Susan Mickey

In describing her preparation with Barbara Gaines for this production, the American costume designer recalls that they began with “the quality of the music. We wanted the opera to look like the music, with its charm, wit, and wonderful playfulness. We also wanted the lush quality of the period, but without the constraint of historical boundaries. We are viewing a period through a contemporary lens.” Mickey has designed extensively in regional theater, television, film, and print. Her work at Chicago Shakespeare Theater has won acclaim in Sense and Sensibility (2015), The School for Lies (2014), and The Madness of George III (2010) – the latter two productions earned Jeff Awards for Best Costume Design. Mickey cherishes her associations with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (15 seasons), Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre (associate artist, more than 50 productions over 30 years), and The Virginia Stage Company: “When you find a group of artists and artisans with whom you’re making work that spans your lifetime, and when those relationships are successful, you keep returning to them and reaching deeper.” Mickey’s credits in television and film include The Catlins (TBS), Miss Evers’Boys (HBO), Mama Flora’s Family (CBS), and Driving Miss Daisy. She has also worked as a photo stylist and creative designer for the print industry. Mickey is senior associate chair and head of the production area and the design/ technology program at the University of Texas at Austin. In 2014 she received the Michael Merritt Award for Lifetime Achievement in Design and Collaboration.

Lyric Opera debut: The Marriage of Figaro (2015|16)

Last updated: September 26, 2015