Courtesy of Susan Mai
Susan Mai, costume designer and ESU Professor, has models wear her costumes for The Birds production at ESU on Thursday in King Hall. Each of her costumes was selected to appear in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival parade in Des Moines, Iowa.
Costumes designed for last spring semester’s production of “The Birds” by retiring Emporia State theatre professor Susan J. Mai were selected to be displayed during the annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival held in Des Moines, Iowa.
“It’s always an honor to be nominated for the festival,” Mai said.
ESU’s production of “Big River” was also nominated.
This is the second year in a row that costumes from an ESU production were displayed at the festival, with costumes from “As You Like It” as last year’s selection.
“It keeps our name out there and shows people that we’re doing good quality work here,” Mai said.
The costumes were designed by Mai and handcrafted together by ESU theatre students.
“It’s an understatement to say that the costumes from The Birds were an essential aspect of the show,” said Frances Opheim, senior theatre education major. “Their bright colors enhanced the comedic atmosphere of the play.”
Opheim portrayed the activist and Iris the Goddess of Rainbows in the production.
“Our costume shop works so incredibly hard on all of our costumes,” said Nathan Short, senior theatre major. “They don’t always get the recognition they deserve.”
Short portrayed Epops, King of Birds, in the production.
The directors of the play, Lisa and Justin Tinker, ESU graduates, had requested the costumes be cartoony.
“It was a modernized version, so I designed them as a combination of Greek style with the 1960s,” Mai said.
After almost thirty years of teaching at ESU, Mai is serving her last semester as costume designer before retiring.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Mai said.
Students were thankful to have Mai as their professor.
“I am so thankful that I got to work with her during my time at ESU,” Opheim said. “Sue J. is an incredibly warm, inviting and bright person.”
Short agreed with Opheim.
“She always wanted us to improve, and that’s great,” Short said.
Mai reflected on theatre as a professor and professional.
“Theatre is very much a collaborate art,” Mai said. “We have to work together all the time creating shows.”
Over the years she has created and designed a storage of costumes for the department.
“I couldn’t have done that if I moved from school to school,” Mai said. “I am proud of that.”