Michael Downs

Overview

Michael Downs is a career designer – a 3D storyteller of events, experiences and environments. For over 45 years, he has filled roles as varied as Experiential Designer, Creative Director, Production & Scenic Designer, Environments Designer, Video Content Designer, Illustrator and Art Director, and he has over 1200 productions to his credit…in 49 countries spanning 5 continents, and across 49 of the 50 United States.

Michael’s process has helped drive cohesive creative solutions for a wide variety of clients and is considered a creative hybrid, capable of contributing inventive ideas from the very beginning of any creative process. He transforms project strategies and theatrical challenges into visual stories for audiences to experience. He then translates his creativity and ideas into completely unique, multi-dimensional, awe-inspiring designs and environments to support plays, ideas, screenplays, film and TV and brand or product messaging.

His contributions reach further than most clients expect—and they appreciate his fresh, unexpected approach, touching virtually every communications channel that requires environments: public spectaculars, theatre/opera, retail, corporate meetings and product launches, sport production, concerts, mobile marketing, consumer events, museum and trade show exhibits—as well as film, television and video.

Michael’s work has been seen from local Dinner Theatre to Regional Theatre, Tours and Broadway… within nineteen North American Science and Historical Museums… in connection with the last five National Presidential Elections… as part of five NFL Super Bowls, and six Olympic Games… on most major television networks… throughout the Pop, County, Rock & Rap stadiums, clubs and concert halls… and in association with countless Corporate Mobile Experiences, Trade Shows, Launches, Festivals, Press Meetings and Events.

Some Notable Projects-

• Corporate Meetings, Events, Launches, Trade Show, Press: BLOCK, TOYOTA HSD, AWS, SALESFORCE DREAMFORCE, HASBRO, IBM, GOOGLE, INTEL, INTUIT, LENOVO, SAP, PANASONIC, BANK OF AMERICA, LG, MICROSOFT, SBER BANK, ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST, McDONALD’S, AMGEN, GENERAL MOTORS, YAHOO, CRUISE, NUANCE, SAMSUNG, VOLVO, WAL-MART, VICTORIA’S SECRET, BEST BUY, WENDY’S, MERCEDES, KIA, DOMINO’S, VEEAM & CARL’S JR., CISCO, CANVA
• Concert Tours: AEROSMITH, SNOOP DOGG, ALICE COOPER, BOY EPIC, BERNER, CHER, FIFTH HARMONY, HALSEY, KHALID & CYPRESS HILL
• Big Public Spectacles: FOUNDING DAY (Saudi Arabia), DEMOCRACY PLAZA ELECTION NIGHT (NBC, 2005 Emmy Award Nominee), ELECTRONIC MUSIC AWARDS, THE AMERICA’S CUP FAN EXPERIENCE, THE AMERICAN RODEO, CONCACAF’s MEDALS CEREMONY, OPENING CEREMONIES for the RYDER CUP, THE WHISTLER MEDAL’S PLAZA at the 2010 WINTER OLYMPICS IN VANCOUVER and has designed for five other Olympics (Sochi, Athens, Nagano, Salt Lake City and Atlanta) and has designed, art directed or participated as a member of the Creative Team on six NFL SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOWS & SEASON KICK-OFF CELEBRATIONS & FAN EXPERIENCES.
• Museums & Properties: SEDGWICK COUNTY ZOO LION HABITAT, THE SCIENCE OF ROCK AND ROLL Science Museum Tour, EXPLORATION PLACE SCIENCE MUSEUM RIVERS OF THE MIDWEST
• Television & Live Event Broadcast: WONDERLAND (MTV), VIRGIN GALLACTIC’S UNITY 22 SPACE FLIGHT, BASSMASTERS CLASSIC & NFL GAME DAY (ESPN), US OPEN BROADCAST CENTER (CBS), X GAMES ASPEN 2023, Broadcast Studios for KNBC, ASHARQ (Saudi Arabia), BCGTV, GSK LIVE, NINTENDO-TV & CNN @SxSW.
• Retail, Pop-up & Store Design: WIRED MAGAZINE, HISTORY CHANNEL, LG, LENOVO, APOLLO EDUCATION, KANYE WEST’s GAP STORE, NINTENDO, INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONS CUP/HOUSE OF SOCCER, FEINE COFFEE
• Broadway Scenic Coordinator Credits: ROZA, PETER PAN, PLAY ON, OUR COUNTRY’S GOOD, STATE FAIR
• Theatre Opera & Dance: TIANANMEN: A NEW MUSICAL (Phoenix Theatre Company), DREAMKEEPERS (Utah Opera), INTO THE WOODS (HALO), CINDRILLON (Boston), MY FAIR LADY (starring Richard Chamberlain), GREASE (South America), WILD WOMEN BLUES (starring Linda Hopkins), FAME: THE MUSICAL, CRAZY FOR YOU (European Tours), JONAH (Public Theatre), HELLO MUDDAH, HELLO FADDAH (Roundabout), JERSEY BOYS & ROCK OF AGES (MTW), THE COLOR PURPLE, JEKYLL & HYDE & CABARET (Roxy’s Downtown), MAGIC FLUTE (Huntington), FROZEN: THE MUSICAL (Ogunquit Playhouse)

In addition, he has also contributed to the illustrations of four books & the covers of two others and collaborated with the US Military, developing theatrical tricks to help fool an enemy on the battlefield.

Michael is an Emmy Award Nominee for NBC’s Democracy Plaza in Rockefeller Center and a Reggie Award Nominee for his work on the History Channel Pop Shop. He is an Adrian Award winner (honored for the British Airways Concorde Fleet Retirement Events by the international Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association), and has received an After Dark Award, two Roxy’s Awards, two Mary Jane Teall Awards and three Sarah Awards for theatrical designs in the U.S.

As a design scholar, Michael has studied with famed Russian Designer Alexander Okun and holds a Bachelor’s in Fine Arets, in Scenic Design from the School of Theatre Arts at Boston University (Magna Cum Laude, 1986). He continues to be a proud and active member of Unions: I.A.T.S.E. #190 & United Scenic Artists #829. As well, he is Founder/Owner & Lifeguard of Creativity at Downsart, Inc.