ELLEN F. CORNETTE
Draper and Costume Technician
Wilmington, NC
With 35 years of experience creating costumes of all types for performers, I am able to use my life experience to create costumes of all for all generations. Inspired by family, I chose to pursue my passion and begin a new career in the field of Costume production. I am currently a third year Costume Production Candidate in the UNC Chapel Hill Masters of Fine Arts in the Department of Dramatic Arts. Being part of the MFA program, I have had the opportunity the work as a Draper, First Hand, Stitcher, Craft Artisan, and Assistant to the Designer in collaboration with the Playmakers Repertory Company (PRC). which collaborates the UNC Department of Dramatic Arts. As a MFA candidate, worked with Broadway and regional costume designers' imagination and inspirations and turn them into beautiful costumes. Instructed an undergraduate level course in the techniques of costume production, work as a Teaching Assistant for intro to Theatre course, and assist the director and professors of the program in restructuring the curriculum and syllabi in accordance with changing curriculum guidelines, and the transition to completely online course work. During the summers and the past, I worked with the Utah Shakespeare Festival as a First Hand in 2019 and 2021, but was interrupted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and worked with Opera Wilmington for multiple seasons (2016-2019).
Prior to entering graduate school, I had the opportunity to create costumes for the local high school when they were unable to find the costumes needed for their productions, which began my journey into costume production, as a parent volunteer. Working with the students inspired me to take my passion for costuming to the next level through advancing my skills in costume production, shop management, and learning the techniques needed to instruct students in the future.
I returned to UNCW in 2015 to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre, with a concentration in Design and Technology with an emphasis in costume construction/production and design. This new career follows many years of practicing as a geologist. If you would like to know more about all the exciting things I have done please feel free to get in touch.