Valerie St. Pierre Smith
Costume Designer, Crafts Artisan, Educator
After receiving my M.F.A from San Diego State University, I have worked as a costume designer and crafts artisan for clients that include Warner Brothers Studios; Universal Studios, Hollywood; The Old Globe Theatre and Sea World, San Diego. I have also received several awards and recognition for innovative design work. My design work spans a range from classics like Tartuffe and A Doll's House through Guys and Dolls and The Boyfriend all the way to the abstract world of Caryl Churchill's The Skriker.
My resume is displayed below, and a few samples of my design work, and production photos, may be found through the links to the left, or by following any highlighted titles. Styling & Makeup Photos include a few samples of fashion styling and photographic make-up work; Textile Art highlights my latest series of silk paintings.
Design Credits*
- The Other Room, Paul Douglas Michnewicz
- The Love of the Nightingale, Jodi Kanter
Bulletins from Fatland, George Grant
Merrily We Roll Along, Leslie Jacobson
Danceworks!, various choreographers
The Body Project, Leslie Jacobson and Vanessa Thomas
One, Peter Bennett
Tartuffe, Frank Kraat
A Doll's House, Bev Brumm
Waiting (dance), Yoav Kaddar
Guys and Dolls, Franks Trezza
The Tempest, Nick Reid
Halloween; Sea World, San Diego
The Skriker, Peter Larlham
The Clearing, Jeff Miller
She Loves Me, Millie Garvey
The Boyfriend, Becky Glaser
*printable resume and full list of credits available upon request
Education
M.F.A. Theatre Arts: Costume Design and Technology; San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
B.F.A. Theatre Arts; Stephens College, Columbia, MO
Related Credits*
Costume Crafts Artisan credits include:
- La Jolla Playhouse, La Jolla, California
- The Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, California
- Warner Bros. Studios, Los Angeles, California
- San Diego Opera, San Diego, California
Styling and Make-up credits include:
- REALM magazine, New York City, New York
- Ken Thurlbeck, New York City, New York
- SVA, New York City, New York
- Eleanor Antin, San Diego, California
Publications include:
- E-Style: Teaching Costume Design and History Within an Online Learning Environment. USITT Costume Poster Session, 2008.
- The Development of an Aesthetic: Costume Design Concept and Approach for Shakespeare's The Tempest
- Creature Feature; TD&T vol. 37 no. 3, summer 2001; USITT Tech Expo Catalog, 2001
- The Mask of Quick Change, USITT Tech Expo Catalog, 1999
Awards include:
- Ming Cho Lee’s Clambake Invited Exhibitor - 2001
- United States Institute of Theatre Technology Young Designer's Forum- 2001
- United States Institute of Theatre Technology Tech Expo Exhibiter Award- "Creature Feature”- 2001
- KPBS Pate Award for Outstanding Costume Design- 2000
Professional Affiliations:
- United States Institute of Theatre Technology- member
- Costume Society of America- member
*full list of credits available upon request
References
Ralph Funicello, Scene Designer
Yoav Kaddar, Choreographer/Director
Jodi Kanter, Director