Because We’ve Got Michael Curry’s Designs

The Scappoose designer has worked on sets everywhere from Broadway to Taylor Swift’s Eras tour.

Michael Curry - Katy Perry set Reasons to Love Portland '25 (Courtesy of Michael Curry Designs)
By Sophie Peel

One of the country’s most acclaimed and award-winning set designers lives right here in town.

Michael Curry, who makes stage props and animated figures for Broadway plays, international art shows, Olympic opening ceremonies and pop stars like Pink, Katy Perry, and Doja Cat, is a Portlander. And though his design firm is in Scappoose, he still spends much of his time in Portland.

Curry attended what’s now the Pacific Northwest College of Art (it was then called the Museum Art School and had only 120 students) and worked as a sculptor and painter after graduation. He soon moved to New York City, where he took up street performance, but not in the guitar-strumming way. Curry did interactive art.

For one of his more successful acts, he dressed all in black and strapped a puppet of a satyr to the front of his body. The act, called Afternoon of a Panhandler, consisted of Curry walking around the city—including subway stations—playing a pan pipe and singing the blues.

“I would make characters and creatures and sculptures that moved, and go in the streets of New York,” Curry says. “And that’s where I was discovered by theatrical producers.”

Curry was scouted by some of the highest minds in theater.

“I went from knowing nothing about theater to being actually involved in the highest expression of people working on it, within a space of about two years,” Curry says.

He moved his design studio, now with 63 employees, to Scappoose in 2002. His firm works on 10 to 12 projects concurrently.

He works regularly with Disney, Pixar and Universal Studios, including lots of work for the Harry Potter franchise, such as the Diagon Alley attraction at its theme parks. He has worked on various Broadway shows, including the The Lion King and Frozen. He’s also creating designs for a giant water show in the United Arab Emirates and other projects in London and China.

One of his better-known clients last year was Taylor Swift. He created the giant pink fans that flamed out behind her during sets on her Eras tour.

Says Curry, “We work with female divas a lot.”

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.