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Department ofTheatre and Dance

Naomi Arnst

Naomi Arnst
Costume Shop Manager

Naomi loves the art of telling a good story. Naomi will always be drawn to a beautiful dress, a strong uniform, the exploration of far-off lands, a good relationship and times that are long past. Naomi’s career is based in the creative process making beautiful and fabulous garments and putting together great shows that make people smile. Beyond that, always looking for a way to honor humanity, like using the study of dress to highlight important causes.

Select Scholarship Credits

4 images of the Raising Native Voices: Power Shifts and Politics reflected in dress traditions talk at the September 2023 Costume Society of America Western Region sympsium

Successfully organized “Raising Native Voices: Power Shifts and Politics reflected in dress traditions," Costume Society of America, Western Region Symposium, Cody, WY. September 2023. Based on the Red Dress project and publicizing the awareness of MMIW & MMIP. Keynote speakers Della BigHair Stump fashion designer, and Luella Brien activist and journalist highlighted on the Showtime documentary “Murder at Big Horn”, both of the Apsaalooke tribe.

  • Administrator of the Jack Handford Internship for the Western Region of the Costume Society of America. This biannual paid Internship is awarded to student scholars in the dress field. The recipient will get a professional hands-on working opportunity at an accredited museum, publishing or theatrical institution. The next offering will be Summer 2024.

 

Alma Deutscher's Cinderella at San Jose Opera in November 2022

Cutter & Draper for the Men’s chorus of Opera San Jose's production of Alma Deutscher's Cinderella. Costumes designed by Johan Stegmeir. November 2022.

 

 

Alma Deutscher's Cinderella at San Jose Opera in November 2022

Alma Deutscher's Cinderella at San Jose Opera in November 2022

 

2 images of students at the SCU Eco Fashion Show in Spring 2022

Eco Fashion Show Turns Trash Into Treasure. Taught sewing and design seminars for the Sustainability department, and a Theatre Costume Shop assistant, Anna Troung '26 (Marketing), won best in show with a fabulous form fitting knit dress made from a remnant from the Images2022 dance show.

6 images of A Winter's Tale costume renderings and in performance at California Shakespeare, 2021

Costume’s designed by Ulises Alcala for the 2021 California Shakespeare production of A Winter’s Tale, and built by Naomi and her Cal Shakes staff in her home shop and garage because the company lost their costume shop due to Covid 19, won the 2020/2021 San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award for Best Costumes for a Large Theatre.

Courses

Mainstage Theatre and Dance Costume Design
Costume Construction
Production Workshop (Costumes/Wardrobe)
Student Productions inc. Choreography Costume Design advisor