Donald Stowell
(1940-1995)
Education/Training:
- Davidson College, Davidson NC, BA in Speech/Drama (1961)
- University of Miami, FL, MA in Costume Design (1965)
- University of Texas, PhD in Theatre, History and Criticism (1970)
- Member, United Scenic Artists, Local 350
Employment history:
- Faculty, Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield, MO (1965-1967)
- Costume Designer, Professor, and Associate Dean for Instruction, Florida State University, School of Theatre (1970-1983)
- Principal, Don Stowell and Associates, freelance designer (1983-1990)
- Director of the Division of Fine Arts, North Dakota State University, Fargo (1990-1994) Editor’s note: Dr. Stowell was named Professor Emeritus upon his retirement (1994)
Publications:
- Author, The New Costuming in America: The Ideas and Practices of Robert Edmond Jones, Norman Bel Geddes, Lee Simonson and Aline Bernstein, 1915-1935; PhD diss., University of Texas at Austin (1972)
- Numerous articles for Theatre Design and Technology
USITT Involvement and Offices Held:
- First Commissioner, Costume Design and Technology Commission (1975)
- Commissioner, Scenography (1977-1978)
- Initiated the Scenographic Heritage section of Design Expo and served as the coordinator for several exhibits
- Board of Directors
- Arranged and coordinated joint meetings with Costume Society of America as post-conference events
- Inaugurated and coordinated numerous pre and post-conference events
- Created the summer USITT Costume Symposia and coordinated several such events
- Coordinated “The Art of Stage Costuming” for Orlando Conference
- Namesake of the Costume Commission Donny Award and was the first recipient for his contributions to Costume Design and Technology
Awards and Honors:
- Elected USITT Fellow (1985)
- Fulbright Scholar to pursue research in Brazil, 1993
- Board of Directors, Costume Society of America
- North Dakota Council on the Arts (by gubernatorial appointment)