Laura Maleady
This body of work explores production design across three projects: a set design for Monteverdi's L'Orfeo, a TV multicam drama, and set designs for two rooms in The Plough and the Stars. Each project allowed me to explore different approaches to storytelling through design. My design for L’Orfeo was inspired by my thesis on classical antiquity, Humanism, and the birth of opera. I reimagined the work through abstraction and contemporary visual language to reflect Orpheus’s emotional journey. The TV multicam drama focused on practical studio design and camera movement, while The Plough and the Stars explored historical context through theatrical design.
This body of work explores production design across three projects: a set design for Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, a TV multicam drama, and set designs for two rooms in The Plough and the Stars. The main goal was to explore different approaches to designing for theatre, television, and film. Each project allowed me to develop my design skills in different ways. For L’Orfeo, I focused on creating an abstract and contemporary design inspired by my research. The TV multicam drama focused on designing a practical studio set that worked for camera movement and filming. For The Plough and the Stars, I focused on designing spaces that reflected the historical setting while adapting the work for screen.
Across all three projects, I aimed to explore how design can be adapted to suit different forms of storytelling.
Through these projects, I developed a stronger understanding of how production design can be adapted across theatre, television, and film. Each project allowed me to build different technical and creative skills, from conceptual research and visual development to practical set planning and spatial design.
The outcome of L’Orfeo was an abstract contemporary set design that translated historical research into a modern visual interpretation. The TV multicam drama resulted in a functional studio set designed to support camera movement and production requirements. The Plough and the Stars produced historically informed set designs that adapted the script for screen while creating believable cinematic spaces.
Overall, these projects strengthened my ability to design for different storytelling formats and improved my confidence in balancing creative ideas with practical design solutions.
Opera remains one of the most immersive art forms, combining music, visual design, architecture, and storytelling into a unified experience. This thesis explores the origins of opera as a product of Humanist philosophy and artistic innovation during the Italian Renaissance. It argues that the Renaissance revival of classical antiquity, alongside a renewed focus on human emotion and intellect, was central to shaping the artistic expression that established opera as an art form.
The study examines Renaissance visual language, focusing on how painting, sculpture, and design reflected ideals of proportion, harmony, and emotional depth. It also explores how architectural theories of perspective influenced stage design, creating immersive environments that transformed performance spaces and shaped the development of early operatic scenery.
Finally, the thesis considers opera as a Humanist experience, centred on the expressive power of Ancient Greek drama through music. Using the myth of Orpheus as a key example, it demonstrates how Renaissance thinkers understood art as a force capable of shaping human emotion and intellect. Within this context, opera emerges as a defining achievement of Renaissance Humanism, where philosophy, visual culture, and music converge to inspire operatic practice and design today.
Laura previously graduated from Ballyfermot College of Further Education with a diploma in Art, Graphic design, and Printmaking.
She has a strong interest in miniature model making and scenic painting. Working alongside set and costume designer Katie Davenport has provided invaluable experience within the Theatre Industry. This experience has strengthened her understanding of collaborative creative practice and working within professional production environments.
Laura has skills in research, model making, AutoCAD, SketchUp, and Photoshop. She is eager to continue learning across stage and screen as she develops her career as a Production Designer.
