Dann Barber is considered one of the most exciting designers in a new wave of emerging theatre practitioners. In only a short time since graduating NIDA’s design program, he has amassed a range of credits across many varied fields. Recent work includes his acclaimed re-imagining of ‘Barnum: The Circus Musical’ starring Todd McKenny (StoreyBoard Entertainment) ’33 Variations’ starring Ellen Burstyn and Lisa McCune (Mariners Group and Cameron Lukey), ‘Escaped Alone’ (Red Stitch Actors Theatre), ‘the Ghetto Cabaret’ (Fortyfivedownstairs) and the sold out season of ‘Angels in America’ (Cameron Lukey, Dirty Pretty Theatre). He has worked in Sydney at the Hayes Theatre, ‘Carmen: Alive or Dead’, and at the Griffin, ‘Thomas Murray and The Upside Down River’. Further north he has amassed a reputation for excellence across many styles including acclaimed productions for The Queensland Theatre Company with ‘A Tribute of Sorts’, The Brisbane Festival, ‘Klutz: A tragic comedy’; and La Boite Theatre Company with ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.
His work spans costumes and set design across plays, musicals and opera’s with his work on ‘The Coronation of Poppea’ for Lyric opera in Melbourne receiving many accolades. Dann also runs his own theatre company- Goodnight Darling – and his first creation, which he both directed and designed, ‘Rainbow Man’ was programmed for a full season at Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne in 2017. Dann has been the associate costume designer for Gabriela Tylesova for ‘Sleeping Beauty’ (Australian Ballet) and most recenty ‘Shakespeare in Love’ (Melbourne Theatre Company).
This year he will design a major commercial run of ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne. And the Australian premiere of Amelie the Musical at the Eternity Theatre in Darlinghurst, Sydney. In addition to his NIDA design degree, Dann has a degree of Fine Arts- Drawing from RMIT.