Photo by Justyn Koh
Lara is a creative producer and designer for performance living and working on the sovereign lands of the Kulin Nation.
She is dedicated to creating spaces where people with different skills and perspectives can share ideas and produce work together.
CV
DESIGNER FOR PERFORMANCE
2023
Zaffé by Stéphanie Ghajar and Collaborators
Dir. Stéphanie Ghajar
The Tower, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne Fringe
Co-designer with Ayman Kaake
2022
Afterplay by Brian Friel
Dir. Kirsten von Bibra
La Mama Theatre, Melbourne Fringe
Set and costume design
THEM by Samah Sabawi
Dir. Bagryana Popov
Riverside Theatre NSW, Geelong Arts Centre VIC, Kingston Butter Factory QLD, Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre NSW, Capital Theatre Bendigo VIC, Bunjil Place VIC, Hothouse Theatre VIC, Gippsland Performing Arts Centre; presented by Lara Week, La Mama, and Critical Stages Touring
Set and costume design
Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht, translated by Tony Kushner
Dir. Damien Millar
La Mama Courthouse
Set and costume design
Plant a Promise (creative development)
Chor. Henrietta Baird
Carriageworks
Scenography
2021
THEM by Samah Sabawi
Dir. Bagryana Popov
Riverlinks Westside, Shepparton (Arts Centre Melbourne, The Capitol Bendigo, Bunjil Place, and Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre NSW postponed 2022)
Set and costume design
The Cane by Mark Ravenhill
Dir. Kirsten von Bibra
Red Stitch Actors Theatre
Set and costume design
2019
ANNA by Bagryana Popov
Dir. John Bolton
La Mama Courthouse
Set and costume design
Yay for Cane Toads! by Kendra Keller
The Burrow, Melbourne Fringe Festival
Set and costume design
Make Me A Houri by Emina Ashman
Dir. Stéphanie Ghajar
La Mama Courthouse
Set and costume design
THEM by Samah Sabawi
Dir. Bagryana Popov
La Mama Courthouse
Set and costume design
2018
Gilgamesh (CultureLAB creative development)
Dir. Bagryana Popov
Arts House
Set and costume design
Mothermorphosis by Liz Skitch
Dir. Maude Davey
Victorian Trades Hall, presented by Debase Productions and La Mama
Set and costume design
Hard Boiled Bush Noir by Shane Grant
Dir. Iris Galliard, Metanoia Theatre
St Martins Theatre, presented by Metanoia Theatre
Set and costume design
South Sudan Voice
Dir. Pongjit Sapakhun, Free Theatre
Metro West and tour
Set design
Bukjeh: Stories of Home, and of Having to Leave It
Dir. Aseel Tayah
Immigration Museum and tour
Installation design and construction
2017
THEM by Samah Sabawi (creative development)
Dir. Bagryana Popov
La Trobe University
Set and costume design
Madame Nighshade's Poison Garden by Anna Thomson
Dir. Sarah Ward
La Mama Theatre
Design and scenic art
Wages of Fear by Georges Arnaud, adapted by Shane Grant
Dir. Görkem Acaroglu
The Mechanics Institute, presented by Metanoia Theatre
Set and costume design
2016
Caliban by the Edge Ensemble & Georgia Symons
Dir. Tariro Mavondo & Dave Kelman
Malthouse Theatre, presented by Western Edge
Set and costume design
3 Sisters by Anton Chekhov
Dir. Greg Ulfan
The Mechanics Institute, presented by Metanoia Theatre
Set and costume design
Tales of a City by the Sea by Samah Sabawi
Dir. Wahibe Moussa (remount) & Lech Mackiewicz (original)
La Mama Courthouse, Bakehouse Theatre, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, and Theatre KuAsh, Pusat Kreatif Kanak-kanak Tuanku Bainun (Kuala Lumpur, January 2017)
Set and costume design
Night Sings Its Songs by Jon Fosse
Dir. Rodrigo Calderón
La Mama Theatre
Set and costume design
2015
NaGL: Not a Good Look by Lech Mackiewicz
Dir. Greg Ulfan
The Mechanics Institute, presented by Metanoia Theatre
Set and costume design
Between Heaven and Her by Dodo Gombár
Dir. Lech Mackiewicz
La Mama Theatre, presented by La Mama and Auto Da Fe
Set and costume design
2014
Tales of a City by the Sea by Samah Sabawi
Dir. Lech Mackiewicz
La Mama Courthouse
Set and costume design
The Conference of the Birds based on a poem by Farid ud-Din Attar
Chor. Gilbert Douglas
Richmond West Primary School, presented by The Centre for Cultural Partnerships, VCA. Part of the Many Cultures—Many Voices project led by Sue Clark
Costume design and scenic art
Cher Trésor by Francis Veber
Dir. Judith Turnbull
Collingwood Town Hall, presented by Melbourne French Theatre
Costume design
2013
The Love of Don Perlimplín and Belisa in the Garden by Federico Garcia Lorca
Dir. Kate Shearman
VCA School of Drama, One Act Plays Season 2013
Set and costume design
A Feat Incomplete by Erica Brennan and David Buckley
Dir. Felicity Nicol
Old 505 Theatre
Set design
Just Looking
Chor. Vivienne Rogis
VCA School of Dance, Dancescape Season 2013
Set and costume design (with D Gieysztor)
CREATIVE PRODUCER
2024
The Word by St Martins
New devised work directed by Nadja Kostich: emerging out of an organic process of young people digging for light inside recent dark years, The Word wrestles with systems of power to reclaim and rewrite new future trajectories.
North Magdalen Laundry, Abbotsford Convent
Producer
2023
Zaffé by Stéphanie Ghajar and Collaborators
An immersive an immersive theatre celebration hosted by young artists from the Middle Eastern diaspora.
Inaugural Malthouse Tower Commission, Melbourne Fringe
Winner, Director’s Choice Award
Malthouse Tower, Melbourne Fringe
Creative producer and co-devisor
2022
The Seagull by Anton Chekhov, translated and directed by Bagryana Popov
Creative development and showings of a site-specific, durational performance of Chekhov’s The Seagull transposed to the Australian landscape
Nyerimilang Homestead and Heritage Park, Gunaikurnai Country, East Gippsland
Associate Producer with Bagryana Popov and La Mama Theatre
Gene Tree: Listen. Now. Again by St Martins
New devised work conceived by Elissa Goodrich and directed by Nadja Kostich: children and teens lead an experience, fuelled by music and rhythm, that explores our personal and collective connections to nature
St Martins, in partnership with Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne
Producer
Afterplay by Brian Friel
Theatre production
La Mama Theatre, Melbourne Fringe
Co-producer with Kirsten von Bibra
THEM by Samah Sabawi, directed by Bagryana Popov
Riverside Theatre NSW, Geelong Arts Centre VIC, Kingston Butter Factory QLD, Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre NSW, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre NSW, Capital Theatre Bendigo VIC, Bunjil Place VIC, Hothouse Theatre VIC, Gippsland Performing Arts Centre
Co-producer with Critical Stages Touring and La Mama Theatre
Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht, translated by Tony Kushner
Theatre production
La Mama Courthouse
Co-producer with Bagryana Popov
2021-22
Zaffé by Stéphanie Ghajar and collaborators
Creative developments towards an immersive performance exploring how young artists from the Arabic diaspora attempt to commemorate what is lost through migration and the passing of time
Siteworks, Testing Grounds, Bowery Theatre (Be Bold Residency)
Creative producer
2021
THEM by Samah Sabawi, directed by Bagryana Popov
Remount and tour, VCE Playlist 2021
Riverlinks Westside, Shepparton (Arts Centre Melbourne, The Capitol Bendigo, Bunjil Place, and Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre NSW postponed 2022)
Co-producer with Critical Stages Touring and La Mama Theatre
The Book Room with Samah Sabawi
A podcast and event series featuring writers whose works have contributed to decolonizing literature
Online
Producer
2020
The Seagull by Anton Chekhov
Creative development towards a new adaptation conceived and directed by Bagryana Popov
Online
Co-creative producer with Bagryana Popov and La Mama Theatre
2019
THEM by Samah Sabawi, directed by Bagryana Popov
Theatre production
La Mama Courthouse
Creative producer
2018
Gilgamesh
CultureLAB creative development
Arts House
Creative producer
Bukjeh: Stories of Home, and of Having to Leave It
Installation and series of performances created in response to children's questions for refugees
Immigration Museum, Melbourne
Co-creative producer with Aseel Tayah
2017
THEM
Creative development towards theatre production of a new play by Samah Sabawi
La Trobe University, Melbourne
Creative producer
Tales of a City by the Sea: Malaysia
Theatre production, international tour
Theatre KuAsh, Pusat Kreatif Kanak-kanak Tuanku Bainun
Australian Producer
2016
Tales of a City by the Sea: Australian Tour
Theatre production, VCE Playlist 2016
La Mama Theatre; Bakehouse Theatre; Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre
Co-producer with Daniel Clarke and Samah Sabawi
2015
Our Journey to Glenroy
Families and children create photo narratives exploring their histories of migration
Exhibited at Glenroy Festival and the Contemporary Pacific Arts Festival
In partnership with Collaborative Cultures and Itiki Sporting Club
Melbourne
Co-producer with Polash Larsen and project facilitator
2015
Between Heaven and Her
Theatre production
La Mama Theatre, Melbourne
Producer
2014
Patrice Naiambana in Melbourne: International Tour
Performances, workshops, and public forums
Footscray Community Arts Centre & Institute of Postcolonial Studies, Melbourne
Producer, as associate producer for Tribal Soul Arts
Everyman and the Pole Dancers
Theatre production
Metanoia Theatre at the Mechanics Institute, Melbourne
Production manager
2012
Zwarte Piet Speaks
Workshops and performance
University College Roosevelt, the Netherlands
Co-producer with Patrice Naiambana, as associate producer for Tribal Soul Arts
Tribal Soul Decolonial Creativity Camp
Creative development and intercultural exchange project
Zalala Beach Lodge, Mozambique
Co-producer with Patrice Naiambana, as associate producer for Tribal Soul Arts
2011
The Gospel of Othello
Workshops and performances
Intwasa Arts Festival KoBulawayo, Zimbabwe
Co-producer with Patrice Naiambana, as associate producer for Tribal Soul Arts
The Man Who Committed Thought
Theatre production
University College Roosevelt, the Netherlands
Co-producer with Lena Bumiller
2004-6
Deja
Monthly community music event
The Clubhouse, Sydney
Co-producer with Max Schollar-Root
PUBLICATIONS
2016
Our Journey to Glenroy by the families of Itiki Sporting Club
Photo narratives exploring family histories of migration
Ed. and project facilitator
2014
Year of the rabbit
BMW Art Guide by Independent Collectors, 28 May
An eye into a secret world
BMW Art Guide by Independent Collectors, 7 February
2012
I Am Not A Tourist: Aims and implications of "traveling"
Tourist Studies, vol 12.2 (August), pp. 191-209
Current Trends in Pedagogical Stylistics
Ed. with Burke, Csabi, & Zerkowitz, London: Bloomsbury Academic
Sexuality, Masculinity, and the Canvas: Decoding desire in the art of Michelangelo
Ad Astra, vol 5 (February), pp. 57-78
2009
Veiled Images: Decoding Western media's depictions of Arab women
Ad Astra, vol 3 (August), pp. 9-18
AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
ZAFFÉ
Winner Director’s Choice Award, Melbourne Fringe 2023
Winner Best Sound Design and Composition, Green Room Awards 2024 (Meena Shamaly & Camille Feghali)
Nominee Best Independent Production, Green Room Awards 2024
Nominee Best Set Design, Green Room Awards 2024 (Ayman Kaake & Lara Week)
GENE TREE: LISTEN. NOW. AGAIN
Winner Best Independent Production, Green Room Awards 2023
Winner Best Sound Design & Composition, Green Room Awards 2023 (Elissa Goodrich)
Nominee Best Ensemble, Green Room Awards 2023
THEM
Winner Best New Writing, Green Room Awards 2020 (Samah Sabawi)
Nominee Best Independent Production, Green Room Awards 2020
TALES OF A CITY BY THE SEA
Winner Best Performance by a Theatre Company, Drama Victoria 2016
Nominee Best Independent Production, Green Room Awards 2017
POP-UP BOROONDARA
Silver Winner Pop-Ups, Display, Exhibit & Set Design, Melbourne Design Awards 2015 (Lara Week for CoDesign Studio)
EDUCATION
2020
Diploma in Youth Work
Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
2013
Postgraduate Diploma in Performance Creation (Design)
Victorian College of the Arts (University of Melbourne), Australia
2011
BA Hons in Arts & Humanities (Human Geography) summa cum laude
University College Roosevelt (Utrecht University), The Netherlands