Luckily, I found my calling early in life. My second grade teacher, Miss Nichols, wrote her own plays about historical events, and I loved being in them. My favorite movie was Walt Disney's "Cinderella", and I thought I'd be an actress and speak all of my lines like the stepmother (Eleanor Audley). And yes, it was fun to watch Cinderella and the animals make a dress from instructions in a book.

In college, the drama teacher, Mr. Mac (Hugh G. McCausland) encouraged us with "If you want to be in this business, just keep working at it." I was in heaven playing mothers and friends and older sisters. I also made a lot of the costumes using Vogue patterns and information from books in the library. *

At graduate school I realized that this "costume thing" was a good idea for me to pursue because the acting students were really TALENTED. My wonderful teacher, Hertha Schulze, encouraged me to concentrate on the technical construction side of costuming. The business manager, Merle Loppnow, gave me the best advice, "This is a state university, there's always money somewhere. You just have to find it."

I followed all of their advice and found that the college theatre environment with interested students, supportive staff, and giving faculty to be the best place for me. There I am able to share my skills with young people and learn at the same time.

Along the way I also worked in commercial venues. My favorite of those was the Miss Teen/USA/Universe Pageants with designer William Ivey Long.

Don't forget: "Theatre is supposed to be fun." If you aren't having fun, find another theatre where you do.

* Modern Pattern Design by Harriet Pepin, 1942, Funk and Wagnalls

* Costume and Fashion, Volume Three, The Tudors, Books I and II, by Herbert Norris, J.M.Dent and Sons, London, 1938