My first experience with costume design was acting as an assistant designer in my freshman year of high school, 2019-20, in a production of Beauty and the Beast. Due to the size of the show and the fact that the Costume Designer was a volunteer parent, she was more than willing to give me an opportunity to take a one of the needed ensemble designs off her plate after seeing my clear interest.

I largely credit this as the moment that I decided that costume design was what I wanted to do as a career, especially as the Costume Designer also allowed me to advise on the prosthetic application for the Beast because of my previous interest in special effects makeup. Unfortunately, our opening night was delayed and then eventually cancelled due to the pandemic, but by then I was more than sold on my love for costume design!