoring in Graphic Design at the University of Melbourne. He believes design works with certain narratives will make them more attractive, undertaking further research for his design works throughout studies at the University of Melbourne to create narratives for them.

Although design always serves the clients instead of personal expression, he feels designers can use their knowledge and abilities to help clients provide the best response. At the same time, it is possible to have individual expression during this process as well.

Melana
Uceda

Melana Uceda is a Graphic Designer and Illustrator based in Melbourne, Australia.

She is passionate about telling stories, whether that is through branding, front-end web design, or her special passion of books (including typesetting and covers).

Vicki (Siyang)
Huang

Vicki is a designer interested in building functional, logical and creative designs. She enjoys interchanging ideas from STEM and art to create well-rounded projects which are properly researched.

She also likes spending time making ridiculous designs.

Yicheng (Hubert)
XU

Yicheng (Hubert) XU is an interdisciplinary artist, designer, content creator, illustrator and storyteller. He is a graduate from Bachelor of Design at the University of Melbourne, majoring in Graphic Design and Performance Design.

His work uses socially engaged strategies combined with digital technologies and conventions of contemporary art. Hubert's projects intersect with digital illustration, architecture, UI/UX design, performance design, magazine and the mass media.

Yuki
Miyauchi

Born in Japan in 1999.
Yuki enrolled in Foundation Program of Trinity College in 2018 - 2019.
Student of University of Melbourne in 2019 - 2022.
Major: Graphic design. Minor: Performance design.

Chang
Tong

Chang is a Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), Bachelor of Design (Performance Design) 2021 Graduate. Chang has a specific interest in stage performance design, specifically the musical.

During the three years in the VCA, Chang has further studied the details, including space, figure, sound, and light. For the final Orlando Design Project, she designed the overall set and used her design abilities to create the costume for four main characters. She has been honing her skills in performance design.

Dushina
Doobree

My name is Dushina Doobree and I recently graduated from The University of Melbourne with a bachelor's degree in performance design.

The last 3 years have taught me more than I expected. I have always loved nature as it is, but with time I have seen how design can be used to enhance the natural world around us. Being able to visit new places and learn new skills is what I enjoy the most as it allows me to discover myself more and more and it changes the way I perceive things. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for me.

Enci (Stacey)
Cong

Enci Cong is a set designer who has recently finished her undergraduate study of the Bachelor of Performance Design at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). She also has an architecture and construction background and hopes to become a multi-discipline designer in order to manipulate space from many perspectives.

Interested in digital design, she was also very willing to try some digital modeling and programming to integrate stage performance design into new media technology creation, and organically combine multi-sensory experience and artistic dimension space. She is also very interested in public art and site-specific performances.

Enci's design work at VCA includes Black Medea by Wesley Enoch and Orlando by Virginia Woolf. She also has independent projects as Hypatia from Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino and Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett.

Glen
Forrester

Glen is an experimental multimedia artist and game designer.

Helena
Cui

Helena is a recent graduate of Bachelor of Design (Performance Design and Landscape Architecture) from the University of Melbourne. During her time at the university, Helena found her passion for creating unique spatial experiences. Her design always creates an evocative experience by capturing the essence of a play or a space.

Her credits include set and sound design for Orlando and set design for Black Medea. Helena is also active in student theatre groups, including assistant set designer on UMMTA‚ You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown (2021), assistant set leader on MUCTG's The Man from Earth (2019), and Kung-fu Man (2019). Although she has a focus on spatial design, Helena is always excited about exploring new ideas.

Hubert (Yicheng)
XU

Yicheng XU is a recent graduate from the University of Melbourne, majoring in performance design and graphic design.

He is currently based in Beijing. He is a passionate designer, content creator, illustrator and storyteller.

Inno
Guo

Inno Guo is a graphic and set designer based in Melbourne. Inno is a 2021 graduate of Bachelor of Design at Victorian College of the Arts, where she studied architecture, graphic design and performance design; her multidisciplinary knowledge has been key to her future inspiration and exploring direction.

During her time at the VCA learning Performance Design, Inno has developed a range of works including Set Designer on Black Medea (2021), Set and Lighting Designer on Orlando (2021).

Inno is passionate about the multifunctional use of performance space without conventional limits, and developing multi-sensory interaction with the audience. She believes the great production of well-considered spaces would be the most vibrant part of global design endeavour in the 21st century.

Ishan
Vivekanantham

Ishan is a graduate from the University of Melbourne, focusing on set design for theatre and writing for film. Ishan has a wide range of interests that he has actively pursued throughout his time in the Bachelor of Design, including performance design, mechanical systems engineering, architecture, and screenwriting.

Across all the disciplines he has encountered, Ishan's main goal is to create worlds. He either creates worlds through screenwriting, designing sets for a director's vision, or even through creating a better world with engineering practices.

In his performance design major, Ishan specialised in set, costume, and lighting design for his capstone design project on Orlando (2021). He also has experience with on-stage roles, including Props Manager on Holes (2014, CGTC), Deputy Stage Manager on City of Angels (2016, CGTC) and fly operator on City of Angels (2016, CGTC).

Qian Jiaxin

Jiaxin is a Design graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), University of Melbourne.

During her overseas study, she devoted all her passion to study and production. She completed the performance design of Black Medea and Orlando during her undergraduate studies.

Jiaying
Wang

Jiaying Wang majored in Graphic Design and Performance Design and graduated from the Bachelor of Design in 2021.

Luyijie (Milo)
Ma

Milo is an independent filmmaker (director) and extreme metal drummer. He has recently completed the major of Performance Design in Unimelb in 2021.

He is interested in visualizing the unconsciousness and the inner mind of both characters and the audience in the design and interpreting the stories from various odd angles and approaches.

Lyn
Wong

Lyn is a Malaysia-based designer with strong interest in a variety of design disciplines: costume design, pottery, motion design and film editing. During her time at the University of Melbourne as a major in Performance Design, Lyn has worked in a variety of design roles including Lighting Designer for Floorwork's Inkling (2019), Graphic Designer and Video Editor for UKC Bias Dance and Design Intern at a Malaysia-based IOT company.

With a passion for creating moving and intimate moments, she intends to fuse her interests with her skills to create impactful design works that resonate with her values. Graduating with a Bachelor of Design in 2021, Lyn is hopeful to continue on an endless path of discovery and learning from artists, designers as well as people from all walks of life and will continue to do so for many years to come.

Madeleine Lobb

Madeleine is a recent graduate from the Bachelor of Design, studying civil engineering and performance design. Her interest lies in the problem-solving aspects of the two disparate fields as she brings creativity and practicality to her work, focusing on exaggerating shape and form through the exploration of space and the figure.

Her introduction to the theatre started with many years of dance, both competitive and casual, leading to a strong interest in sewing and costumes. Madeleine then became involved in high school and local theatre, both as an actor/dancer and costumier, assisting in the foundation of her school's musical theatre club.

She has worked on costumes for Legally Blonde (2018) at school, and Aladdin Jr and A Chorus Line (2019) for a community musical theatre company. Madeleine is excited to maintain her passion for costumes, hoping to bring many characters to life onstage in the future.

Mindez Chua

Mindez is an enthusiastic, highly-motivated individual with a positive attitude, a heart for the community, and a willingness to constantly improve. She loves working events, being onstage and offstage, planning, and executing.

She has worked in several countries - Singapore, Thailand, China, and Australia, where she currently resides, and is working with local theatres in Regional Victoria, working with people with disabilities and up and coming youth artists.

Mindez has been in the arts scene since she was 13, and intends to expand the world of arts even further, and making it accessible to everyone, regardless of abilities or age or any differences.

Natasha Fisher

Natasha is a recent graduate from the Bachelor of Design, studying both engineering and performance design, with the intent to draw on her knowledge in robotics to enhance her stage designs.

Her passion for theatre started at a young age, with her roots in the circus. After more than a decade of learning and perfecting her circus skills, her participation in the FIRST Robotics Competition and work on The Witches (2018) as the magician's mentee led her to pursue performance design with an engineering background. Natasha looks forward to being involved with theatre after she graduates.

Niki Hayton

Niki completed a Bachelor of Design, majoring in Performance Design and has a special interest in lighting and costume design. She has been heavily involved and surrounded by theatre from a young age and this passion developed into design for the stage.

During her last year at The University of Melbourne she was able to design for productions such as Black Medea by Wesley Enoch and Orlando by Sarah Ruhl, allowing Niki to explore areas of set, lighting, sound and costume design. Niki is looking forward to growing and expanding her skills within the theatre industry

Pepper Horman

Pepper Horman is a recent graduate from the Bachelor of Design (Performance Design) at the University of Melbourne and the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). Pepper has lived in Melbourne since she was born and has undertaken all of her studies whilst living in Melbourne.

Over the course of her three-year degree, Pepper has enjoyed researching the different categories that fall under the Performance Design umbrella and trying subjects that have broadened her Bachelor of Design experience.

Pepper has a passion for costume design, graphic design, and art history, and is looking forward to beginning the Master of Art Curatorship at the University of Melbourne in 2022.

Timothy Hiew

With a passion for multidisciplinary art, Timothy's creative practice is often experimental as he constantly explores the in-between of established art forms. Having graduated from the University of Melbourne with a double major in Graphic Design and Performance Design, his approach toward design seeks to bridge digital and analogue means of creating, generating new forms of expression that are graphical yet spatial.

As an emerging freelance graphic designer, Timothy specialises in conceptualising and creating brand identities, design systems, illustration, art direction and exhibition design. His interests also lie in photography, sustainable design, drawing and painting.

Xinyue
Tu

My name is Xinyue Tu, I am a recently graduated student who completed a Bachelor of Design at the University of Melbourne in 2021. My major is Performance Design and minor in architecture.

In the last two years of studying, I have finished the Lighting design for Dawn (by Federico Garcia Lorca), the Costume design concept for Metamorphoses (by Mary Zimmerman), Set design for Black Medea (by Wesley Enoch), and Set and Lighting design for Orlando (by Sarah Ruhl).

Yuxin
Shi

Yuxin Shi is a recent graduate from the Bachelor of Design (Performance Design), specialising in event design at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA).

Yuxin found her passion in performance design in her first year of university life, during her undergraduate study, she completed the stage design of two plays, Orlando and Black Medea, and the lighting and costume design for Orlando. She has also been a member of Melbourne University Chinese Theatre Group (MUCTG) and participated in the lighting design of two plays, The Kung-Fu Man and The Man from the Earth.

Zhan Lu

Zhan Lu has recently completed her final year of study in the Bachelor of Design, including Performance design and Landscape architecture.

Zhan designed the set for Black Medea that was written and directed by Wesley Enoch and set for Virginia Woolf's Orlando that is an adaptation by Sarah Ruhl during her undergraduate studies.

August
Shearman

August Shearman is a lighting designer and artistic creator with a background in musical theatre performance and an interest in astrophysics. She discovered lighting during her study at the Australian Institute of Music (AIM) in 2014 where she majored in Music Theatre. Since then August has worked as a lighting designer and technician across Sydney and Melbourne, with a focus on community and pro-am theatre.

After moving to Victoria in 2018, August studied lighting design at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), where she gained a deeper understanding of the possibilities of light as an interactive and expressive medium.

August acknowledges they live and work on the lands of Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation.

Daniella A.
Esposito

Daniella is a gender-queer sound designer and composer from Naarm/Melbourne that has recently completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production) at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). They specialise in sound design and composition for theatre, immersive works and film.

Daniella’s most notable credits include sound design and composition for Malthouse Theatre’s 2020 Season Launch; Hydra (Double Water Sign Theatre); Guerilla Sabbath (Midsumma Festival); Cactus (La Mama Theatre); Punk Rock (Patalog Theatre); Slut (The Burrow); Treats (Fever103 Theatre); Land (Three Fates Theatre Company); Never Said Motel (Writers Festival, OK Motels); Adam (Midsumma Festival); Tram Lights Up (Bighouse Arts); Western Edge Youth Arts (WEYA – In School, Artist In Residency). Daniella completed secondments on Home, I’m Darling (MTC) and Because The Night (Malthouse Theatre).

Daniella is a proud member of MTC's industry leading Women in Theatre program for 2021 and as an advocate for the arts, Daniella is driven to champion gender equity in technical design fields.

Giovanna
Yate
Gonzalez

Giovanna Yate Gonzalez is a Colombian professional dancer and teacher with over 10 years of experience in the performing arts industry. She has expanded her skill set and knowledge in Australia, completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production) at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA).

She has participated in various performances and projects in Australia. For example, not only as the lighting designer for the play The Book of Everything, directed by Ryan Bentley, in 2019, but also as a dancer and media artist in the Isolation Improvisation Collective as well as several visual projects with visual artist Paul Fletcher.

Previous recent works include the lighting design for the interdisciplinary dance project 10 degrees, in Martyn Myer Arena, and the musical Sweet Charity in Space 28 at VCA. Furthermore, a collaborative lighting installation, Talk to Me, with musician Monica Lim at the Bundoora Homestead Art Centre.

Hana
Kuhlmann

Hana is an emerging set designer and maker whom recently completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Design and Production) at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA).

Pursuing a career in set design from an early age has made Hana a passionate, creative and eager individual, driven by the pursuit of knowledge and experience. Since attending the VCA, her passion has extended towards the artistry of constructing sets and props for theatre.

Credits at the VCA include Associate Set Designer for Sweet Charity, directed by Jayde Kirchert, and various roles including Head of Workshop, Leading Hand and Workshop Assistant for dance, theatre and musical theatre productions.

Ikshvak
Sobti

Ikshvak is an emerging lighting designer and technician based in Naarm (Melbourne), and a recent graduate of the BFA (Design and Production) at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA).

Ikshvak’s 2021 VCA Lighting Design credits include three new dance works by Danielle Micich, Amrita Hepi and Daniel Riley, forming Atlas | gadhaba kurrawan, and Gaban, a new First Nations theatre work. Ikshvak also designed Return to Normal and Sight Unseen, choreographed by Antony Hamilton and Linda Sastradipradja respectively, in 2020. He was also the Associate Lighting Designer and Programmer for VCA Acting’s pool (no water).

Outside of the VCA, Ikshvak works extensively in the technical lighting sector with leading arts organisations such as MTC, Dancehouse, La Mama, Theatreworks, Melbourne Fringe and Midsumma Festival.

Robert
Watson

Robert Watson is a Melbourne-based designer and maker. He recently completed his final year at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), specialising in set design. In 2021, he interned on the Malthouse Theatre production Because the Night. Robert is passionate as both a maker and designer for both live performance and film and television.

Roberts recent credits include: Head of Workshop for VCA productions The Spook, Sweet Charity, B**CH, Dead Serious, Rats on Cocaine Prefer Jazz and Atlas | gadhaba kurrawan; Co-Set Designer for 10 degrees (VCA); set construction for The Cane (Red Stitch Actors' Theatre); Associate Set Designer/Set Construction for Our House (VCA), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (VCA), and Set Dresser for Maddy Jane – Perfection’s a Thing and You’re It (Majella Productions).

Sarah
Hordern

Sarah is a Melbourne based costume designer with a passion for storytelling. Utilising an eye for detail and a strong sense for aesthetic to create a narrative and promote audience engagement.

Whilst studying the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Design and Production) at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), her musical productions include working as Costume Designer for The Hello Girls (2021) and Associate Costume Designer for both Sweet Charity (2021) and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2020).

Sarah interned as Costume Assistant with Marion Boyce on the ABC mini-series The Newsreader.

Sidney
Younger

Sidney is an emerging lighting designer based in Melbourne, and a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Design and Production) at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA).

His VCA design credits include The Spook (Director Daniela Farinacci), The Hello Girls (Director Jason Langley) and The Cripple of Inishmaan (Director Georgina Naidu). Earlier this year his coursework efforts were recognised with the Cassidy Bequest Scholarship for Production.

Outside of the VCA, Sidney enjoys working within the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) and Orchestra Victoria’s operations teams. Currently he is designing Synaesthesia a collaboration between the MSO and Vue De Monde, premiering at the 2021 Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.

In the future, Sidney intends to further pursue architectural lighting design as part of his practice, after gaining experience within this genre during his internships with Jackson Stigwood (A Billion Suns) and John Ford (Relume Consulting) in 2021.