My A Space with Evan Stehlik

Stehlik serves as Albion College’s costume shop supervisor. He is a graduate of Central Michigan University where he received a degree in technical theatre with a focus in costuming. He has presented several costume, makeup, and hair designs at KCACTF District 3 conferences. Evan has also constructed wigs for Midland Center for the Arts and has worked with Peach State Summer Theater in Georgia as part of its wardrobe, stitcher, and hair/makeup crews. 

Io Triumphe!: How would you describe your design aesthetic?

Stehlik: Whatever I’m doing, I always have a through line. I love to add little details that the audience might not notice right away but will give deeper meaning to a character. I also love playing with contrast, whether it’s colors, fabrics, or textures, while still making sure everything looks harmonious.

What is the best part of being a costume designer?

I love when the actors try on their costumes for the first time, seeing them light up and say, “Oh, this changes the way I move!” It’s amazing because that’s what costumes are for–to help bring characters to life in a whole new way. This spring, Hedda Gabler was the first show I fully designed at Albion, and getting to see it start to finish was really rewarding. 

What’s one important lesson you want your student designers to learn?

They need to have a solid schedule. It’s so easy to have big creative ideas, but if you don’t plan everything out from the start, you’ll run out of time. Right from the first production meeting, you need to know how many weeks you have, what pieces you’re building, what you’re pulling from stock, and what you might need to rent. Laying out a plan makes everything smoother and way less overwhelming.

Have you ever had a costume or wig disaster right before a show?

The worst one I remember was during Spamalot. We had a 30-second costume change in the dark, and the actor’s zipper completely broke. I only had one pin on me, so he had to go out with his back completely open and just make sure not to turn around. To make it even worse, the costume was on backwards! Nothing fazes me any more.

Is there something you love to hate?

Sequins break needles, destroy machines, and make a mess everywhere. I love how they look on stage, but they are such a nightmare to work with, and they stick to everything for weeks.

What’s one behind-the-scenes aspect of costuming that audiences don’t usually appreciate, but should?

Audiences don’t realize how much work goes into maintaining those costumes every night. Even for the everyday-looking costumes in Hedda Gabler, the wardrobe crew does laundry, checks every piece, and fixes any rips, broken zippers, or falling-apart shoes so that the show looks the same every single night. Without them, the costumes would be a disaster by the second performance.

Story written by Marketing and Communications Intern Makeba Bantu ’25