Rye Mandel

(They/Them)

Rye is an adopted queer, Chinese-American Scenic and Media Designer for theatre. They also do Production Design and Art Director for film. Raised in New Orleans and being from mixed cultures, Rye’s is inspired by the histories, heritage, and identities of people. They approach design by looking into the intrinsic humanity of each piece and exploring our identities in the space that we create together. Rye has a passion for exploring new work and discovering fresh perspectives on the classics, while also rooting themselves in research.

Rye graduated with a Theatre degree from Northwestern State University, LA (2021), and they recently graduated with an MFA in Scenic and Production Design at UCLA (2025).

They are currently based in Los Angeles, but are willing to travel and explore the world!