Teresa Snider-Stein
Assistant Professor
Theater
Location: 329d Gershwin Hall
Phone: 718.951.5000 x1465
Fax: 718.951.4606
Email:
Teresa Snider-Stein recently joined the Brooklyn College faculty after working as a professional costume designer in theatre, film, commercials and television for more than 20 years. During that time, she worked both on- and off-Broadway as well as in regional theaters around the country, where she I has designed nearly 100 productions. For nine years she was the resident costume designer at Signature Theatre NYC. She collaborated directly with playwrights Arthur Miller, John Guare, Romulus Linney, Edward Albee, Adrienne Kennedy, Sam Shepard, Lee Blessing, Marie Irene Forness and Horton Foote. She also spent eight years as the assistant costume designer on The Late Show with David Letterman. Even with its demanding TV deadlines, she has continued to design costumes for several theatrical productions both on- and off-Broadway as well as regionally.
Education:
M.F.A., Yale Drama School, Yale University - 1988 (Design)
B.A. (magna cum laude), Ohio Wesleyan University - 1980 (Theater)
Areas of Expertise:
A costume "speaks" before the actor has a chance to say a word. The importance of costume design is often an afterthought, but it is vital to the success of every production. Snider-Stein has extensive experience and knowledge concerning all aspects of costume design for theater, film and television.
Creative Work
Costume designer for original musical, Hereafter Musical, written by Brooklyn College alumni Vinnie Favale and Frankie Keane, music and lyrics by Vinnie Favale, directed by Terry Berliner. Theater 80, off-Broadway, New York. 2012
Costume designer, HIM, by Daisy Foote, directed by Evan Yionoulis. Primary Stages 59E59 Theaters, off-Broadway, New York. 2012
Costume designer, costumed stage reading of After Medea, written and directed by Helen Richardson. Oregon Shakespeare Festival. 2011
Costume designer, The Disappearance, written and directed by Helen Richardson. Global Theatre Ensemble at Theater Lab and Galapagos Art Space, off-off-Broadway, New York. 2010
Costume designer, Fashion! by Anna Cora Mowatt, adapted and directed by Bonnie Milne Gardner. Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio. 2008
Costume designer, MIKA, by Scott Adkins and Erin Courtney, directed by Jimena Duca, in the Trusteeship Council Chamber, United Nations, New York. Tiyatoglobal production of MIKA was created in answer to Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon's initiative to end violence against women worldwide. It was presented in connection with the observance of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The piece looks at the way men and women have worked together to rescue victims of kidnapping and sexual exploitation. Fall 2008 (remounted spring 2009). 2008
Costume designer, 36 Views, by Naomi Iizuka, directed by Evan Yionoulis. The Huntington Theatre Company, Boston. 2005
Costume designer, I'm Not Rappaport, by Herb Gardner, directed by Daniel Sullivan. Booth Theatre, Broadway, New York. 2002
Costume designer, 2001-02 regional theater tour of I'm Not Rappaport, by Herb Gardner, directed by Daniel Sullivan. Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, N.J.; Ford's Theater, Washington, D.C.; Coconut Grove Playhouse, Miami. 2002
Costume designer, Everett Beekin, by Richard Greenberg, directed by Evan Yionoulis. Lincoln Center Theater at the Mitzi E. Newhouse, off-Broadway, New York. 2001
Resident costume designer, Signature Theatre Co., New York City. Designed the costumes for more than 30 productions by playwrights Marie Irene Forness, John Guare, Arther Miller, Sam Shepard, Adrienne Kennedy, Horton Foote, Edward Albee, Lee Blessing and Romulus Linney. 2001
Costume designer, The Altruists, by Nicky Silver, directed by David Warren. The Vineyard Company, off-Broadway, New York. 2000
Costume designer, The Play About the Baby, written and directed by Edward Albee. The Alley Theatre, Houston. 2000
Costume designer, A Young Man From Atlanta, by Horton Foote, directed by Peter Masterson. The Huntington Theatre Company, Boston, and the Alley Theatre, Houston. 1996
Costume designer, Tooth of Crime (Second Dance), by Sam Shepard, music and lyrics by T. Bone Burnett, directed by Bill Hart. In conjunction with 2nd Stage Theatre and Signature Theatre Company at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, off-Broadway, New York. 1996
Costume designer, Twist, book by William F. Brown, music by Tena Clark and Gary Prim, lyrics by Tena Clark, directed by Gregory S. Hurst, choreographed by Mercedes Ellington. George Street Playhouse, New Brunswick, N.J. 1996
Costume designer, Captains Courageous, music by Frederick Freyer, book and lyrics by Patrick Cook, directed by David Warren. Goodspeed Opera Company, The Norma Terris Theatre, Chester, Conn. 1995
Costume designer, Raised in Captivity, by Nicky Silver, directed by David Warren. South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa, Calif. 1995
Costume designer, Two, by Romulus Linney, directed by Thomas Allan Bullard: Primary Stages, off-Broadway, New York, 1995; Philadelphia Theatre Company, Plays and Players Theatre, Philadelphia, 1994; Williamstown Theatre Festival, Main Stage, Williamstown, Mass., 1992. 1995
Costume designer, Why We Have a Body (1995 Oppy Award winner), by Claire Chafee, directed by Evan Yionoulis. Women's Project & Productions, off-Broadway, New York. 1995
Awards, Honors and Fellowships
PSC-CUNY Grant, to research costumes in Greece in order to collaborate with Professor Helen Richardson and Ako Dachs on a new adaptation of an ancient Greek drama. (Grants and Fellowships) 2010
Bronze Medal for Costume Design, World Stage Design 2005, an international exhibition of set, costume, lighting and sound design, Toronto, for Drowning, by Marie Irene Forness, directed by David Esbjornson, NYC Signature Theatre Company (1999). (Awards and Honors) 2005
Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums
Teaching Artist for seventh-grade Eastern European Life Pre-Holocaust, Woodlands Community Temple, White Plains, N.Y. Developed workshop project in conjunction with seventh-grade teaching team. Introduced project with class discussion, visual research and planning session. Developed project structure, acquired materials, oversaw project preparation and supervised students. Working in small groups, students dressed 2-D life-sized figures to represent Jews in Eastern Europe in 1939. Finished projects displayed during the Holocaust Memorial Service. History Addressed project, 2008-13. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2013
"Transformative Layers: After Medea." Costume Design & Technology Commission Poster Session. USITT National Conference. Long Beach, Calif. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2012
Teaching Artist for 8th Grade Arts Extravaganza Day: Design Your Own Superhero. Taught three costume design workshops. Students each created a "sketch" of their personal superhero to battle a global, local or personal problem of their choosing. Students challenged to expand their imagination and encouraged to find creative solutions using the "body" templates and an array of exciting papers and supplies. Workshop subjects covered costume sketch definition, visual communication, collage techniques, color, shape and magical thinking. History Addressed project. 2007-11. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2011
Teaching Artist in Residence for the entire eighth grade, Farragut Middle School, Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y. Developed grade-wide (seven classes of 22 students), weeklong Roaring Twenties Costume Project in consultation with history department chair. Introduced project through PowerPoint presentation and class discussion. Provided pictorial research, enabling students to choose character types to focus on. Oversaw entire project, including prepping and assembling materials for students' life-sized two-dimensional character archetype. Project culminated in a gallery display at which students presented or "wore" their models and critiqued each other's work as a jazz quartet set the period mood. Projects displayed at spring graduation and in the library during the school year. 2005-08. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
Teaching Artist in Residence for the entire fourth grade, Hillside Elementary School, Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y. Developed weeklong Colonial Costume Project in consultation with fourth-grade teaching team (six classes of 20 students). Introduced project with class discussion, visual research and planning session. Students worked in pairs to choose characters and write fictional histories based on the research. Using colored paper, tape and fabric, they dressed life-sized craft-paper figures. Developed project structure, acquired materials, oversaw project preparation and supervised students. Finished projects were displayed (fictional histories attached) throughout the school and at the Fourth Grade Graduation. 2007-08. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
Teaching artist: "Modern Jewish Life, The People of Israel." Woodlands Community Temple. White Plains, N.Y. Third-grade students create their own life-sized two dimensional modern Jewish people with colored paper and tape. Project developed in consultation with third-grade teaching team. Finished projects displayed on Israel Day. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
Professional Leadership
Member, Play Selection Committee, Theater Department, 2009-present. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2013
Member, Undergraduate Admissions Committee, 2012-13. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2013
Member, Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, 2010-12. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2012
Pedagogical Achievements
As the founder of History Addressed, design innovative curriculum blending costume design with visual arts, social studies and language arts programs in primary and secondary schools. These innovative projects allow students with different learning styles and language skills to absorb the course lessons more successfully, leading to increased literacy. 2005-13. 2013
Other Professional Activities
Member, United Scenic Artists Local 829, 1988-present. 2013
