Faculty Curriculum Vitae
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NAME: Barbara H. Niederer
POSITION/TITLE: Head of Costume Technology/Costume Shop Manager
OFFICE ADDRESS: University of Houston Jack J. Valenti School of Communication 203C 101 Communications Building Houston, TX 77204-3302
OFFICE TELEPHONE: 713.743.2108
WORK EMAIL: [email protected]
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EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND/TRAINING
1974 – 1976 Attended Sauk Valley College in Dixon, IL B.A. from Barat College, Liberal Arts/Theatre 1981 – 1982 Attended DePaul Theatre School for first year of graduate studies M.F.A. from Southern Illinois University, Emphasis in Costume Design
RELEVANT TEACHING EXPERIENCE
January 2013 to present:
Head of Costume Technology/Costume Shop Manager –Assistant Professor of Costume Technology for the theatre program. Teach Costume Technology(Thea 2373) for undergraduates. Graduate courses included Period Costume Construction I and II (Thea 6373 & Thea 6379), Techniques & Styles (THEA 6171), Flat Patterning (THEA 6359), Draping for Theatrical Costume (THEA 6389), and Tailoring Techniques I and II (Thea 6356 & Thea 6358), and Production Studio (Thea 6294). Also teaches couture techniques for Textile Technology & Couture Techniques (THEA 6395) which is taught with Paige Willson teaching Textile Technology. Serve as a mentor for all Costume Technology students. Hold progress meetings with students and fellow faculty members to monitor student’s progress.
Costume Shop Supervisor for College of DuPage – Duties include keeping track of and ordering shop supplies, tracking budgets, and performing other clerical duties as needed. Tailoring, draping, flat patterning, stitching, and craft work. Supervised and trained student workers and professional over-hire employees.
Page 1 of 5 Faculty Curriculum Vitae
Attended production as well as department meetings, and fittings. Performed guest lecture duties for the Theatre Appreciation classes. Also designed shows for college productions, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, and DuPage Opera Theatre. Was a part time staff member from 1989 until Summer 2008. Was hired as a full-time staff member in Fall 2008 and was laid off in September of 2012.
Adjunct faculty for Aurora University – Taught Costume Construction to undergraduates 1988 – 1989
Guest designer at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro – Designed summer productions of The Sound of Music and The Hollow. Taught seminars in draping and construction technique. Summer 1986.
Guest designer at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington – Hired as a designer for a production of Romeo and Juliet. Supervised student workers and trained students in construction technique. Spring 1986.
ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP/RESEARCH/CREATIVE ENDEAVORS
Hurkes Award Recipient for technical excellence. Chicago Shakespeare Theatre Fall 2000.
Windows 7, Microsoft Office Suite including, Excel, Word, and Power Point 2007 and 2010. Enrolled in a professional development program for management.
WORK EXPERIENCE
January 2013 to present:
Head of Costume Technology/Costume Shop Manager –Assistant Professor of Costume Technology for the theatre program. Teach Costume Technology(Thea 2373) for undergraduates. Graduate courses included Period Costume Construction I and II (Thea 6373 & Thea 6379), Techniques & Styles (THEA 6171), Advanced Flat Patterning (THEA 6359), Advanced Draping (THEA 6389), and Tailoring Techniques I and II (Thea 6356 & Thea 6358), Production Studio (Thea 6294). Also teach couture techniques for Textile Technology & Couture Techniques (THEA 6395) which is taught with Paige Willson teaching Textile Technology. Serve as a mentor for all Costume Technology students. Hold progress meetings with students and fellow faculty members to monitor student’s progress. As Costume Shop Manager duties include tracking budgets, hiring professional over hire personnel when needed, ordering shop supplies and materials. Attend all production meetings, fittings and rehearsals for current shows.
Page 2 of 5 Faculty Curriculum Vitae
October 2015:
Costume Designer- Houston Symphony’s The Pilgrimage of the Rose by Schumann. Coordinated/designed costumes for the three dancers in the piece.
Summer 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017:
Costume Director- Served as Costume Director for the Houston Shakespeare Festival since the summer of 2013. Duties included, attending production meetings, rehearsals and fittings. Tracking budgets, ordering materials and supplies as well as hiring personnel and monitoring job performance in the costume shop.
March 2015:
Was a guest costume designer for Episcopal High School’s production of South Pacific. This included fitting students, altering, shopping, building costumes.
September 2008 to September 2012:
Costume Shop Supervisor for College of DuPage – Duties include keeping track of and ordering shop supplies, tracking budgets, and performing other clerical duties as needed. Tailoring, draping, flat patterning, stitching, and craft work. Supervised and trained student workers and professional over-hire employees. Attended production as well as department meetings, and fittings. Also designed shows for college productions, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, and DuPage Opera Theatre.
August 2006 to August 2008:
Cutter/Draper for Actor's Theatre of Louisville. Duties include draping, flat patterning and tailoring. Attended meetings and fittings. Supervised stitchers and first hands as needed.
April 2007-June 2007, March 2008-May2008
Cutter/Draper/Tailor for Alley Theatre as over-hire. Draped and tailored for Treasure Island in '07 and headed up a third draping team for An American in Paris in '08. Most recently worked on Born Yesterday in 2016. Duties included, draping, flat patterning and tailoring. Attend meetings and fittings. Supervised stitchers and first hands as needed.
Page 3 of 5 Faculty Curriculum Vitae
May 2005 to August 2007
Free-lance Costume Technician/Designer- During this time I worked for Chicago Scenic Studios(Designer/Coordinator for Leo Burnett industrial), Northlight Theatre(Shop Manager/Draper for Pride and Prejudice), Buffalo Theatre Ensemble(Designer for The Trip To Bountiful and Cutter/Draper for Baltimore Waltz), Fuzzy Bunny Productions(Wardrobe Assistant for R.Kelly video Trapped in a Closet parts 6 through 12), DuPage Opera Theatre(Cutter/Draper for Barber of Seville, La Boheme and Carmen/ Designer for Tosca), River North Dance Company(Cutter/Draper) designed two pieces for the company Lean on Me and Grusin Suite, Shaw Chicago(Designer for The Devil's Disciple), Lookinglass Theatre(Cutter/Draper for The Old Curiosity Shop).
January 1993 to April 2005
Chicago Shakespeare Theater – Started with the company as Head of Wardrobe. Duties included wig maintenance, quick changes, shopping, attending rehearsals as needed, assigning duties to dressers, maintaining the look of the show throughout the run. Became Wardrobe Manager and Build Coordinator after two seasons. Became Costume Shop Manager in 1999 with the move to Navy Pier. Duties included hiring staff and over-hire personnel, keeping track of budgets for shows and shop supplies, attending fittings and meetings. Also set up the shop at Navy Pier which included sourcing and purchasing equipment.
1991-1999:
Dow Creative Services – Coordinated wardrobe for one industrial show per year. This could include, shopping, fitting and alterations. In 1996 traveled with an industrial show to Washington D.C. for the Nexxus corporation.
1987-1992:
Marriot’s Lincolnshire Theatre – Served as general design/shop assistant. Duties included cutting/draping, stitching, serving as first hand, dyer/painter, milliner, shopping, research, attending meetings and rehearsals as needed.
1987-1988:
Goodman Theatre – Served as a stitcher, first hand and dyer/painter as needed.
Page 4 of 5 Faculty Curriculum Vitae
1986-1987:
New American Theatre – Costume Shop Manager. Oversaw the running of the costume shop which included, attending meetings, attending rehearsals, cutting/draping, hiring stitchers and other craftspeople as needed, keeping track of the budget for individual shows as well as shop supplies. While with NAT aided in the move to their new facility and set up the costume shop there. This included writing a grant proposal for new equipment which was then approved by the board of directors for the theatre.
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