Costume Director
DESCRIPTION
Palm Beach Opera seeks a Costume Director to begin work in fall 2025. This position is responsible for the procurement, alteration, and construction of all costumes and related items required for the Palm Beach Opera season. The Costume Director will supervise wardrobe personnel at the shop for fittings and alterations, and supervise wardrobe crew at the theatre for rehearsals and performances. This position requires a full-time commitment from November through March, with part-time remote hours in the off-season for future season planning.
Primary Responsibilities
§ Serve as the company’s primary costume liaison with Stage Directors, Costume Designers, Director of Production, and Renting Company Supervisors.
§ Research packages of rental costumes for upcoming seasons and potential titles, and make artistic and budgetary recommendations.
§ Coordinate the acquisition, purchase, alteration, and return of all costume materials.
§ Design and supervise the construction of additional, alternate, and/or special costumes as needed.
§ Provide rehearsal costumes as requested by Stage Directors and Stage Management.
§ Advise Stage Directors and support the artistic vision of each production, ensuring costumes are realized at a high artistic standard and within budget.
§ Attend and supervise all fittings, any rehearsals when costumes are being worn, and all production meetings.
§ Supervise all Wardrobe related activities, from managing workflow and scheduling adequate crew within budgetary parameters, to assigning projects and ensuring their timely completion, tracking hours, and overseeing the crew in the shop and at all rehearsals and performances.
§ Maintain updated measurement sheets for all artists, coordinating with the artistic staff and other costume departments to collect recent measurements, updating onsite as necessary, and organizing in company’s files and on ArtsVision.
§ Maintain accurate tracking of expenses, payroll, and petty cash.
§ Maintain a clean, safe and well-stocked workspace.
§ Collaborate with other company departments for donor engagement, social media, and presentations as necessary.
Qualifications and Requirements
§ Minimum of 3 years of experience in a costume department or related position. Previous costume design experience and work with an IATSE crew are advantages.
§ Extensive knowledge of costume history, construction techniques, fabric, and costume shop procedures, as well as a thorough understanding of current best practices for fittings and costume alterations. Knowledge of art history and the traditions and literature of opera are advantages.
§ Dedication to PBO’s mission to set the benchmark for artistic excellence.
§ Effective leadership qualities, with a positive and respectful attitude.
§ Ability to establish priorities and multitask, with strong organizational, quantitative, and creative problem-solving skills, excellent written and verbal communication, and meticulous attention to detail.
§ Knowledge of computerized information systems and their application, including Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Office. Familiarity with ArtsVision is an advantage.
§ Must have the ability to work flexible hours, including extended hours, evenings, and weekends.
§ Must have the ability to stand for long hours, climb stairs and use step ladders, lift and carry up to 30 pounds, and tolerate exposure to common laundry chemicals.
§ Access to reliable transportation.
This job description is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills, requirements, or working conditions associated with the job. While this listing is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, the company reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed or assigned.
Please forward your cover letter and résumé in pdf format to: jbruckerhoff@pbopera.org. Please address communications to Jeff Bruckerhoff, Director of Production & Facilities.
ABOUT THE COMPANY Palm Beach Opera is one of the nation's most highly regarded opera companies, noted for its more than 60-year legacy of excellence in mainstage productions featuring internationally-renowned singers, a robust education program which has a history of deep impact throughout Southeast Florida, and one of the premier resident artist training programs in the industry. The recently completed 2025 season was a triumph in each area of the company's mission. The three mainstage productions at the 2,220-seat Kravis Center for the Performing Arts were lauded for exceptionally high artistic standards, from the breathtaking performances of soprano Kathryn Lewek and tenor Long Long in Roméo et Juliette, to the captivating role debut of Gabriella Reyes in La traviata, to Adam Plachetka’s iconic interpretation of the title role in The Marriage of Figaro. The sumptuous costumes featured throughout the season included the work of designers Claude Girard, Desmond Heeley, and Leslie Travers. The 2026 season builds on these successes with classic productions of La bohème, The Pearl Fishers, and Rigoletto. The company's community engagement programs continue to be a vital force for arts education in the region, reaching thousands of children and adults each year, from frequent classroom concerts, to panels with visiting scholars, and many more activities designed to inspire a lifelong love of the performing arts, including an exciting partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs in which the children create and perform their own operas. PBO has also become one of the leading training centers for emerging artists in the opera industry. Since the company’s first iteration of a formalized resident artist program in 2004, which included then-rising-star Nadine Sierra among its participants, PBO has built an impressive track-record of success in identifying and training the next generation of singers, and this season marked the milestone of PBO's fifth winner of Plácido Domingo’s Operalia Competition in just the past three years. With the current three-tiered structure, PBO provides opportunities and mentorship for artists at several key stages of their development – from high school voice students preparing for college as part of PBO Studio, to recent conservatory graduates building professional experience in the Apprentice Artist Program, to singers on the verge of launching careers as principal artists through the Young Artist Program. Palm Beach Opera is located in one of the world’s great resort communities, which boasts an unparalleled quality of life and is known for beautiful weather, pristine beaches, abundant outdoor activities, world-class dining, and a vibrant cultural scene.
Desired Start Date: September 1, 2025
BENEFITS
Pay Range: $30,000 - $36,000 Annual
HOW TO APPLY
Please forward your cover letter and résumé in pdf format to: jbruckerhoff@pbopera.org. Address communications to Jeff Bruckerhoff, Director of Production & Facilities.
Application Deadline: July 15, 2025
Application Email/Link: pbopera.org/opportunities/
JOB CONTACT
jbruckerhoff@pbopera.org