Part-Time Costume Designer

The Dance & Theatre Department at Manhattanville College is seeking a Part-Time Costume Designer.

For consideration, send cover letter and resume to humanresources@mville.edu.

Managing the Costume Shop

Organize the Costume Shop so that all costumes can be located easily

Ensure all costumes are hung appropriately and properly stored at all times

Launder all costumes and props

Maintain costumes that need special care, mending, and preservation

Periodically purge costumes that are beyond repair and replace them 

Catalog costumes that are not found in our Costume Collection Catalog

Photograph, add to the digital catalog, give the item an ID number

Catalog every new costume that goes into the Costume Collection

Maintain responsibility for all costumes that come and go from the Costume Shop

Supervise access to the Costume Shop

Maintain a tidy Costume Shop constantly, due to the volume of College Tours

Sweep and clean the Costume Shop weekly

All costumes should be hanging properly on an appropriate hanger

Costumes should not be lying on the floor, falling off hangers, draped across shelving, or left in the washing machine or dryer

Window in the Costume Shop must be shut at all times due to flooding 

All accessories should be sorted by type and properly stored in bins

Washing machine and dryer should not be used unmonitored

 

Costume Designer Expectation and Duties for our annual season:

Fall Semester: The Ex Play, The Fall Play, Fall Dance Concert

Spring Semester: Musical (Music Dept), Shakespeare in the Castle, Spring Dance Concert

Communicate with every Director/Choreographer regarding their costume needs.

Contact each director/choreographer and begin the design process 

Consult and guide the Dance Concert student choreographers and pull costumes accordingly from our Costume Collection to ensure cohesive Dance Concert

Senior Thesis Consulting at the end of the Spring Semester. 

Attend one Senior Seminar class and meet with each student individually to mentor their costume choices for their Senior Thesis performance 

Attend rehearsal to see the plays/dances prior to designing costumes for the production.

Attend one Thursday/Friday/Saturday/or Sunday rehearsal for the Ex Play
Attend one Thursday/Friday/Saturday/or Sunday rehearsal for the Fall Play
Attend one Monday night Performance Project class for the Fall Dance Concert
Attend one Thursday/Friday/Saturday/or Sunday rehearsal for Shakespeare
Attend one Monday night Performance Project class for the Spring Dance Concert
Attend one Choreographer’s Workshop class
Attend one Thursday/Friday/Saturday/or Sunday rehearsal for The Musical 

Design, build, construct, fit, purchase online, launder, maintain (sew holes, repair, steam, iron, etc..), and rent costumes (when applicable, prior approval needed by Chair).

Fall Plays, The Musical, and Shakespeare have a range of numbers of cast members depending on the play. 
Dance Concerts have a range of numbers of choreographers, which may include 
Faculty, Adjunct Faculty, Alumni and students. The number of performers changes dramatically every concert depending on cast. 

*Compensation does not change with an increase or decrease in cast members or choreographers. 

Attend 3 Production meetings for every production to meet with the tech and design crew.

Attend Tech Week for all dress rehearsals to ensure the smooth running of costume needs: 

Create a Check-List for every performer that is visible on a hanger with a diddy bag 
Ensure all costumes are ready on a rack, divided by performer
Each diddy bag is labeled with Performer’s Name, and every item that performer wears/uses, 
Oversee crew who will assist you with the Check out every costume piece to each performer at the beginning of every Tech/Performance 
Oversee crew who will assist you with the checking costumes back in at the end of the Tech/Performance for every performer.

After the performance run is over:

Launder costumes (sometimes by dry-cleaning)

Return costumes to our Costume Collection. 

All newly made and purchased costumes are photographed and added to the Costume Catalog. 

Manage the use of a Credit Card for costume purchase

All receipts and credit card purchases are organized by date and handed in to the Administrative Assistant within two weeks after the performance for processing. 

A spreadsheet of purchases listing every item, cost, and total cost for the production must be turned in to the Chair with two weeks after the performance ends.

All costume returns need to be returned within one week after the performance ends
All costume rentals need to be returned within 5 business days after the performance ends.

For consideration, send cover letter and resume to humanresources@mville.edu.

https://youtu.be/_gAan6VdHGg

If you have questions please feel free to call the Department of Dance & Theatre, Jane Ryan, 914-323-5458