Yuri Okahana-Benson (岡鼻ベンソン　ゆり) is a Tokyo-born scenographer specializes in stage design for live performing arts productions. Now based in Los Angeles, CA, Yuri has designed for new works to classic materials, a straight play to an opera production. Her versatility and articulation in visual story-telling has earned her numerous unique opportunities with projects both nationally and internationally. Recent design credit includes; Yankee Dawg You Die at East West Players, The Camp at the historic Aratani Theater (world premiere), Froggy at Center Rep Theater, Kaiser von Atlantis at New World Symphony, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH at The Garage Theater, and many more. 

Her design work, especially her design models and other art work, has been exhibited at various places. The most recent one at the Fisher Museum as a part of Scene Shift Exhibition, which was based on a book showcasing 30 current designers in the US. (“Scene Shift US Designers in Conversation”  conceived and curated by Sibyl Wickershiemer and Maureen Weiss, published in 2022. (https://www.scene-shift.com/)  ) 

Starting Fall ‘25, she serves as Assistant Professor of Theater Arts in Design at Long Beach City College. Other educational posts: Special Faculty and curriculum mentor at California Institute of the Arts’s School of Theater Experience Design and Production program where she teaches Scenic Design, Special Topics in Theater Design. Adjunct faculty at CSU Northridge, CSU Fullerton, Westmont College. Guest Artist at USC, College of Southern Nevada, Saddleback College. 

Yuri received a B.A. in Performing Arts from J.F.Oberlin College in Tokyo, Japan, and a M.F.A. in Scenic Design and Technology from California State University, Long Beach. 

More info available at www.yuriokahana.com and IG @11URI30