Mel Woods
Melissa Woods is a proud member of the Art Director's Guild, focusing on the integration of sustainability practices into storytelling. Her passion for creativity began as soon as she could use a hot glue gun. She spent her childhood constructing sets for marionettes and origami creatures using cardboard. This early enthusiasm for set building and storytelling led her to the prop department at UW-Milwaukee's Theatre program.
Throughout her career, Melissa held positions with esteemed organizations such as Hartford Stage Company, Yale Repertory Theatre and Yale Opera, where she excelled in prop construction and prop design. Evolving into an Art Director and Production Designer, she honed her skills in puppet building and set design, eventually earning her MFA from the University of Arizona in 2016. Building spaceships and eco-friendly stunt walls comes naturally to Melissa, having been creating elaborative environments her entire life. Collaborating with prominent directors like Alex Cox, Mädchen Amick, and Keith Powell, Melissa is renowned for her commitment to sustainability in the art department, emphasizing re-use, rentals, and waste reduction in every project she undertakes. She is an advocate for promoting a safe and positive work environment for all crew members.