Kelly Koehn
Costume Crafts Artisan
American Conservatory Theater
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
Majored in Theater to be an actor but felt silly onstage.
Liked fashion so worked in the costume shop.
Liked doing the jobs no one else seemed interested in.
Got an internship working at the Oregon Shakespeare festival in Costume Props.
Graduated from college worked in Summerstock and community Theater.
Got a job at the Denver Center Theater as a crafts assistant.
Worked a few jobs doing wardrobe backstage.
Got hired at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and worked there for 22 years.
Education
High School
Career
Costume Crafts Artisan
I make hats, shoes, jewelry, masks, dye and age fabric and costumes, and anything accessory-related for the theater.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Acting & Theatre
Design
Working with Others
Day to Day
I don't really have a typical day. In general when the day starts I find out the actors fitting schedule and make sure I am ready for those, gather information for projects from the shop manager, design assistant and designer, make sure I have all needed supplies and order or have the shopper pick up what I need. If it is a day full of dye projects I turn on the industrial dye vat and get that heated up. Then I work on whatever needs to be built, painted or altered.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for college students
Learn how to be organized.
