Costume Designer

Ghostlight Ensemble is seeking a Costume Designer for its February production of The 8th Dwarf by Olivia Sieck. The 8th Dwarf is part of our Nightlight young audiences series, which produces original, adapted and forgotten plays geared toward children and the adults who love them. The play tells the story of Binkley, an outsider dwarf who longs to find the courage to join the most special of their kind – the dwarves that work in the mines. Through adventure after adventure, Binkley learns that courage, kindness and wit matter more than anything and that actions speak louder than material goods.

Job Details:
The Costume Designer will dress 4 actors who will play multiple characters throughout the show. For our young audience productions we aim for our costume design to be inspired by the type of costumes a child might put together for themselves were they designing a dwarf or a witch outfit. We are looking for a simple way for actors to distinguish themselves as different characters as they sometimes must quickly change from character to character while on stage.

Costumes do not necessarily need to be complex but must be functional. We ask that the Costume Designer be available for production meetings, as needed, tech week and wardrobe fittings in January/February. Dates confirmed according to cast and production team availability.

Key Dates:
Rehearsals will be 3-4 times/week on weeknight evenings and/or weekend days in January 2025. Final dates will be confirmed after review of cast conflicts.

Cast members MUST be available the following dates:

Tech: Saturday, January 31 and Sunday, February 1, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and rehearsals during the week of Feb. 2-6 in the evenings.

Performances: Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Feb. 7-8 and Feb. 14-15, 2026, at Bughouse Theatre in the NorthCenter neighborhood of Chicago (1910 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613).