Marilyn Salvatore

Bio

Assistant Professor Marilyn Salvatore, M.F.A., is a design and technology faculty member at CCRI. Marilyn teaches Introduction to Costuming, Theatrical Makeup and Introduction to Theatre, as well as serving as the Costume Designer for the CCRI Theatre Program. She has 30 years experience as a professional theatrical costume designer as well as a custom clothing and jewelry designer. From 1984-2004 she was one of the designers for Trinity Repertory Company, working on over 180 productions with artistic directors Adrian Hall, Anne Bogart, Richard Jenkins and Oskar Eustis, returning in 2007 to design MEMORY HOUSE, directed by current artistic director, Curt Columbus. From 1988--2003, Marilyn was also the costume designer/coordinator for the Trinity Rep Conservatory, now the Trinity/Brown Consortium, where she designed over 80 productions. Her dance, opera and drama designs have been seen throughout Rhode Island, as well as in New York City, Alaska, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. She has designed for many of Rhode Island’s universities and high schools and for independent films, as well as for Nova, The History Channel and the Discovery Channel, and has also worked in set dressing for two Disney films shot in Rhode Island –UNDERDOG and DAN IN REAL LIFE. She was Lauren Bacall’s personal assistant on MR. NORTH, a film shot in Newport, Rhode Island, and held the position of ambience coordinator for Luther Vandross on a three-city tour of Las Vegas, Houston and Los Angeles. Her custom clothing client list includes Anthony Edwards of The Edwards Twins, twin brothers who impersonate male and female celebrities, and actress Renée Taylor, as well as personal and professional work with Academy Award-winning actress Olympia Dukakis. Marilyn has worked extensively with Opera Providence in Rhode Island and Salt Marsh Opera in Connecticut. She has been an adjunct professor at the University of Rhode Island and at Salve Regina University, as well as a Guest Costume Designer at both institutions. She has been nominated for a Motif Award for Best Professional Costume Design numerous times, is a three-time recipient of the Women's Jewelry Association Educational Grant, and in 2010 was a Costume Design honoree as one of The Gamm Theatre's “25 Most Valuable Players”. Some of Marilyn's favorite costume designs include: The Robber Bridegroom for the University of Illinois, Marie Antoinette for The Gamm Theatre, On the Town for Trinity Repertory Company, The Music Man for Portsmouth Abbey School, Rigoletto for Salt Marsh Opera, 10 Virgins for Salve Regina University, Angels in America for the University of Rhode Island and The Oddity and the Ecstasy for Groundwerx Dance Theatre. Marilyn holds a B.F.A. in Theatre from the University of Rhode Island, and an M.F.A. in Costume Design from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is a member of United Scenic Artists 829 (NYC), the national union for professional costume designers, as well as a member of IATSE 481(Boston), and a Resident Artist for The Gamm.