About

Riley (he/him) is a Sydney-based freelance production designer with a passion for theatre and live performance. Originally from Sydney, he moved to Perth to undertake a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Design) at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), graduating in 2019 as a recipient of the David Hough Award for outstanding achievement in design.

Despite the challenges posed by COVID during the early years of his career, Riley has continued to develop his skills, working across a diverse range of venues in Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales. While his first five years have primarily focused on theatre design, he looks forward to expanding into film, television, concert, and tour design.

Riley’s approach is rooted in creating visually immersive environments that engage audiences from the moment they enter the space. He believes a night at the theatre should transport audiences into the world of the show — often extending this philosophy by designing scenery that breaks beyond the proscenium, surrounds the audience, or includes foyer dressing. With a strong ability to interpret, analyse, and expand upon source material, he aims to deliver unique and thought-provoking visual storytelling.

With a keen eye for detail and a passion for research, his work frequently draws on realistic settings and transforms them into surreal theatrical landscapes. He strives to create scenic environments that are tactile, visually rich, and conceptually layered. Each project is an opportunity to expand his knowledge of materials, technologies, and industry innovations.

Riley is particularly drawn to the challenges and dynamism of musical theatre — capturing the essence of a story in a flexible, visually expressive design that can shift seamlessly across multiple locations, eight times a week. Collaboration is at the heart of his practice, and he takes pride in his ability to communicate and problem-solve alongside the production team. His technical strengths include model making and technical drafting, extending through all stages of realisation, from construction to scenic art. Although scenic design is his primary focus, Riley continues to maintain and develop his skills in costume design and is always thrilled by opportunities to craft both visual worlds for a single production.