ABOUT
Stella Backman is a Set and Costume Designer within the live arts industry. She is based between London and Stockholm, working across the UK, Europe and internationally.
As a theatre designer, Stella focuses on creating accessible performances. She is passionate about designing work that pushes the boundaries of accessibility, ensuring that theatre is available to audiences often excluded or overlooked. One of her notable achievements includes designing Sensory Cinders at @sohoplace, the first-ever West End pantomime tailored for audiences with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). Stella has also worked closely with ZooCo for many years, designing the award-winning and critically acclaimed Perfect Show for Rachel.
In addition to theatre, Stella works in live music as a frequently collaborator with Mångata Collective. Her live music credits include set design for Sleep Token, Machine Gun Kelly, Texas, and James Arthur.
Stella's work has been showcased in venues such as Download Festival, The O2 Arena, The Barbican Centre, OVO Hydro Arena, @sohoplace, O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire, Queen's Theatre Hornchurch, Southbank Centre, Lyric Hammersmith, and The Roundhouse.
CV
CURRENT & UPCOMING PRODUCTIONS
2026
CAROLINE | Set & Costume Designer | UK tour | Musical | Dir. Douglas Rintoul & Alex Thorpe
WHODUNNIT (UNREHEARSED) 4 | Set & Costume Designer | Park Theatre | Theatre | Dir. Jez Bond
PAST PRODUCTIONS
2025
COUNTESS DRACULA | Set & Costume Designer | UK tour | Theatre | Of The Jackel
TO THOSE ISLANDERS | Set & Costume Designer | ACE funded R&D | Theatre | Dir. Natalie Simone
SLEEP TOKEN | Set Designer | US Tour, Download Festival, Rock am Ring, Rock im Park | Live Music | Mångata Collective
THE FIT PRINCE | Set & Costume Designer | The Pleasance, Edinburgh Fringe | Theatre | Awkward Prods
MGK | Set Designer | Vans Warped Tour | Live Music | Mångata Collective
LIL.MISS.LADY | Set & Costume Designer | UK Tour | Theatre | Highrise | Dir. Dom Garfield
HOSPITAL DOORS | Set & Costume Designer | UK Tour | Theatre | Next Door But One | Dir. Matt Harper-Hardcastle
2024
JAMES ARTHUR | Set Designer | O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire | Live Music | Mångata Collective
TEXAS: THE VERY BEST OF TEXAS | Production Designer | UK Arena Tour | Live Music | Mångata Collective
SENSORY CINDERS | Set & Costume Designer | Sohoplace | Theatre | Concrete Youth | Dir. Belle Streeton
THE TURN OF THE SCREW | Set & Costume Designer | Queen's Theatre Hornchurch | Theatre | Dir. Anna Marsland
PERFECT SHOW FOR RACHEL | Set & Costume Designer | Barbican Centre, Brighton Dome | ZooCo & Improbable | Theatre | Dir. Rachel O'Mahony
SHUSH | Set & Costume Designer | Jackson's Lane | Tit for Tat Circus & Thimble Theatre | Theatre
DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY | Set & Costume Designer | Jersey Arts Centre | Theatre | Dir. John Wright
2023
THE GREAT | Costume Designer | Lionsgate+ | Promotional event | Cartwheel & Co
BOSSY | Set & Costume Designer | Lyric Hammersmith, Southbank Centre | Theatre | ZooCo | Dir. Flo O'Mahony & Cherie Gordon
NIGHT SHIFT | Set & Costume Designer | Stanley Arts | Theatre | ZooCo | Dir. Flo O'Mahony & Brian Duffy
DELIGHT IN THE WOODS | Set & Costume Designer | Box Hill | Theatre | ZooCo | Dir. Flo O'Mahony
2022
PERFECT SHOW FOR RACHEL | Set & Costume Designer | Barbican Centre | Theatre | ZooCo | Dir. Rachel O'Mahony
KING RODOLFO | Set & Costume Designer | Pleasance Dome | Theatre | Dir. Ciaran Dowd
MAYBE, PROBABLY | Set & Costume Designer | Old Red Lion | Theatre | Over There Theatre | Dir. Lydia Parker
2021
DIFFERENT OWNERS AT SUNRISE | Set & Costume Designer | The Roundhoues | Theatre | Dir. Flo O'Mahony
SUMMER'S PARK ADVENTURE | Set & Costume Designer | Deptford Park | Theatre | Dir. Becca Chadder
LADIES IN THE VAN | Set & Costume Designer | Touring | Theatre | Dir. Flo O'Mahony
2020
MERRY'S CHRISTMAS ADVENTURE | Set & Costume Designer | Deptford Park | Theatre | Dir. Anna Fox
2019
THE ASTONISHING ADVENTURES OF ALFRED | Production Designer | Short film | Dir. Joe Pearson
ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM | Set & Costume Designer | Camden People's | Theatre | Dir. Lanre Malaoulu
DELIGHT IN THE WOODS | Set & Costume Designer | Box Hill | Theatre | Dir. Flo O'Mahony
2018
MESSY | Set & Costume Designer | Lyric Hammersmith | Theatre | Dir. Flo O'Mahony
INSTALLING THE WHISPER PIECE | Production Designer | Short film | Dir. Mengjiao Chen
12 MILLION VOLTS | Set & Costume Designer | Greenwich Theatre | Theatre | Dir. Chris Yarnell