Biography & CV
In 1995 Stuart was awarded the Margaret Rutherford Scholarship to attend Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, London on their Technical Theatre course. During his time at Mountview Stuart designed a triple bill of Sam Shepard plays (1996) and RW Fassbinder's The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1997)
Stuart went on to work in London's fringe theatre, including designing the world premiere of Nell Dunn's Babe xxx (1998). Stuart's successes culminated in his selection for the internationally acclaimed Motley Theatre Design Course during which he produced the designs for a devised project Going Home for the English National Opera's Baylis Programme (2000).
Since graduating from Motley Stuart has worked mainly in the operatic world, designing sets and costumes for many productions including:
| The Barber of Seville (2007) | Così fan tutte (2007) |
| Don Giovanni (2006) | Dido and Aeneas (2006) |
| Cox and Box (2006) | The Bear (2002 & 2005) |
| The Wandering Scholar (2005) | La Voix Humaine (2004) |
| La boheme (2004 & 2005) | Socrates (2004) |
| La Cenerentola (2004) |
Rigoletto (2003) |
| The Rake's Progress (2002) |
Madam Butterfly (2002) |
| Trouble in Tahiti (2002) |
Handel's Samson (2002) |
| The Pirates of Penzance (2001) | Iolanthe (2001) |
| Aida (2001) |
Stuart has also designed for the Opera Scenes at Birmingham Conservatoire (2005 & 2006) and numerous community opera and musical projects in London and Cambridge.
Although Stuart's focus has been on opera he has also designed costumes for The Witch of Edmonton at the Southwark Playhouse, London (2000) and set and costumes for Hermes the Musical at the Rosemary Branch, London (2006).
He has often designed the publicity images for the shows he has worked on and was the publicity designer for British Youth Opera between 2001 and 2006, producing both posters and adverts for various publications. Stuart has also been commissioned to provide costume illustrations and period commentary for Agatha Christie Magazine.
Stuart's focus at the Wardrobe was on costume making, supporting work-placement students and initiating an electronic inventory of costumes. In early 2008 Stuart left the Wardrobe to focus again on performance design leaving behind 'an incredibly versatile community resource' (Katy May, newly appointed Wardrobe Manager, Surrey Arts Wardrobe).
In Spring 2008 Stuart began working on an open-air production of L'elisir d'amore for British Youth Opera in Anghiari, Italy. His sets were designed to work in conjunction with the historic environment and used elements of the town square buildings as part of the scenery.
In October 2008 Stuart designed costumes for a production of Frank Wedekind's Spring Awakening directed by Gari Jones at the world renowned Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, Britain's oldest theatre arts training school.
2009 has seen Stuart design and construct several sets of Latin dance costumes which have featured in competitions in Berlin, Vienna and Copenhagen. He has also continued with his writing and illustration work for magazines.
Forthcoming projects include:
• New range of recycled clothing designs.
• More illustrations and articles for publications.
• More Latin and Ballroom dance performance costumes.
please click on this link to download Stuart's CV