Publication: Ovation, set of three plays

Publication design for a set of three plays

Ovation is the culmination of my undergraduate design studies; a limited-edition collector’s set of three illustrated plays—Salome, Cyrano de Bergerac, and Ghosts. This project reimagines these works as both an expressive art object and a strategic audience engagement tool.

Responding to shifts in Australia’s performing arts landscape, where attendance patterns and revenue streams are changing, this concept offers theatres a new way to connect with patrons and diversify income beyond ticket sales. Inspired by a commitment to storytelling and emotional depth, Ovation translates these qualities into a tactile, collectible form that extends the theatre experience.

The collection features a custom slipcase, fabric-bound hardcovers, die-cut dust jackets, fore-edge detailing, expressive illustrations, patterned endpapers. The design draws from ideas of performance—reveal and conceal, anticipation and applause—through layered colour, pattern, and materiality. Each publication interacts through overlapping motifs and hidden design elements, working both cohesively and independently. The result is a refined, narrative-driven publication that offers audiences a lasting keepsake.

Year: 2025