Melanie Chen Cole Headshot

Melanie Chen Cole

Get Melanie Chen Cole Email Alerts

Be the first to get news, photos, videos & more.

Melanie Chen Cole BIO

Melanie Chen Cole (she/her/hers) is a sound designer who has experience recording and mastering voiceovers, working with body microphones, mixing musicals, and creating sound designs for live theatre and dance productions. She is most interested in creating soundscapes that highlight and support the story being told on stage. She also plays the piano and flute.

Melanie began her undergraduate journey as a Physiology and Neuroscience major at UC San Diego and a minor in music. Upon completing an introduction to theatre design course in her third year, she was determined to be involved in this creative community. She assisted La Jolla Playhouse Sound Supervisor and Finest City Improv artist Joe Huppert in a school production. Soon after that, she became a theatre minor. Melanie has a Bachelor degree from University of California, San Diego in Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts program in the Music and Visual Arts.

She received a MFA degree for sound design in 2014 from the department of Theatre & Dance at the same university, studying under composer and sound designer Shahrokh Yadegari. She teaches Intro to Sound Design at UC San Diego.

When not designing shows, Melanie enjoys going to the beach, hiking, learning about photography, and watching TV shows with her husband Ben while cuddling with their cat Wendy.

Melanie is a proud member of USA 829 and a board member of TSDCA.

Melanie Chen Cole Videos

Melanie Chen Cole News


Cast Set for Alley Theatre's JANE EYRE This Spring


Alley Theatre has revealed the cast of Jane Eyre. Learn who is starring and see how to purchase tickets.

Cast Set for Alley Theatre's Multilingual World Premiere of THE WORLD IS NOT SILENT


The Alley Theatre has revealed the cast of The World is Not Silent. See who is starring and learn how to purchase tickets.

Video: Get A First Look at Denver Center for the Performing Arts' CEBOLLAS


Get a first look at Denver Center for the Performing Arts' Cebollas in an all new trailer. Tere are three sisters forced to take an unexpected road trip from Albuquerque to Denver. Speeding past Santa Fe, Colorado Springs, and Castle Rock, they reflect on family history and muse about the future. They don’t travel for business or for pleasure.

Full Cast and Creative Teams Set for World Premiere Productions CEBOLLAS and RUBICON at Denver Theatre Company


The Denver Center Theatre Company has revealed the full casting and creative teams for the world premiere productions of Cebollas by Leonard Madrid (Las Arañas, Berkeley Rep) and Rubicon by Kirsten Potter (Unraveling, ACT Seattle -workshop).

Full Cast and Creative Team Set for A CHRISTMAS CAROL at DCPA Theatre Company


The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) Theatre Company has revealed the full casting and creative team for Denver’s favorite holiday tradition, A Christmas Carol. 

The Old Globe Cast And Creative Team Of DR. SEUSS'S HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS!


The Old Globe announces the full cast and creative team of Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Directed by James Vásquez and featuring Andrew Polec as The Grinch.

DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE to Play North Coast Repertory Theatre Beginning This Month


Experience the Halloween spirit with North Coast Repertory Theatre's production of 'DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE,' adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson's novella. Directed by Shana Wride, performances run from Oct. 18 to Nov. 12, 2023.

DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE Announced At North Coast Repertory Theatre


North Coast Repertory Theatre presents a daring reimagining of Robert Louis Stevenson's timeless tale, DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE. Delve deep into the human psyche, exploring the eternal conflict between good and evil in this gripping drama. Prepare for a wickedly clever and suspenseful narrative that captures the essence of the season.

DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE Comes to North Coast Repertory Theatre in October


 North Coast Repertory Theatre presents DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE; a daring reimagining of Robert Louis Stevenson's timeless tale, filled with darkness, desire, love, and unbridled terror. Learn more about the show and how to get tickets here!

Review: MARY SHELLEY'S FRANKENSTEIN at Indiana Repertory Theatre


Do you think you know the story of Frankenstein? Do you picture a green-skinned creature with bolts in his neck? The true story is less about the monster than it is about its creator and this adaptation looks closely at the writer behind the story. It's a tale of man's hubris and catastrophic guilt and how very human those things are.

Review: IS IT THURSDAY YET? at La Jolla Playhouse


IS IT THURSDAY YET? is a captivating and creative performance that fuses dance, music, and video to bring audiences on her journey of past and present self-discovery after her adult Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis.  IS IT THURSDAY YET? Is playing at the La Jolla Playhouse through August 6th.

Sonya Tayeh, Jenn Freeman & Holland Andrews' IS IT THURSDAY YET? to Premiere at La Jolla Playhouse in July


La Jolla Playhouse’s production of Is It Thursday Yet? will premiere July 11 – August 6 in the Playhouse’s Forum Theatre. Learn how to purchase tickets!

Theatre School @ North Coast Rep To Present MISS HOLMES, May 25-28


The Theatre School @ North Coast Rep presents this inspiring dramatic crime thriller, Miss Holmes, as its next student production with a unique twist: the classic characters of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are women!

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS Announced At Theatre School @ North Coast Rep


The Theatre School @ North Coast Rep presents this delectable sci-fi spoof about a man-eating plant, Little Shop Of Horrors, as its next student production.

SWEAT Comes to Northern Stage Next Week


Lynn Nottage’s 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama winner Sweat continues Northern Stage’s 25th Anniversary Season March 8-26 in the Byrne Theater at the Barrette Center for the Arts in White River Junction, Vermont.

Cast & Creative Team Announced for SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CASE OF THE JERSEY LILY at Alley Theatre


Alley Theatre has announced the cast and creative team of Sherlock Holmes and The Case of the Jersey Lily.

Photos: First Look at South Coast Repertory's Voices of America Production of APPROPRIATE


The centerpiece of SCR's 2022-23 season, 'Voices of America,' runs through Feb. 26 on the Segerstrom Stage. It encompasses two plays: Lillian Helman's The Little Foxes and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Appropriate. Each play will take the stage four times a week, alternating performances. Check out the photos here!

Photos: First Look at South Coast Repertory's Voices of America Production of THE LITTLE FOXES


The centerpiece of SCR's 2022-23 season, 'Voices of America,' runs through Feb. 26 on the Segerstrom Stage. It encompasses two plays: Lillian Helman's The Little Foxes and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Appropriate. Each play will take the stage four times a week, alternating performances. Check out photos from The Little Foxes here!

Winners Announced For The 2022 BroadwayWorld San Diego Awards


The winners have been announced for the 2022 BroadwayWorld San Diego Awards, honoring the best in regional productions, touring shows, and more which had their first performance between October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022.

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) [REVISED] Comes to the Theatre School at North Coast Rep


The Theatre School @ North Coast Rep presents a wild twist on Shakespeare, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] as its next student production. 

Get Melanie Chen Cole Email Alerts

Be the first to get news, photos, videos & more.

Videos