Costume Shop

The main design room.

The costume shop on the UC Davis campus is a part of the Department of Theatre and Dance. The fully operable shop is in the basement of Wright Hall and overseen by supervisor Roxanne Femling. The shop has an inventory of over 15,000 garments and accessories, and new pieces are being added perpetually, as new shows require new designs. Students usually design for shows after fulfilling certain prerequisites, including Professor Maggie Morgan's costume design classes. Students designing in the shop pull from the shop inventory when looking to fulfill their artistic vision, but also create original costume pieces. Pulled pieces are often altered drastically. Original costume pieces are often added to the inventory post-show.

Each costume produced in the shop is fitted specifically for the actor who will wear it. All parts of the costume are made to function for each need of a production as well. Alterations are not uncommon after an actor has come in for fittings.

Staff members Abel Mercado (Cutter/Tailor/Draper) and Angie Kight (Cutter/Costume properties artisan) are master craftspeople of the costume trade and are almost always present in the shop, working to meet design deadlines. In addition, the two are constantly assisting students who are working as seamsters/seamstresses and costume design assistants for Drama 30 and Drama 180 units.

With a wardrobe like this, Halloween could be everyday! Paradise for the sartorially inclined. Heaven in a handbasket. Student-created design sketches yield the real deal. Just a mere coatroom...like you've never seen before! Bolts of fabric and even more wonderful hats...and don't think that's the last of 'em. This is the dance room. You don't dance in it. You keep all dance-related garments and wild and crazy garments in here. The sequins and boas are in solitary confinement. They cause trouble anyway. A newly created cotton coat/robe for the Spring 2006 Theatre Dance Festival. Costumes in the works. You know you want it. [[comment]]