Costume designers communicate better with costume technicians when they have a working knowledge of the elements and areas of costume technology; costume technicians communicate better with costume designers when they have a working knowledge of the process and elements of costume design. Therefore, both the BFA and MFA degrees emphasize the dual importance of design and technology. Your strength may lie in one area or the other, yet knowledge of both is critical in this collaborative art. And, as is often the case, entry-level positions in professional costume shops and theatres frequently tend to be in technology (cutting, draping, crafts, paint/dye) and wardrobe, and less frequently in design. Our program recognizes this fact and addresses it honestly.

Career Possibilities:

Undergraduate and graduate costume students of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) have recently been, or are now currently, employed in costume technology, crafts, wardrobe and/or design with The Washington Opera, The San Francisco Opera, The Houston Ballet, The Denver Theatre Center, Cirque du Soleil, The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Chicago Lyric Opera, Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, American Players Theatre, Santa Fe Opera, The Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, Mill Mountain Playhouse, the Shakespeare Theatre, Wolf Trap Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, New American Theatre, English National Opera, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Cincinnati Ballet, Disney, Broadway, national tours, as well as with commercial and independent film companies.