Production Design & Art Direction
Location experience:
Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York, Connecticut, Arizona, Montana, Hawaii, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Kentucky
Currently located:
Los Angeles
University of Arizona - MFA Scenic Design - 2016
Graduated with a GPA - 4.0 // Medici scholarship 2014, 2015
University of Wisconsin: Milwaukee - BFA Technical Theatre Production - 2010
Graduated with a GPA of 3.85 // Convention Chair – Anime Milwaukee
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 early, as she dedicated her childhood to 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 and Yale Opera, where she excelled in prop construction and design. Evolving into an Art Director and Production Designer, she honed her skills in puppet and fake body part design, eventually earning her MFA from the University of Arizona in 2016. 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.