SUSAN BRANCH TOWNE** (Costume Designer) – Creating the right look for the characters of Shakespeare, contemporary plays, opera, dance and musicals—large and small—is the Susan’s primary quest as an artist and theatre professional. Joining the director, fellow designers, and performers in support of a text—telling a story—is what drew her into Costume Design, and that collaboration continues to bring her the greatest satisfaction. Susan’s 21 costume designs at ZACH Theatre include Hairspray, August: Osage County, The Drowsy Chaperone, Our Town, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Clean House, Jesucristo Superestrella/Jesus Christ Superstar, Present Laughter, Bad Dates, Urinetown, Aida, Cabaret, It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues, Always...Patsy Cline, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Smokey Joe’s Café, The Laramie Project and Jelly’s Last Jam. Other Austin credits include: Austin Lyric Opera’s The Bat; Ballet Austin’s The Magic Flute; Zilker Theatre Production’s The Music Man, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Annie Get Your Gun, The Secret Garden and Crazy for You; All Shook Up for Texas State University; 1940’s Radio Hour at Southwestern University; and The Crucible, The Pajama Game and Carousel at St. Edward’s University. Susan’s more than 250 designs include productions at Denver Center Theatre Company, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Pioneer Theatre Company, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Skylight Opera Theatre, New York City Opera, as well as numerous Off-Broadway productions. Susan holds a B.F.A. from Carnegie-Mellon University and an M.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama, and is a 25-year member of United Scenic Artists, Local 829.