
“Our job is to be translators. We turn a rendering into wearable clothing that fits. Stitching costumes is about breaking it down to the basics. Each garment whether a modern blouse or a period gown can be broken down into very basic individual tasks. Our challenge as costume technicians is to use all the basic skills and put together the puzzle that each garment presents. Also, technicians need to have a strong understanding of costume history in order to interpret the details that make each period unique. When a two-dimensional design is successfully translated into the three-dimensional garment worn onstage, the reward is worth all the effort.”
Prior to joining the faculty at Rutgers University, Ellen Bredehoft served as Costume Director and Lecturer at the University of Wyoming and as Associate Costume Shop Manager at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in New York City. She has also worked as Costume Shop Manager for Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, NY and for Barrington Stage Company in Massachusetts. As an independent contractor, she has draped and built for several companies including Glimmerglass Festival, Gotham Chamber Opera, Red Bull Theatre, George Street Playhouse, Huntington Theatre and The Curtis Institute of Music. Ms. Bredehoft also has several Costume Design credits in dance and theatre working for Snowy Range Theatre and Dance Festival, Horse Barn Theatre and the University of Wyoming. She received her MFA in Costume Production from Boston University. Ms. Bredehoft is also an active member of USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology) and has presented in several sessions at the annual USITT conference.
Prior to joining the faculty at Rutgers University, Ellen Bredehoft served as Costume Director and Lecturer at the University of Wyoming and as Associate Costume Shop Manager at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in New York City. She has also worked as Costume Shop Manager for Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, NY and for Barrington Stage Company in Massachusetts. As an independent contractor, she has draped and built for several companies including Glimmerglass Festival, Gotham Chamber Opera, Red Bull Theatre, George Street Playhouse, Huntington Theatre and The Curtis Institute of Music. Ms. Bredehoft also has several Costume Design credits in dance and theatre working for Snowy Range Theatre and Dance Festival, Horse Barn Theatre and the University of Wyoming. She received her MFA in Costume Production from Boston University. Ms. Bredehoft is also an active member of USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology) and has presented in several sessions at the annual USITT conference.