Category: BFA

Ashley Kong

Ashley Y. Kong is a makeup and costume designer for film and theater based out of the New York Metropolitan Area. She has worked in film, theater, opera, and dance in the New York Metro Area. She holds a BFA in Costume Design from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. She was also one of three winners for the Costume Industry Coalition’s Design Challenge 2020, CosBond’s Creator Contest 2020, AnimeNEXT’s Costume Competition Judge Choice winner in 2018, and Albolene’s Halloween Makeup Challenge Winner in 2017. Her passions outside of the industry include her cosplay work, where she runs her personal brand ToxieKat LLC. This brand was established in 2012 and has since spread to various platforms, amassing a substantial audience. In the future, she hopes to not only sell more commission work through the brand, but selling merchandise as well as competing in various cosplay competitions around the country.

Design work

A recreation of The Hobbit trilogy’s Thorin Oakenshield, created by hand (costume and props, wig and beard hand ventilated) and modeled by me. A 6 Month, 234 hour build. One of the winners for CosBond’s 2020 Creator Contest. Photography credit Chris J Kong.

A recreation of The Hobbit trilogy’s Thorin Oakenshield, created by hand. Materials include: black faux leather, faux wild brown bear fur, real leather strips, Navy Velvet fabric, faux leather black dragon scale fabric, foam for the armor plates, midnight suede fabric, Wonderflex, fabric paint, E6000, Mehron fake blood, and more. A 6 Month, 234 hour build. One of the winners for CosBond’s 2020 Creator Contest.

Recreation of Tauriel’s daggers from The Hobbit trilogy, created with foam and spray paint.

Turandot. Watercolour, metallic paints, ink, white gel pen. One out of 41 costume designs for Puccini’s “Turandot”. Focusing on the Tang and Ming Dynasties for a more concrete time.

A digital design rendering for an Evening look for Audrey Hepburn in the film “Funny Face” (1957). Photoshop.

Imperial Guards. Watercolour, metallic paints, ink, white gel pen. One out of 41 costume designs for Puccini’s “Turandot”. Focusing on the Tang and Ming Dynasties for a more concrete time.

Polly Peachum, half dressed. Watercolour, soft pastels, white gel pen, micron ink pen. One out of 20 designs from “The Beggar’s Opera”.

Mrs. Peachum. Watercolour, soft pastels, white gel pen, micron ink pen. One out of 20 designs from “The Beggar’s Opera”.

Tin Man. Watercolour, metallic paint, micron ink pen. One out of four designs from “The Wizard of Oz”. One of the winners to the Costume Industry Coalition’s 2020 Student Design Challenge.

Glinda. Watercolour, metallic paint, micron ink pen. One out of four designs from “The Wizard of Oz”.

An original design, and hand crafted, inspired by the character Feste the Fool from Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”. Constructed at the Globe in London as a part of Rutgers Mason Gross Conservatory study abroad program. Put on display in Shakespeare’s Globe during Fall of 2019.

This costume build is a replica interpretation of Guillermo Del Toro’s El Fauno from the film “Pan’s Labyrinth”. Constructed from foam, LED lights, Worbla, spray paint, acrylic and fabric paint. The build took 137 hours in total to create, and was awarded Judge’s Choice in AnimeNEXT’s 2018 Costume Competition. Photograph taken by Chris J Kong.

Wasteland Boy. Concept art for a conceptual ‘wasteland’ world. Nature, rust, filth, grime, technology, survival in a fallen world. Male inspired by the themes of Anubis.

Wasteland Girl. Concept art for a conceptual ‘wasteland’ world. Nature, rust, filth, grime, technology, survival in a fallen world.

Tori Timmins

Costume Artisan Victoria (Tori) Timmins is a New York and Los Angeles based designer and technician with a BFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. Tori has experience working in design for theatre and as a music video stylist, as well as experience as a technician for theatre, dance, television, and for tours.

While pursuing her undergraduate degree Tori studied under costume artisan Mio Guberinic where she enhanced her skills in thermoplastics and foam construction as well as studying hat making under Milliner Sean Barrett. Tori is also trained in fabric dyeing, draping, flat patterning, and garment construction, as well as being an Eveden certified bra fitter.

In addition to her passion for elaborate costume construction, Tori is also incredibly enthusiastic about historical dress, having spent a semester studying at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and with Jenny Tiramani at The School of Historical Dress in London, England. During COVID-19 Quarantine Tori has also been working at her local Historical Society, documenting patterns from their collections in the hopes of publishing her first book.

Design work

Embelishments. Young The Giant US Tour. Costume Designed by Marly Hall.

Eldritch Angel. Worbla Project. Constructed under the direction of Costume Artisan Mio Guberinic.

Assistant Stylist. Interscope Records: GRYFFIN for Spotify Time Square. Stylist: Sophia Phonsavahn.

Technical Designer: Parfait Lingerie Bodysuit SS21.

Buckram Pith Helmet with Pleating, Grommets, and Face Net.

Clare Lippincott

Recent design credits include ‘Joan of Arc’ and ‘Dead End’ at Rutgers Theater company.

Her professional work includes an apprenticeship at Dorset Theater Festival in Vermont. There she supervised wardrobe for the four productions of their summer season, and worked closely with the shop manager stitching and assisting with orders and stock maintenance.

Her studies at MGSA included attending the Rutgers Globe Program, where she studied with Jenny Tiramani at the School of Historical Dress in London, and took a millinery course from Sean Barrett at the Globe Theater.

Design work

“Cloud 9”. Costume Design, Martin Act 2.

“Cloud 9”. Costume Design, Lin Act 2, and Maude Act 1.

“Cloud 9”. Costume Design, Victoria Act 2.

“Joan of Arc” Produced by Rutgers Theater Company. The Duke of Burgundy and the English Knights. Directed by Christopher Cartmill. Set Designer: Allen Cutler, Costume Designer: Clare Lippincott, Lighting Designer: Ashley Houck.

“Dead End” Produced by Rutgers Theater Company. The Dead End Boys and Baby Faced Martin. Directed by Colette Robert. Costume Designer: Clare Lippincott, Lighting Designer: Grace Lee.

Dance Concept. Costume Design, Caterpillar and Moth.

“Mahogany”. Film. Costume Design, Tracy Eveningwear.

“Joan of Arc” Produced by Rutgers Theater Company. Agnes Sorel. Directed by Christopher Cartmill. Set Designer: Allen Cutler, Costume Designer: Clare Lippincott, Lighting Designer: Ashley Houck.

“Joan of Arc” Produced by Rutgers Theater Company. Joan In Battle. Directed by Christopher Cartmill. Set Designer: Allen Cutler, Costume Designer: Clare Lippincott, Lighting Designer: Ashley Houck.

“Dead End” Produced by Rutgers Theater Company. Angel and Spit. Directed by Colette Robert. Costume Designer: Clare Lippincott, Lighting Designer: Grace Lee.

“Dracula”. Film. Costume Design, Johnathan.

“Dracula”. Film. Costume Design, Dracula.

“Joan of Arc” Produced by Rutgers Theater Company. The Grand Abbess. Directed by Christopher Cartmill. Set Designer: Allen Cutler, Costume Designer: Clare Lippincott, Lighting Designer: Ashley Houck. Headdress Built by Tori Timmins

Ashley Houck

Ashley Houck is a recent graduate from Mason Gross School of the Arts receiving her BFA under the tutelage of Don Holder. During her time in school she designed many shows, most recently Joan of Arc for the Rutgers Theater Company. She had the privilege to also study at Shakespeare’s Globe in London where she was trained under scenographer Michael Pavelka during one of her Fall semesters. Ashley Houck is a lighting designer who was born and raised in Red Bank, New Jersey. Design credits include: Vinegar Tom and The Other Shore. Assistant design credits include: Private Lives for Dorset Theater Company and The Rehearsal for Rutgers Theater Company.

Design work

“Vinegar Tom” Produced by Rutgers Theater Company. Directed by Carlos Armesto. Set Designer: A. Y. Borden, Costume Designer: Theo Campbell, Lighting Designer: Ashley Houck.

“Joan of Arc” Produced by Rutgers Theater Company. The Black Knight. Directed by Christopher Cartmill. Set Designer: Allen Cutler, Costume Designer: Clare Lippincott, Lighting Designer: Ashley Houck.

“The Other Shore” (Devised Movement Piece) Produced by Rutgers Theater Company. Directed by Danielle Liccardo. Costume Designer: Kim Griffin, Lighting Designer: Ashley Houck.

“Joan of Arc” Produced by Rutgers Theater Company. Joan’s final moment. Directed by Christopher Cartmill. Set Designer: Allen Cutler, Costume Designer: Clare Lippincott, Lighting Designer: Ashley Houck.

“Vinegar Tom” Produced by Rutgers Theater Company. If Everybody Worked As Hard As Me. Directed by Carlos Armesto. Set Designer: A. Y. Borden, Costume Designer: Theo Campbell, Lighting Designer: Ashley Houck.

“Joan of Arc” Produced by Rutgers Theater Company. Directed by Christopher Cartmill. Set Designer: Allen Cutler, Costume Designer: Clare Lippincott, Lighting Designer: Ashley Houck.

“Joan of Arc” Produced by Rutgers Theater Company. Talbot and his soldiers. Directed by Christopher Cartmill. Set Designer: Allen Cutler, Costume Designer: Clare Lippincott, Lighting Designer: Ashley Houck.

“Joan of Arc” Produced by Rutgers Theater Company. Count Duonis and La Hire. Directed by Christopher Cartmill. Set Designer: Allen Cutler, Costume Designer: Clare Lippincott, Lighting Designer: Ashley Houck.

“Vinegar Tom” Produced by Rutgers Theater Company. Evil Women. Directed by Carlos Armesto. Set Designer: A. Y. Borden, Costume Designer: Theo Campbell, Lighting Designer: Ashley Houck.

Cat J. Cusick

Cat J. Cusick is a lighting designer who graduated with a BFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University under the tutelage of Don Holder. She studied scenography under Micheal Pavelka at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London. Her credits include Faust, Ten Blocks on the Camino Real and the MGSA Dance and Colab Showcase. Assisting credits include Moi Meduse, Henry IV Part I & II, An Octoroon, Heel and (Hera)kles with Rutgers Theatre Company.