CHARLES DAVIS

​Designer 



​Charles is a set and costume designer for theatre, opera, dance and film.  A graduate of NIDA, Charles also studied architectural design at Monash University. 
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During his final year at NIDA, Charles was awarded the William Fletcher Foundation Award for emerging artists and designed sets for the world premiere productions of Stephen Sewell’s KANDAHAR GATE and Michael Gow’s WRITING FOR PERFORMANCE. 

Charles’ theatre designs include: NO PAY? NO WAY!, THE REAL THING, THE WHARF REVUE 2018 and 2019 (Sydney Theatre Company); BUYER AND CELLAR, THE KITCHEN SINK and WIDOW UNPLUGGED (Ensemble Theatre); AN ACT OF GOD (Darlinghurst Theatre Company); SMURF IN WANDERLAND (Griffin Theatre/National Theatre of Parramatta); THE WHALE (Old Fitz), UNFINISHED WORKS (Seymour Centre); set design FLY Lano and Woodley national tour (Token Events); A SMOKE SOCIAL (Darwin Festival); and co-design THE GRAND HOTEL (Sydney Grammar).  Charles is associate set designer for MURIEL’S WEDDING: THE MUSICAL with Global Creatures and Sydney Theatre Company. He designed the set for the 2019 and 2020 Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s television and stage Galas.

Opera designs include: for Sydney Chamber Opera, BREAKING GLASS, BIOGRAPHICA design (with Sydney Festival), OH MENSCH! costume; NED KELLY (Perth Festival/Lost and Found Opera); MEDÉE, ARTASERSE, THE CORONATION OF POPPEA (Pinchgut Opera); HANSEL AND GRETEL (Queensland Conservatorium).  Charles was associate set designer for CARMEN directed by John Bell and THE MERRY WIDOW directed by Graeme Murphy (Opera Australia).  

Charles was awarded a 2018 Mike Walsh Fellowship.  He was nominated for a Sydney Theatre Award for best set design for THE WHALE. ARTASERSE, which he designed for Pinchgut Opera, won an International Opera Award for Best Rediscovered Work.

In 2020, Charles designs RULES FOR LIVING and THE WHARF REVUE for Sydney Theatre Company.

Charles is lecturer and mentor for NIDA’s undergraduate design programme.  

View Charles’ designs at charlesdavisdesigner.com