How do you staff a costume shop with people from all across the country, most of whom you have never met? Very carefully! As I speak with colleagues who are costume directors for large theater companies, I have found many similarities in how we hire our shops.

Since few theaters fly in first-hands and stitchers for interviews (but wouldn’t it be nice?), a preliminary introduction to an applicant is usually through a résumé accompanied with work samples. Jeffrey Lieder, costume director for the Utah Shakespearean Festival (see August SD 2000), says he looks for a focused résumé, but notes, “I’m a bit suspicious of people who have done everything.”

Summer Shakespeare Festivals, such as Utah or Colorado (I’ve worked at both), often serve as the transitional turning point for students as they thread their way into the professional bracket. I get applicants with most, but not all, of the right stuff. More importantly, I look for enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. Other important items to consider are schools they have attended, places they have worked and if they were asked back.

The next thing I look at are references; if I am familiar with anyone the candidate has worked with in the past, I will contact that person—whether they’re listed as a reference or not. A disclaimer: The most difficult thing to assess when talking to a reference is how a person’s abilities match our needs. Unfortunately, what is best for the student is not always what is best for the costume director. When someone instinctively understands the caliber of our work and how we operate, for us, that is a strong gauge of success.

Some costume shops, as exemplified by those at Colorado Shakespeare Festival and New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse, insist on photographs of an applicant’s work. This allows the costume director a good perusal and quick measure of the applicant’s strengths. People are then relegated into specific categories—drapers, first-hands, stitchers, crafts and “sorry, not this year” piles.

During this phase of the process, questions immediately filter the brain since there is a big difference between whipping up a T-shaped tunic as opposed to a custom-made corset. I want to know exactly what someone did in a position, and here, references, including prior employers, play a prominent role in ascertaining the answers. Did they construct the entire garment or merely put on the closures? I also ask about an applicant’s readiness for a higher-level position and if they’re easy to work with. If they are, then it is more than likely that I will not have to deal with any personality issues that may crop up.

As you interview the applicant (very often over the telephone), try to get a feel of his or her personality and perspective. For those candidates interested in working at the Utah Shakespearean Festival, Jeffrey Lieder likes to find out what they know about the troupe and its history—besides its proximity to Bryce Canyon. I look for a sense of humor.

When it comes time to do the actual hiring, I evaluate a number of factors, foremost among them skills and temperament. In our business, we often work too long and hard not to have fun. If I find that two candidates are equally matched, I may ask myself, “Whom would I rather spend my summer with?” Then I follow my instincts.

Invariably, I rely on returning staff; the same applies to my colleagues. At Utah, the return rate is about 60 percent, while it’s about 50 percent at CSF. With Paper Mill, it varies by show (incredibly, they hire a new shop for each production). Continuity makes our jobs easier from start to finish. We are familiar with these people and their capabilities; conversely, they know our procedures and expectations. This means they can help us in quickly acclimating new people to the work pace and routine.

Although there is no magic formula for summoning the perfect costume shop, it may very well happen when the costume director does his or her homework. Sprinkle a little luck into the brew and, voila, your dreams may be answered.

IMG: An actress in a past Colorado Shakespeare Festival production of Richard III gets the final touches in the costume shop.