A selection of my school, freelance, and professional work as costume technician, draper, and crafts head.

1. Hand-Painted Fairy CostumeCynthia Settje, Technician, Painter Inspired by the painting below, this costume features silk painting in an ombre and floral pattern, using silver gutta resist and silk dyes. The wired wings are spray painted, and mount to the back of the obi corselet. Artwork copyright Meredith Dillman

3. Tailoring--1840’s TailcoatCynthia Settje, Technician This class project involved pattern drafting from a block using a scale rule, construction techniques such as padstitching, taping, and altering suit fronts for period shapes.

4. 19th Century MenswearUNCSA’s Production of Trelawney of the WellsCynthia Settje, Draper and TechnicianPaul McRae, Designer

5. Italian Renaissance CoupleCynthia Settje, Technician Two Italian Renaissance costumes patterned and constructed over the course of 10 weeks for a Tech III level class, based upon two portraits from the time period. This class focused on ways to achieve the complex look of 16th century costume in a simple yet elegant manner appropriate for stage.

8. Silk 18th Century Robe a la FrancaiseCynthia Settje, Designer /Technician

9. Streetcar Named Desire, Guys and Dolls New Harmony Theatre--Evansville, INThree-show rep summer season, 3-5 week buildsDraping load included (among other things) 5 dresses for Blanche, and 7showgirls for Guys and DollsCynthia Settje, Cutter/DraperShan Jensen, Designer

10. Buckram Bonnet Constructed, covered, and trimmed entirely by hand using traditional millinery techniques

11. Custom and Historical CorsetryCynthia Settje, Designer and Technician

12. Leather and Metal Corset An experimental piece exploring the possibilities of metal work in corsetry, and made over the course of two days during a metal workshop. Front pieces are 1/16” stainless steel sheeting, back pieces are 1/16” aluminum, to test out the properties of each metal. Metal pieces were cut, polished, and holes were drilled for lacing and rivets. The pieces were then shaped over an anvil to conform to the human body, and riveted to the leather side panels.

13. Queen Elizabeth ISix week build with 20 hour work weeks currently in progress for UNCSA’s Production of the opera Maria Stuarda. Draping duties also include all metalwork, supervising a team of two to four stitchers, two additional built looks for Queen Elizabeth, and 16 altered men’s looks, in addition to three other shows. Meriwether Snipes, Designer Cynthia Settje, DraperBethany Itterly, First Hand

14. “Lightning”Two-person horse puppet for UNCSA’s production of On The RazzleCynthia Settje, Crafts HeadRoejendra Adams, Designer

15. Puppet-costume hybrid, constructed from insulation foam, varaform, sculpt-or-coat and other materials. The horse’s tongue moves in a curling motion when the front performer pulls a string. The leg pieces are articulated with PVC joints, and attach to the actor at the waist, thigh, and foot. In order for an actor to ride “Lightning,” a padded seat was attached to a corset-like harness worn by the front performer.

16. 20 second video of Lightning’s first test walk during tech week Click image to play