Name:
Terri Purcell
Year Graduated:
1986
Degree:
BFA in Drama Production (costume design)
Favorite Memory of T&D:
Charlotte’s Web, Romeo and Juliet, learning how to use that excellent dye facility (I have only used hot plates and Rit dye since then), the Spoolie Awards that the Graduate costume students threw at the end of the year. The USITT convention in Orlando, and the one in NY. Oh, and Dem Labs.
Influential Professors or Classes:
Dr. Paul Reinhardt, who I had the honor of helping in NYC at the Costume Collection one summer. I was Thrilled to be pulling costumes for him.
Current Hometown:
New York, NY - ok, I recently moved out of the city to West Orange, NJ, but I had a hard time giving up my 212 area code.
Current Profession:
Wardrobe Supervisor of Drowsy Chaperone.
Biography:
I moved to NY after I graduated from UT in 1986. I stayed with a friend in midtown (Goran Sparrman, class of ’85) for two weeks, then stayed in that neighborhood til last May, when I bought a house in the suburbs. In my 20 years in the city, I worked at many different kinds of jobs (at the world’s greatest toy store, FAO Schwartz, 7 years designing and producing for Jacques d’Ambois’ National Dance Institute, a quiet year as Sales Coordinator for Holiday Inn, and several cool shows at Manhattan Theatre Club) before I realized that I was happiest backstage, helping actors with the costumes. I worked as a dresser on Crazy for You, Will Rogers Follies, Jerome Robbins Broadway, and Gypsy (the Tyne Daly revival). I have worked with Mike Hartman, of Barlow-Hartman, class of ‘87 on many Broadway shows. The first job I had as Wardrobe Supervisor on Broadway was, appropriately A Tuna Christmas. Some other fun shows I was lucky enough to supervise were Love! Valour! Compassion!, Side Show, Aida, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, The Iceman Cometh, View from a Bridge, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and currently, Drowsy Chaperone. Joshua Halperin (stage manager, class of ‘94) is working on this show with me, and I had Tim Greer (class of ’85) on my crew here for a while. The Drowsy Chaperone has been a great experience for me, and I recommend it to anyone who loves the theatre. Since I left UT, I have met some fun people, had some great experiences, and done some very, very quick changes.
I have stayed in touch with several of my UT buddies. Val and Mike Winkelman (class of ‘90) have stayed in my tiny apartment. In fact, one memorable summer, Mike and Rick Stevens stood in my clawfoot bathtub, trying to figure out how the crooked bathroom door could be made to fit into the crooked doorway.
I got married 6 years ago to a sweet man named Paul. We got married on the rooftop of a subsidized housing building on 8th Avenue, between shows on a Sunday. I have 2 really extraordinary children. Opening a big musical out of town is nothing compared to the work of raising Joe and Maria, but nothing else compares to the fun.
Personal or Related Websites:
I just got a Facebook account, but don’t really know how to use it yet.
