What’s your deal? Who are you and what’s your story?

My Name is Clara Jean, I am the Costume Shop Manager at TAM. I’m from North Carolina originally, but being a military brat, I’ve lived everywhere! Maine is the 9th state I’ve lived in. I’ve only this past May graduated with my MFA in Costume Design from Florida State University and am excited to start my post graduate career here at TAM!

What most excites you about in taking on this design/directing opportunity at TAM?

In the past I’ve only worked as a Costume Shop Manager in an educational setting. The students who were working in the shop with me had little or no experience at all in sewing or costume crafts. Here at TAM I have an amazing shop with a wide variety of talents. I learn something new every day and we are able to collaborate and brainstorm on almost every piece we touch. It’s a much different atmosphere, and I’m really excited to continue to make art in it.

Why Shakespeare (or classic theatre)?

Tartuffe Archive 2018

From the costume perspective, classic theatre can be done many different ways. It’s a great deal of fun for us in the shop to see how each designer sees the show differently, and in different periods. It’s always a character or story we know, but we never know how it’s going to be done. That lends itself to a very exciting build period for a show.

Who is your role model, and why?

My Mothers. I’m lucky enough to have not one, but two of the most amazing women as my mother and step mother. I model myself entirely after them and am grateful for the lessons they’ve taught me every day.

You can have dinner with any three powerful women in history. Who would you choose and why?

Anne Boleyn because she was strong, independent and knew how to get what she wanted in a time period when women weren’t considered more than an accessory to their husbands. Yeah, her story didn’t end well, but a lot of that was because of the time she was living in. Not to mention she gave birth to Elizabeth I, one of the strongest and most influential women the world has ever seen.

Elizabeth I because she was one of the most intuitive and successful monarchs in history. She brought England’s economy back from the brink of bankruptcy, fought and won many wars that her father started and couldn’t finish and was an avid supporter of the arts and theatre. She did all this even though every person in her life was telling her she couldn’t simply because she was a woman.

Tartuffe Archive 2018

Ella Fitzgerald because she was told she was too fat, too old and too black to be a popular Jazz singer. On the merit of her talent alone she proved all that to be wrong and never gave up. She is the person on this list I would most like to meet because she clawed her way to the top because she was beautiful, sultry and talented and knew it and screw anyone who says otherwise.

 

 

What is your super power?

My superpower… to make more time in the day. When is there ever enough?

Describe yourself in three alliterative words.

Gritty, Girly and Grateful