Sarah E. Bussard has called many places home, including Cincinnati, OH, Mishawaka, In, and Quezon City, Philippines, where she spent most of her childhood.  She “re-discovered” her love of theatre by accidentally strolling into a production meeting with her best friend her sophomore year and then ... promptly changing her major.  One of her favorite experiences in teaching is the joy of introducing someone to a craft she loves and then watching them discover their own particular skills and passions.  She also prefers a witty, deeply sarcastic work environment where one must think on their feet in often ridiculous circumstances, which is why she is particularly suited to the theatre.  That, and excellent skills with toupee tape and safety pins.  When she is not in dress rehearsal she can be found at the nearest used bookstore adding to her library (it’s not a problem, it’s a collection), attempting to grow obscure tropical fruits in too-cold environments, cooking, or watching Korean Variety Shows.

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Her design and production work spans a variety of mediums and venues, including theatre, opera, film, and video, and collaboration with Music Theatre Wichita, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival, Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Olney Theatre Centre, Sarasota Opera, Virginia Opera, Cincinnati Opera, and Chautauqua Opera.  Other work includes The American Experience with Rick Burns, Seven Below, Silk Trees (Evermore Pictures), as well as Evaluating Kaitly, and 177, award-winning short films with Runaway Pen Productions.  

 

Favorite selected designs include The Drowsy Chaperone (Music Theatre Wichita), Raisin in the Sun (Indiana Repertory Theatre),  The Imaginary Invalid (Notre Dame Department of Theatre), Love’s Labor’s Lost (Wichita State), Kansas Lineage (Film, Wichita Dance Theatre), and Metamorphoses (Taylor University). 

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She received her M.F.A. in Makeup and Wig Design at the University of Cincinnati, from the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) where she studied wig making and design, and her B.A. in Liberal Studies (concentrations in Theatre, Literature, and Writing) from Bethel College in Mishawaka, Indiana.  Her research interests include Traditional Asian Dress, Historical Wig Making, and Inclusion and Diversity in Design.

  

Other work includes The American Experience with Rick Burns, Silk Trees (Evermore Pictures), as well as Evaluating Kaitly, and 177, award-winning short films with Runaway Pen Productions.  

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As costume design faculty at Wichita State University, Sarah loves mentoring students in costume, makeup, and wig design, and collaborating with guest artists, faculty, and staff.

https://www.wichita.edu/profiles/academics/fine_arts/school_of_performing_arts/index.php

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