To say that I was thrown into the deep end of theater might be an understatement. When I was approached to be the assistant costume designer for “Road to Glory”, I didn’t expect to be attending design class two days later and production meetings two weeks later.
As someone who has never been an official designer or assistant before, the only thing I could do was to just go.
Being a new freshman to UB as well as costume design made finding even the wardrobe a little daunting, but the best thing to do is to ask questions. Asking faculty and upperclassmen is the easiest way to not be completely lost, both literally and figuratively. Showing up in the morning to sew labels and being sent to stain shirts is my experience in a nutshell. Right under “asking questions” is learning to listen. Being able to figure out what notes/tasks are for the costume designer to do versus the costume shop or me is something learned through experience but becomes easier. Separating notes is an organizational skill that has turned into an instinct.
As the weeks have gone by, I now feel comfortable in my ability to help the costume designer in her work. Yes, there is plenty more to learn. But right now, I have figured out the line between waiting for directions and taking initiative so that costumes get labeled, organized and ready for performance while keeping the costume designer as stress-free as possible.