About
Ben Hughes is a lighting designer whose design practice spans theatre, dance and opera. He is Associate Artistic Director of The Danger Ensemble.
Ben’s lighting designs have appeared on stages throughout Australia, and internationally in the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, United States, China, India & New Zealand. He has designed for companies including: Queensland Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, State Theatre Company of South Australia, Malthouse Theatre, Opera Queensland, Belvoir, La Boite Theatre Company, Queensland Ballet, Sydney Festival, Brisbane Festival, Australasian Dance Collective, Dead Puppet Society, Prospero Arts, The Danger Ensemble, HotHouse Theatre, The Nest Ensemble, Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre, JUTE Theatre, Stella Electrika, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Phluxus2 Dance Collective, Collusion, Company2, Gold Coast Arts Centre, Woodford Folk Festival and Kooemba Jdarra.
He works with leading directors and choreographers including: Maxine Doyle, Simon Phillips, Guy Weizmann, Roni Haver, Meryl Tankard, Lindy Hume, Sam Strong, Paige Rattray, Leah Purcell, Sarah Goodes, Todd MacDonald, Natalie Weir, Michael Gow, Wesley Enoch, David Berthold, Nils Christie, Daniel Evans, Isaac Drandic, Darren Yap, Katina Olsen, Robert Binet, Yolande Brown, Greg Horsman, Gavin Webber, David Morton, Courtney Stewart, Lee Lewis, Francois Klaus, Amy Hollingsworth, Jack Lister, Alisdair Macindoe, Lucas Jervies, Stephanie Lake and Melanie Lane.
Recent highlights include: for Brisbane Festival, LOVE STORIES, SALAMANDER, BANANALAND; for Queensland Theatre, A FEW GOOD MEN, THE SAPPHIRES, 37 (with Melbourne Theatre Company), ROUND THE TWIST – THE MUSICAL, THE ALMIGHTY SOMETIMES, THE SUNSHINE CLUB, BOY SWALLOWS UNIVERSE, TRIPLE X (with Sydney Theatre Company), MOUTHPIECE,, L’APPARTEMENT, TWELFTH NIGHT, NOISES OFF! (with Melbourne Theatre Company), AN OCTOROON, SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE, SWITZERLAND, GOOD MUSLIM BOY (with Malthouse Theatre), BLACK DIGGERS (with Sydney Festival), MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN, HAPPY DAYS, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING; for QPAC, IS THAT YOU RUTHIE, BREAKING THE CASTLE; for Sydney Theatre Company, POISON OF POLYGAMY (with La Boite), BLACK IS THE NEW WHITE (and national tour), THE EFFECT (with Queensland Theatre); for Opera Queensland, DON GIOVANNI, MOZART AIRBORNE (with Expressions Dance Company and Natalie Weir), SNOW WHITE; for La Boite, IRL, THE LAST FIVE YEARS, AWAY, NAKED AND SCREAMING, THE NEIGHBOURHOOD, FROM DARKNESS, THE MATHEMATICS OF LONGING, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, MEDEA; for Meryl Tankard, TWO FEET (Adelaide Festival and Hong Kong Arts Festival); for Australasian Dance Collective, BAD NATURE (with Club Guy & Roni, Studio Boris Acket), BLUE, THREE 2.0, FORGERY, AFTERMATH, THE DINNER PARTY (THE HOST), CONVERGE, PROPEL, CARMEN SWEET; for Queensland Ballet, HAMLET, BESPOKE, THE LITTLE MERMAID, PETER AND THE WOLF, THE MASTERS SERIES, FLOURISH, GISELLE; for Prospero Arts, SWEET CHARITY, DUSTY, PIRATES OF PENZANCE, JERSEY BOYS, SINGING IN THE RAIN, WIZARD OF OZ; for Performing Lines and Sydney Festival, HIDE THE DOG; for Dead Puppet Society,, PETER AND THE STARCATCHER, WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE (with La Boite), HOLDING ACHILLES (with Legs on the Wall, Brisbane Festival and Sydney Festival).
Ben was Resident Lighting Designer at Queensland Theatre in 2013, and in 2014 and 2011 was an Affiliate Artist with the company. He is a member of the La Boite Artists’ Company for 2021 and 2022.
He co-directed and co-designed TROLLOP, winner of the Queensland Premier’s Drama Award, with Wesley Enoch and David Morton for Queensland Theatre.
Ben has won the Matilda Award for Best Lighting Design for SALAMANDER in 2023, and A FEW GOOD MEN in 2025, and has received numerous Matilda Award nominations including for 37, THE ALMIGHTY SOMETIMES, BOY SWALLOWS UNIVERSE, L’APPARTEMENT, SWITZERLAND, GOOD MUSLIM BOY, THE CRUCIBLE, JOHN GABRIEL BORKMAN and MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN and for Best Set Design for CALIGULA (co-design). Been was nominated for a Green Room Award for Best Lighting Design for 37, and has received Australian Production Design Guild Award nominations for SALAMANDER, PETER AND THE STARCATCHER, MEDEA, TWELFTH NIGHT, and BOY SWALLOWS UNIVERSE;
Ben is an accredited member of the Australian Production Design Guild, and sits on the National Executive of the guild. Ben also regularly lectures in lighting design at Queensland University of Technology.
Ben is represented by Justine Goss / Aurora Artists Management
