Debra Krajec
Traveling Sessions Project Chair

Ever had a need for a costume-related program and didn't know where to turn? Is there a need for special training in a specific area of costuming where aptitude is lacking, don't have the time to fit into a course curriculum, or that students need to learn for an upcoming production? Want the benefit of having someone with a particular area of expertise come and share their techniques with students and colleagues? The Costume Design & Technology Commission has sessions available to come to you!

In order to further the dissemination of techniques and expertise with costumers and students of theatrical costume across the nation, the Costume Design & Technology Commission has a Traveling Sessions Project that may be able to fill a need in your Region or at an institution. This is a listing of 21 different master classes, hands-on workshops, and lectures that members of the Commission are willing to present around the United States and Canada. The goal is to allow members to continue the work of the Costume Design & Technology Commission beyond its annual conferences and symposia.

Many of these sessions have been presented at USITT national conferences in recent years, some have been offered at the regional level, and others are new to membership. Each session has its own set of goals and requirements for maximum attendance, skill level of participants, space, equipment requirements, and budget.  

The list of traveling sessions includes:

• Tambour Beading Workshop
• Victorian Straw Bonnets Workshop (one or two days)
• Kimonos Unwrapped/Undressing the Shogun
• Kimono Construction Master Class
• Corset in a Day
• Wire Frame Hats and Headpieces
• Pattern and Construction Techniques for Elizabethan Menswear and Ruffs
• Costume Technology Portfolio Reviews
• Wireless Microphones and Costumes
• Flat Patterning -- Sloper Fitting
• Sloper to Period Style: Seeing Lines and Proportion
• Tailoring 19th Century Period Men's Coats with Contemporary Suits
• Master class in Rendering the Costume Figure
• Stage Make-up: The Actor's & Designer's Tool
• Elizabethan Corset 101
• Big Costumes, Small Budget
• Costume Design Portfolio Reviews
• Historical Undergarments: Historical Accuracy vs. Theatrical Reality
• The Corset and the Modern Body
• The Principles of Tailoring -- Demystifying the tailor's process

For more specific information, see the USITT Costume Design & Technology Commission web page or go directly to the Traveling Sessions page.

Anyone who would like further information on booking any of these traveling sessions, the presenter or references, and the costs involved, should contact the presenter directly.

This project has been in place for over four years, but very few have taken advantage of it. Many of these sessions would be valuable to offer undergrad or grad students, to offer as sessions for regional Costume Society of America symposia, for KC/ACTF regional festivals, or for high school theatre festivals. Pass the word!

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