Job Description

University of Utah Job Description

Job Summary

Performs specialized hand and machine sewing operations in the manufacturing of made-to-measure costumes for the Pioneer Theatre Company main stage and student productions.

Qualifications

Successful completion of an apprenticeship in tailoring, or equivalency (one year of education can be substituted for two years of related work experience); three years of previous tailoring experience in a tailoring shop; the ability to take a rendering and produce a pattern from it; and oral and written communications skills required.

The journeyman status is obtained by successful completion of a four year apprenticeship training program incorporating all aspects of garmet design, layout, cutting, sewing, and tailoring.

Applicants must demonstrate the potential ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined in the position description.

Disclaimer

This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification.  It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to the job.

Essential Functions

1. Confers with Designer to determine the appropriate type of material to use and the style and period of the costume to be produced.
2. Purchases notions that go into the building of costumes for the individual productions.
3. Draws individual patterns for each costume or alters existing costume patterns to fit the actor's or actress' measurements.
4. Outlines patterns of costume parts on fabric and cuts fabric along outlines, using scissors.
5. Assembles costumes, sewing padding to coat fronts, lapels, and collars to give them shape and joining costume parts with basting stitches, using needle and thread or sewing machine.
6. Fits basted costume to the actor or actress and marks areas requiring alterations.
7. Alters costumes and joins parts using needle and thread or sewing machine.
8. Changes existing costumes by unpicking seams, removing embroidery, changing embroidery and design to form a new costume for another production.
9. Performs hand stitching work to finish the costume, presses costume, and puts costume on the production costume rack.
10. Performs emergency repair work needed on a costume to keep the performance running.
11. Explains costume construction techniques to student workers to improve their capabilities.

Problem Solving

This position is given the authority to make decisions concerning fitting of costumes to the actors or actresses, the building of the costumes, and the production timing of the costumes. The incumbent is given the authority to make minor changes to the rendering of a costume to make it more authentic to the period being depicted in the production.

Problems encountered in this position include fitting and alterations for individual actors and actresses; the lack of time to build costumes for productions; and the lack of professional assistance in performing tailoring duties.

Comments

Produces costumes for 7 main stage and 10 student productions each season.