USITT is excited to announce Charlene Gross and Daisy Long as our 2025 International Travel Grant recipients! International Travel Grants fund projects that seek new knowledge through international travel to exhibitions, productions, and collections, provide opportunities in design for international companies, and include a method of sharing experiences with the USITT Membership. The grant was established in 2004 to provide USITT Members with funding for international travel for advanced research and education in theatre-related fields.

Charlene Gross

Charlene is an Associate Professor of Costume Design & Director of the Fashion Archive at the Pennsylvania State University. Her design work encompasses new dance works, theatre, musicals, and gives homage to the reconstruction of early lyrical theatre and operetta pieces.

Theatre designs include work with Cleveland Museum of Art, Florida Repertory Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse, Ingenuity Festival, Merrimack Rep Theatre, the Flea, Rattelstick Theatre, Perry Street Theatre, NYC Fringe Festival, Joe’s Pub, & the Sands Casino, Atlantic City. Dance designs have been seen at the Yard (Martha’s Vineyard), Groundworks, Gibney Studios NYC, West Wave Dance Festival, & has been featured on NBC Nightly News. Charlene is a fierce advocate of collaboration whether it is in the form of the design process, in her research, or the classroom. Collaboration is at the heart of what makes theatre fun, & where creativity emerges. She believes a solid foundation in traditional design skills married with an openness to incorporate new technologies, enhance both designs and collaborations.

As Director the School of Theatre's Fashion Archive, she works closely with the Center of Virtual/Material Studies at Penn State to curate a hands-on teaching archive alongside an open resource in object studies using new technologies to provide open, equitable access to all. Her current research focuses on women empowerment through dress. This grant will be used to travel to the biennial North American Textile Conservation Conference in Banff, Alberta, Canada to further her research into textile conservation. 

She is a graduate of NYU's MFA program in Design for Stage & Film, proud Member of USA Local 829. You can keep up with Charlene on her website and Instagram.

"Thank you to Susan SB Brown and Ken Martin who encouraged me when I was curious about this thing called theatre. To Carrie Robins and Eduardo Sicangco who nurtured my growth in NYC, you are both dearly missed. Thank you to my boys, who support me where ever my work takes me- whether they are in tow or waiting at home for me. And, last, but not least, to all my students who inspire me with their work, dedication, and curiosity. 

I am incredibly thankful to have the support of USITT to attend the North American Textile Conservation Conference (NATCC). Fashion history and the understanding of historical clothing and textiles is intimately intertwined with costume design and making. 

The colleagues and friends I have made in conservation over the last few years have been incredibly gracious in welcoming me into their world and sharing their vast knowledge which has led to some amazing collaborations. I am thrilled this grant will enable me to attend the NATCC in Banff, Alberta, Canada at the biennial 'Mending Threads, Filling Gaps,' where I can connect and learn from these incredible professionals from across the world. The conference 'was founded as an international forum to share research, theory and practice in the field of textile conservation, and foster collaboration.' The experience is an amazing opportunity to learn from hands-on workshops, lectures, and tours. The ability to be in the room with top conservators in the world has been instrumental in the development of the Penn State Fashion Archive and my own creative activity and research in the field of historical textiles. I look forward to the opportunity in September to be in-person in Banff, and to share the experience with the USITT Membership in the future. I am honored to have been selected by the committee." -Charlene Gross

Daisy Long

Daisy Long is a New York-based lighting designer for theatre, opera, concert and dance. She has an affinity for the eclectic, uncanny, and unusual. 

New York credits include: The Shed, The Public, Keen Company, BAM, WP, Colt Coeur, Yangtze Rep, The Barrow Group, Primary Stages, Abingdon Theater Company, Mason Holdings, HERE Arts Center, LaMaMa, AMERINDA, TADA! Youth Theater.

Regional credits include: Hartford Stage, Westport Country Playhouse, Everyman Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, the Alliance, Arkansas Repertory Theater, Speakeasy Stage Company.

International credits include: Wexford Festival Opera; Lonesome George (Vienna, Austria).

Frequent collaborators include The Million Underscores, The Fire Ensemble, Mason Holdings, and Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana. She is the recipient of an IRNE Award and a National Youth Arts award. Originally from Massachusetts, she attended Yale University. She is also a Member of United Scenic Artists, Local 829. 

In her spare time she enjoys horseback riding, sea shanties and morris dancing. She also writes gentle fantasy stories about farming, teaching, and tavern-keeping under the name "James Falcon." You can keep up with Daisy on her website and Instagram.

"I'd like to thank, firstly in high school: Sarah Sullivan, who gave me my first introduction to technical theater. In college: Stephen Quandt, my first lighting design professor. He taught me everything I know! And all my friends and collaborators who are constantly doing weird and inspiring work. 

I'm thrilled to be a recipient of an International Travel Grant! It will allow me to expand my international practice, attend the Showlight lighting conference in France, and workshop 'Wie Sand durch die Finger,' a silent, visual-kinetic performance for both Deaf and hearing audiences in Austria. I can't wait to collaborate and connect with international artists across Europe this spring!" -Daisy Long