RuBen Permel – Artistic Bio
Theatre, art, and design have always been the threads weaving together RuBen Permel’s creative life. Trained in the performing arts and theatrical design, he has worked professionally in television, film and live entertainment for more than four decades. A passion to merge performance, visual art and storytelling has defined his unique artistic voice.  After a successful career on stage, he extended his artistry behind the scenes in costuming, crafts, props, and puppetry. This led to designing costumes for more than 50 productions and touring nationally as a wardrobe supervisor for Broadway musicals. Since joining Cirque du Soleil in 1999, he has served as Wardrobe Head for Alegría, KÀ, Viva Elvis, Zarkana, and concluded 20 years with the company after the closing of The Beatles LOVE at The Mirage in 2024. He also designed the costumes for Cirque’s first One Night for One Drop benefit at the Bellagio.
RuBen’s fine artwork and photography has been showcased in galleries and exhibitions, with features in national media and publications. His quilted sculpture Olivia was highlighted in the Los Angeles Times, and he has twice won Best in Show at Las Vegas Pride. His portrait photography has toured throughout Nevada and appeared in multiple publications.
He has also produced film work, including the award-winning short Whispering Goliath, and designed costumes for films such as Not Cinderella’s Type and An Accidental Zombie Named Ted.
RuBen’s theatrical collaborations include award-winning costume design for Majestic Repertory Theatre’s Marie Antoinette (Vegas Valley Award, Broadway World Regional Award) and the U.S. premiere of The Sandman Musical. He recently created costumes for Meow Wolf Las Vegas, Harrah’s, Vegas Theatre Company, Asylum Theatre, The Imagination Lab for Universal Horror Unleashed, and consulted on Hope Road: The Bob Marley Experience.
As a playwright, RuBen is gaining recognition for his original works. In June 2025, his new play Dressing Evapremiered at the Fallout Fringe to outstanding reviews, marking an exciting new chapter in his writing career. He has staged two workshops of his solo show Next and continues to develop I See You, for which he received a grant from SoHo Playhouse NYC. RuBen is an active Cohort with the Speranza Foundation and received the 2023 Lincoln City Fellowship.
Looking ahead, he is developing an innovative immersive storefront studio with a whimsical storytelling concept to showcase and sell his one-of-a-kind artisan goods. This forward-thinking theatrical experience will unfold through the narrative world of RP Wondermaker’s Workshop, bringing together all of RuBen’s creative disciplines into a single space of possibilities and wonder in Asheville.