VCA DESIGN & PRODUCTION
GRADUATE SHOWCASE
The University of Melbourne

Faculty of Fine Arts and Music

University of Melbourne (Australian University)

PRV12150 | CRICOS: 00116K

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Reuben JAMES

'The Oyster' 2024

Image: Gregory Lorenzutti

Reuben JAMES headshot

With a keen eye for detail, and a fascination of colour and form, Reuben is an emerging designer for performance.
With a particular enthusiasm for the stages of dance and theatre, they are eager to design across artforms, and aspires to make work that interrogates the relationship between content and form.
Influenced by their years performing onstage, Reuben's passion as a designer is in interrogation of concept, and in finding the point where the subtlety of dramaturgy meets the boldness of play.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production)
Costume Construction, Lighting, Set & Costume Design
reubenjames442@gmail.comWebInstagram
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Costume Design Highlights, 2023-2025

Feature image: Drew Echberg.

2024 Costume Project | 'Ram Mask', and 'Art Finished Coat'

Photography: Amanda Hitten

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Set + Prop Design Highlights | 2023-2025

Feature image: Ben Fon

'The Drowsy Chaperone' 3D Model, 2025.

With great attention to detail, and a dedication to creating work that is equally grounded in concept as it is aesthetically bold, Reuben’s work at the VCA spanned the art forms, designing for music theatre, opera, devised theatre, and contemporary dance.
In 2025, they completed internships with designers Emily Barrie (Moomba Festival, Opening Parade) and Paula Levis (Chunky Move, ‘Phantasm’), and Split Focus Projects (‘Campfire’), and, during their studies, were awarded the Agnes Robertson Undergraduate Entry Scholarship, and the Lionel Gell Annual Student Excellence Award.

'The Estuary', 2025
Image: Darren Gill

'The Drowsy Chaperone', 2025

Image: Ben Fon

Course
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production)
Specialisation
Costume Construction
Lighting
Set & Costume Design
Place
Adelaide
Melbourne
Performance Type
Dance
Live Performance
Opera
Theatre
Music Theatre
Approach
Dramaturgy
Play
DANCE   (1 ⁄ 10)
Poppy GORDON
Maddie GARWOOD
Research
Interest
Colour + Form
New work
Queer Performance