Ksenia Broda-Milian is a set, costume, and lighting designer, educator, and member of the Associated Designers of Canada. She is happiest when creating designs that allow for interaction with performers, whether that means a set that can be manipulated, costumes that speak for the characters as loudly as their lines do, or lighting that reflects inner dialogue as much as it corresponds to blocking. Ksenia's strength lies in understanding how design elements affect each other as well as the people playing onstage. She is also intrigued by how design interacts with movement and space in terms of volume, staging, and transformation. Ksenia believes in  design as a dramaturgical tool, and is excited about meaningful collaboration with directors, performers, and other artists on the team in order to clearly tell a story. She has a passion for creating an accessible world, including incorporating principles of universal design and accessibility into the environments in which we present theatre as well as her personal practice. 

Ksenia holds an MFA in Drama: Theatre Design from the University of Alberta, but hails from Winnipeg, Manitoba. There she earned a BA Honours in Theatre with concentrations in Design, Production, and Stage Management (as well as a BSc in Biology) from the University of Winnipeg. She has also trained in Creative Manitoba’s mentorship program, with Off the Wall/Stratford Artist’s Alliance, Ghost River Theatre, and at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Her studies in accessibility include the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification Training Program and coursework with the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. As well, she brings to each process her extensive background of training in, performing, and teaching classical music, musical theatre, and dance; considering aspects of motion, choreography, and change in her work. 

Ksenia treasures her teaching experiences at Theatre Alberta's Artstrek, Manitoba Theatre for Young People, and West Broadway Youth Outreach; and as both a teacher's assistant and interim Design and Theatrical Makeup instructor for undergraduate students at the University of Winnipeg. 

​Her credits include designs for productions across Canada by Magnus Theatre, Rainbow Stage, Winnipeg Jewish Theatre, University of Winnipeg, Sarasvàti Productions, Pocket Frock Productions, and Winnipeg Studio Theatre, as well as apprenticeships and assistantships with the Stratford Festival, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Royal Winnipeg Ballet (assistant lighting designer on The Handmaid’s Tale – world premiere), Prairie Theatre Exchange, and two seasons apprenticing at Rainbow Stage. Ksenia has also been a scenic painter for Koba Entertainment, RMTC, and Alternative Theatre Works (Stratford), and worked in stage management and production for several independent shows. 

“Scenography: open-ended conversation between design and performer”
- Vicki Mortimer

Photo: Elizabeth D'Alessio (studiodalessio.ca)