Costume Manager

Duties & Responsibilities

• Review and interpret costume plots, vision boards, and renderings to assess financial and practical feasibility of costume, hair, and designs.
• Develop budget estimates and build schedules based on preliminary designs and provide suggestions for adjustments.
• Collaborate with Designers and Directors to determine appropriate materials and construction methods that support the artistic goals of each production while ensuring performer safety and production feasibility.
• Develop and maintain costume production calendars and deadlines in coordination with the Production Manager and production teams.
• Attend and participate in design and production meetings.
• Lead costume shop meetings.
• Supervise actor measurements and fittings sessions.
• Mentor and oversee students in the pulling, construction, and alteration of costumes.
• Coordinate purchases, rentals, and returns of costume, hair, and make-up materials.
• Ensure costume, hair, and make-up crew heads are trained on prep, dressing, quick rigging, and maintenance of costume, hair, and make-up elements for each production.
• Mentor and oversee students in the creation, distribution, and maintenance of costume paperwork, communication of build and show schedules, and duties and expectations of costume, hair, and make-up run crews.
• Collaborate with the Faculty Costume Design Mentor student design and technical production assignments.
• Hire and Supervise student Costume Shop student employees.
• Develop, implement, and enforce safe work practices for costume, hair, and makeup operations.
• Train students and employees in the safe use of costume shop equipment, chemicals, dyes, adhesives, steamers, irons, and other specialty equipment.
• Organize, catalog, and maintain costume, hair, and make-up stocks, materials, and supplies.
• Determine which new elements will be incorporated into CCC costume and hair stock at the conclusion of each production.
• Maintain shop equipment, including performing basic repairs/maintenance to sewing machines and irons, arranging for more substantive repairs when needed, and scheduling yearly maintenance of industrial machines.
• Purchase supplies shop supplies for costume, hair, and make-up.
• Manage lending/borrowing of costume stock class work and non-theater program projects.
• Manage costume shop materials, costume shop student employee, and mainstage costume production budgets.
• Reconcile all budget lines with the production manager at the conclusion of strike for all mainstage productions and end of each semester for all other productions and shop expenses.
• Reconcile P-card and expense reports monthly.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in costume construction or design and a minimum of five years of professional work experience in theatre or academic theatre.
• Previous experience in an academic environment preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
• Thorough knowledge of costume technologies including draping, sewing, dyeing, quick change rigging techniques, and costume crafts.
• Knowledge of safe operating procedures for costume shop equipment, dye processes, adhesives, and theatrical hair and makeup materials.
• Working knowledge of wigs, hair styling, wig maintenance, and theatrical makeup techniques preferred.

Qualifications

• Ability to work periodic nights and Saturdays.
• Ability to lift and move costume stock and equipment up to 35 pounds and work in a costume shop environment involving prolonged standing, bending, climbing ladders, and repetitive hand movements.

Benefits

• Competitive benefits with affordable health, dental and vision coverage.
• Flexible spending accounts.
• Commuter benefit program.
• Lifetime tuition reimbursement.
• Retirement and financial planning benefits.

Pay

Position Minimum Annual Salary: $51,281
Position Maximum Annual Salary: $69,380

Schedule

Full-time