Born in Toronto, Levine attended Thornton Hall, where he received a grounding in the history and principles of art.
He originally hoped to be a painter and completed a foundational year at the Ontario College of Art, but became interested in designing for the theatre while working on friends' productions.
Levine returned to Canada after one season in Glasgow, designing for the Tarragon Theatre production of Uncle Vanya and for the Shaw Festival.
[1] Levine's designs are the result of a collaborative creative process with directors, choreographers, and performers and a close reading of the text and music of a given play or opera.
[3] Levine's work also frequently incorporates outsize elements such as a huge metal ship for The Flying Dutchman with the English National Opera.