DESIGN
DANIELA MASELLIS
SCENOGRAPHY / EVENT /LIGHTING
~ P o r t f o l i o ~
( click photos for info )
about
Biography
Daniela Masellis is theatre designer and artist based in amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton, Alberta), on the Treaty 6, Traditional Lands of the First Nations and Metis people. Daniela is of European settler descent, her father an Italian immigrant and her mother a second generation Canadian with Irish/English roots. Daniela’s training includes a B.F.A. of Theatre Design from the University of Alberta, a Grant MacEwan Diploma of Fine Arts, and a design apprenticeship in Italy at ‘Teatro alla Scala Milano’. She has designed in theatres large and small across Canada, collaborating on over 85 professional productions. Her credits include work with such companies as The National Arts Center, The Stratford Festival, The Citadel, The Arts Club, Workshop West, Punctuate, Mile Zero Dance, Western Canadian Theatre, L'Uniteatre, Akpik Theatre, and many others. Daniela works mainly in the areas of set, props, puppets, lighting, and projection design for live performance.
The projects she finds most fulfilling are those that break down barriers of accessibility and increase equity of participation for both artists and audiences. She is passionate about designing for new works finding them most creatively collaborative through the space and opportunity to experiment. Daniela approaches designing space through a 3d sculptural lens utlizing lights, shape and symbolism to create dynamic, compelling environments for performers and audiences alike.
Outside of her work- Daniela is interested in environmentalism, sustainability, politics, food, travel and urbanism. She is fascinated by the way design affects the way cities, people and communities gather and interact.
Skills:
- fluent in English, French and Italian.
- Computer programs: Vectorworks, Google Sketchup 3d , modelling, Qlab, Photoshop, Autocad
- Experience in props building & scenic painting
Inspirations for Daniela's Design Practice:
The Liveness of Performance. Transformational Design. Efficiency. Breath. Layers. Theatre Magic. Representation. Reality, Artifice and Illusion. Perception. Metaphor. Expectations.
Consequence. Light, Movement, Patterns. Spectacle. the Sacred and the Profane. Humour. Absence/ presence./ Space. Trust
Curriculum Vitea
EDUCATION:
Set and Costume Design Apprenticeship Teatro alla Scala, Milan, 2008
BFA Theatre Design with Honours University of Alberta, 2007
Fine Art Diploma Grant MacEwan, 2004
PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE:
Fun Home, Lighting, Dir: Dave Horak, Plain Jane Theatre Productions, 2019
Flight of Mind, Design collaborator and builder, Dir: Heathre Inglis Theatre Yes / Citadel Theatre, 2019
The New Canadian Curling Club, Lighting, Dir: Darcy Evans, Alberta Theatre Projects, 2019
Sweat , Lighting , Dir: Valerie Planche, Vancouver Arts Club / Citadel Theatre 2018/19,
Kamloopa , Set and Lighting, Dir: Kim Senklip Harvey. Western Canada Theatre / the Cultch, Persephone / NAC- 2018
The Unplugging , Set and Costume, Dir: Reneltta Arluk, Gwaandak Theatre, 2018 ~
Yenene Yati/Women’s Words, Production Design, Dir: Micheline Chevrier, NACC NWT/Akpik Theatre, 2018
The Breathing Hole, Set & Puppets , Dir: Reneltta Arluk, Stratford Festival, 2017
Baskerville , Set and Lighting , Dir: John Kirkpatrick , Mayfield Dinner Theatre , 2017
The Conversion , Production Design , Dir: Kevin Sutley , Kill your Televison, 2016
The Suppine Cobbler , Light & Projection, Dir: Vanessa Sabourin , The Maggie Tree, 2016
The Last Resort , Set , Dir: Kate Ryan , Mayfield Dinner Theatre, 2016
Tumit , Set, Lights & Projection , Dir: Jessica Abdallah, Akpik Theatre, 2015
Devour Content Here: A Show , Set & Lights , Dir: Kristine Nutting , Cowgirl Opera, 2015
The Long Weekend , Production Design , Dir: Ron Ulrich , Mayfield Dinner Theatre, 2015
A Steady Rain , Production Design , Dir: Wayne Paquette , Blarney Productions, 2015
The Miraculous Mandarin, Production Design, Dir: John Ullyatt , Winspeare Symphony, 2015
The Mothers , Production Design , Dir: Glenda Stirling , Skirts-a-Fire, 2015
Full Frontal Diva , Set , Dir: Wayne Paquette , Blarney Productions, 2015
Don’t Dress for Dinner, Set & Lights , Dir: John Kirkpatrick , Mayfield Dinner Theatre, 2015
La Corneille , Production Design , Dir: Micheline Chevrier , L’Unitheatre, 2014
The Last Romance , Lights , Dir: Ron Ulrich , Mayfield Dinner Theatre, 2014
Body of Colour , Production Design , Dir: M. Milenkovic , New Music Edmonton, 2014
The Crackwalker , Production Design , Dir: Kevin Sutley Kill Your Television, 2014
Deathtrap, Set & Lights , Dir: J. Kirkpatrick , Mayfield Dinner Theatre, 2014
A Comedy of Errors , Set & Lights , Dir: Jeff Page , Red Deer College, 2013
The Adventures of the Dark Day Dancers , Set & Lights , Dir: Amber Borotsik, Nina Haggerty & Mile Zero , 2013
Les Echos de Nos Patelins , Production Design , Dir: Brian Dooley , L’Unitheatre, 2013
Strike the Musical , Ligthing , Dir: A. MacPhearson , Workshop West presents, 2013
Double Double, Lighting & Costumes, Dir: Michael Clark , Workshop West Theatre, 2013
Tumit, Set & Lighting, DIr: Kate Weiss , Akpik Theatre, 2013
Visual Splice , Production Design, Dir: Gerri Morrita , Mile Zero Dance, 2013
The Velveteen Rabbit, Set & Lighting, Dir: Amanda Bergen Capitol Theatre, 2012
Peter Pan, Ligthing, Dir: Thom Bradshaw , Red Deer College, 2012
Midsummer Night’s Dream, Set, Dir: Jeff Page, Red Deer College, 2012
Sleeping Beauty, Set & Costumes, Dir: Farren Timoteo Alberta Opera, 2012
Exils, Lighting, Dir: Bernard Salva , L’Unitheatre, 2012
Beowulf the King, Set & Lighting, Dir: Michael Clark , Workshop West Theatre, 2012
The Thebans, Set, Dir: Jen Spencer, Grant MacEwan College, 2012
Once Upon an Atom Bomb, Set & Lighting , Eric Rose ,The Green Fools, 2012
The Wired Body, Set & Lighting curated by: Amy Fung Mile Zero Dance- Salon, 2011
The Velveteen Rabbit, Set & Lighting, Dir: Amanda Bergen, The Capitol Theatre, 2011
Pinocchio , Set &Costumes , Dir: Farren Timoteo , Alberta Opera, 2011
Feunte Ovejuna, Set & Lighting Dir: Jeff Page , Red Deer College, 2011
The Cave Painter, Set, Lighting & Projection, Dir: Kim McCaw , StageLab, CCTC & UofA, 2011
Jane Austen Action Figure, Set & Lighting, DIr: Kate Weiss , StageLab, CCTC & UofA, 2011
Seasons, Set & Ligthing , DIr: Andrea Boyd, StageLab, CCTC & UofA, 2011
Mill on the Floss, Set, Dir: Amy DeFelice, Citadel Young Company, 2011
Pippin, Set, DIr: Farren Timoteo, Citadel Young Company, 2011
An Almost Perfect Thing, Set & Costume , DIr: Michael Clark Workshop West, 2011
Hunchback , Design Associate to Des. B Gerecke , Catalyst/Citadel Theatre, 2011
Spiral Dive: The Trilogy, Lighting, Dir: Ken Brown, theatREpublic, 2011
Jack and the Beanstalk, Lighting, Dir: Farren Timoteo, Alberta Opera, 2010
Putnam County Spelling Bee, Lighting, Dir: Doug Mertz, Citadel Young Company 2010
While We Were Young , Lighting, Dir: Andrea Boyd, Citadel Young Company 2010
As You Like It, Design Assistant to April Viczko, Citadel Theatre, 2010
The Arsonists, Set & Lighting , Dir: Michael Peng, Kings College, 2010
The Science of Disconnection, Lighting, Dir: John Hudson Shadow Theatre, 2010
The Dazzle Set, Ligthing Dir: Wayne Paquette, Shadow Theatre, 2010
Athabasca’s Going Unmanned, Set & Lighting , Ian Leung U of A & CCTC, 2010
Nevermore, Associate Designer to Des: B. Gerecke, Catalyst Theatre, 2009-2015
Hansel and Gretel, Lighting, Dir: Farren Timoteo, Alberta Opera, 2009
The Seed Savers, Costume, Dir: Michael Clark , Workshop West, 2009
Everyone Goes to Mitzi’s, Set & Lighting, Dir: Farren Timoteo ,Teatro LaQuindicina, 2009
Half A League, Set, Dir: L Casemore, Defiance Theatre, 2009
A Life in the Day, Production Design, DIr: Vanessa Sabourin ,The Maggie Tree, 2009
Nevermore, Design Associate Des: B. Gerecke Catalyst Theatre, 2009
The Fabulous Buddah Boi, Production Design, Dir: M. Kennedy Edmonton Fringe, 2008
Cuckoos, Production Design, Dir: Beau Coleman, Edmonton Fringe, 2007
Something Red, Production Design, Kate Weiss Edmonton Fringe, 2007
Ubu Roi, Lighting, Dir: M. Kennedy Mischief and Mayhem, 2007
The League of Nathans, Set & Lighting, Dir: R. Moffat U of A Media Room, 2007
GayFace, Production Design, Dir: M. Kennedy, NextFest, Fringe, 2006
On the Open Road, Lighting, Dir: S. Dzeparoski, U of A Media Room, 2006
TEACHING:
FTS Camp Design Instructor Citadel Theatre-Robbins Academy; Foote Theatre School- Summer 2009, 2010, 2011
Teaching Assistant/Marker. Native Studies 260- Contemporary Native Art (Lecture Course) Native Studies 280 Shamanic Art (Studio Course). Professor Jane Ash Poitras- University of Alberta. 2002- 2005.