Karen Murk Potter: curriculum vitae
Website: http://karenmurkpotter.com Cell 323-683-4761 Email Karen.am.potter@gmail.com
EXPERIENCE:
Freelance Costume Designer:
Current. Dallas/Fort Worth, TX.
Visiting Assistant Professor:
2015-Current. Texas Wesleyan University. Fort Worth, TX.
Teaching the following classes:
· Theatrical Costume Design: Exposure to fashion history, drawing, composition and approach to developing and creating characters through clothing.
· Theatre Practicum: Costume Shop Lab used to aid in costume construction and wardrobe for the performances.
· Independent Lessons: Theatre Applied Practice (T.A.P.) including:
Makeup design, Drawing, Draping and Drafting, Historical Foundations, Pattern making.
· Technical Theatre II: Instructional use of the Costume Shop including basic sewing, makeup application and costume organization.
· Enjoyment of Drama: An introduction to the world of Theatre through artistry, analytical thinking, creative problem solving and communication.
· Online Teaching Certified through Texas Wesleyan University. Fundamentals of Online Teaching Certification course.
Adjunct Faculty:
2007-2014 California Institute of the Arts. Valencia, CA.
Teaching the following classes:
· Basic sewing: Institute hand stitching, machine sewing and commercial pattern application resulting in a finished garment.
· Costume seminar: This course discussed issues associated with the role of Costume Designer on the productions at CalArts and the role of costume designer in general in the professional world.
· Costuming for Film: Course includes the general business of the wardrobe branch; how to complete script breakdowns, film budgeting and building a wardrobe department.
· Shop LA: A field-trip based class tapping into the variety of resources of Los Angeles fabric and fashion districts as well as specific ethnic areas for acquiring products.
Costume Shop Manager:
2007-2014 California Institute of the Arts. Valencia, CA.
· Instructing work study students and costume students in proper sewing methods and techniques including pattern drafting and cutting, pattern modification and use.
· Duties including: Management of the shop and personnel, overseeing the student costume designers in the process of actualizing a production, maintaining budgets for the costume shop, managing budgets for shows and mentoring students.
· Teaching skills for wardrobe quick changes and backstage etiquette, make-up application
Staff Costumer/ Design Coordinator:
2000-2007 California Institute of the Arts. Valencia, CA.
· Supervising design students
· Overseeing workroom activity
· Shopping for the supplies and needs of each show
· Maintaining costume storage and stock
Resident Costume Designer:
Playhouse on the Square. Memphis, TN.
1997-1998 season including: A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, Forever Plaid, Tartuffe, The Hollow, Return to the Forbidden Planet, and Smoke on the Mountain.
1996-1997 season including: Ain’t Misbehavin’, Steel Magnolias, Peter Pan, A Tuna Christmas,
Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Diary of Anne Frank, Three Tall Women, and
The Rocky Horror Show.
· Designed and ran the costume shop
· Instructed interns on sewing, cutting, building costumes and make-up application
Costume Designer:
· Designed a variety of different productions including theatre, opera, television and film.
2023 Bat Boy, Dir. Joe Brown, Theatre Wesleyan, Fort Worth, TX.
2023 Gypsy Dir. Steven Morris, Theatre Arlington, Arlington, TX.
2022 Hooray for the Holidays 2, Theatre Arlington. Arlington, TX.
2022 Cake Dir. Steven Morris, Theatre Arlington, Arlington, TX.
2022 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Theatre Wesleyan, Fort Worth, TX
2022 Sister Act, Dir. Steven Morris, Theatre Arlington, Arlington, TX
2021 Uncle Vanya, Dir. Jeanne Everton, Theatre Wesleyan. Fort Worth, TX
2020 Stone Soup, Dir. Steven Morris, Fort Worth Opera. Fort Worth, TX
2020 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Dir. Jeanne Everton, Theatre Wesleyan
2020 Damn Yankees: Theatre Arlington. Dir. Steven Morris, Arlington, TX
2019 Hooray for Holidays: Theatre Arlington’s Musical TV Special. Dir.: Steven Morris
2019 Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Dir. Steven Morris, Theatre Arlington.
2019 They’re Playing Our Song. Dir.: Steven Morris, Theatre Arlington. Arlington, TX.
2019 Running in the Red. Dir.: Cameron Byerly, Artisan Theatre. Hurst, TX.
2018 Oklahoma. Dir.: Jeanne Everton, Theatre Wesleyan, Fort Worth, TX.
2017 Urine Town. Dir.: Connie Whitt Lambert, Theatre Wesleyan, Fort Worth, TX.
2017 Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike. Dir.: Jeanne Everton, Theatre Wesleyan, FT Worth, TX.
2016 Clue The Musical. Dir.: Jeanne Everton, Theatre Wesleyan, Fort Worth, TX
2015 School for Scandal. Dir.: Jeanne Everton, Theatre Wesleyan, Fort Worth, TX.
2015 Metamorphoses. Dir.: Bryan Stevenson, Theatre Wesleyan, Fort Worth, TX.
2013 Our Town. Dir.: Alan MacVey, Burgess Meredith Little Theatre, Middlebury, VT.
2013 Founding Families. Dir. Nataki Garret, Center for New Performance, Los Angeles, CA.
2012 Spin. Dir.: Gary Dean Ruebsamen with Heather Ehlers, Santa Monica, CA & NYC.
2012 Hamlet. Dir.: Brian McEleney. Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT.
2011 A Streetcar Named Desire. Dir.: Alan MacVey, Bread Loaf Theatre, Middlebury, VT.
2010 Mad Forest. Dir.: Alan MacVey, Burgess Meredith Little Theatre, Middlebury, VT.
2009 The Changeling. Dir.: Alan MacVey, Burgess Meredith Little Theatre, Middlebury, VT.
2009 After Marienbad. Dir.: Yelena Zhelezov, CalArts Theatre. Valencia, CA.
2008 Orange, Lemon, Egg, Canary. Dir.: Tayla Klein, The Complex, Hollywood, CA.
2007 Henry IV. Bread Loaf School of English, Middlebury, VT.
2007 Daughter of a Cuban Revolutionary. Center for New Performance, CA & NYC
2006 Big Love. Dir: Alan MacVey. Burgess Meredith Little Theatre, Middlebury, VT.
2006 The Force of Change. Dir.: John Swanbeck. McCadden Place Theatre, LA, CA.
2006 Farewell Miss Cotton. Dir.: Larry Biederman, The Black Dahlia Theatre, LA, CA.
2006 Pizza Time. TV spec pilot, Dir.: John Baumgartner Produced by Todd Holland. LA, CA.
2005 Romeo & Juliet, Dir.: Brian McEleney, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT.
2004 Measure for Measure. Bread Loaf Theatre. Middlebury, VT.
2003 Our Town. Demarest Historical Society. Centennial celebration. Demarest, NJ.
2003 Arcadia. Co-Design with Ellen McCartney. Bread Loaf Theatre. Middlebury, VT.
2001 White Like the Moon. Film dir. by Marina Palmier, produced by Richard Pierce. LA, CA
1999 The Last Gun Shot. Film directed/produced by Gabriela Tollman. Los Angeles, CA.
1998 The Rocky Horror Show. The Roxy Theatre. Atlanta, GA.
1998 Around the World. A collection of short stories. St. Marys Episcopal School. Memphis.
1998 A Dolls House, and An Inspector Calls. Ball State University. Muncie, IN.
1997 Jeffery. Circuit Playhouse. Memphis, TN.
1996 The American Car. Circuit Playhouse. Memphis, TN.
1996 Godspell. Drexel University. Philadelphia, PA.
1996 A Midsummer Nights Dream and The Hostage. Temple University. Philadelphia, PA.
Co-Design:
2018 The Wizard of Oz. Artisan Theatre. Hurst, TX.
Design Consultant:
2015 The Poet and the Gypsy. Film produced by Kristina Hasler, Dallas, TX.
Costume Coordinator:
2004 The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. Edgemar Center for the Arts. Santa Monica, CA.
1999 A 20th Century Christmas. The Alex Theatre. Produced by Zoë Bright. Glendale, CA.
1999 Don Giovanni. LA Opera. Los Angeles, CA.
1997 Gianni Schicchi. University of Memphis Opera. Memphis, TN.
Assistant Costume Designer:
2008 Once on this Island. Assist: Anita Yavich. Reprise Theatre Company, Los Angeles, CA.
2004 Peach Blossom Fan. Assist: Anita Yavich. Center for New Theatre. Los Angeles, CA.
2002 Much Ado About Nothing. Assist: Ellen McCartney. Bread Loaf Theatre. Middlebury, VT
2002 King Lear. Assist: Ellen McCartney. Center for New Theatre. Los Angeles, CA.
2000 Alex in Wonder. Assist: Maggie Morgan. Film directed by Drew Rosenberg. Produced by Robert Hays and John Walcutt. Dog Films. Marina Del Rey, CA.
1996 I Am A Man. Assist: Loyce Arthur. Philadelphia Theatre Company.
Key Costumer:
1999 Things Fall. Film directed by Daniel Davila. Produced by Tom Martin and Wendy Molyneux, Apprentice Productions. Los Angeles, CA.
Wardrobe:
2003 King Lear. Center for New Theatre. Frictions 2003 Festival. Dijon, France
1997 Tango X2. Argentina dance tour. Germantown Performing Arts Center. Germantown, TN.
1997 Penn and Teller. Tour. Germantown Performing Arts Center. Germantown, TN.
1995 Diary of an African American. Music Theatre Group. New York, New York.
Set Design:
2019 Turandotte. Dir.: Connie Whitt-Lambert. Texas Wesleyan University. Fort Worth, TX.
2016 Stop Kiss. Dir.: Colton Mallory. Texas Wesleyan University. Fort Worth, TX.
Director:
2022 Down in Mississippi. Texas Wesleyan University. Fort Worth, TX
2022 Shuddersome. Texas Wesleyan University. Fort Worth, TX
2020 Vintage Hitchcock. Texas Wesleyan University. Fort Worth, TX.
2018 The Hostage. Texas Wesleyan University. Fort Worth, TX
Religious Education Instructor:
2017-2020 Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church. Keller, TX.
· Third grade class teacher 2017-2018 school year
· Aide and substitute 2019-2020 school year
EDUCATION:
Master of Fine Arts, (MFA) Temple University. Philadelphia, PA. 1996.
Bachelor of Science, (BS) Ball State University. Muncie, IN. 1991.
Westminster College Exchange Program, Oxford, England. 1989.
SKILLS:
Teaching, makeup design, wig knowledge, flat patterning, cutting/draping, body padding, millinery, dyeing, industrial sewing/merrow, crafts, leather work, embroidery, shopping, and blind hemming, Costume and Theatre History. Adobe Photoshop-creative design suite, and digital drawing, Budgeting and Team management.
MEMBERSHIP:
Costume Commission: United States Institute for Theatre Technology (U.S.I.T.T.)
Faculty Advisor: Lambda Tau Zeta Sorority. Local Chapter for Texas Wesleyan University.
Vice President of the Little Lake/Mehl Lake Association, Gwinn, MI.
AWARDS:
Nominated for 2020 Column Award-Best Costume Design Equity Theatre, DFW Area
Best of Memphis. Award Recipient-Costume Design for The Return to the Forbidden Planet 1998.
Best of Memphis. Award Recipient- Make up Design for The Rocky Horror Show 1997.