Emmalee Berger
Emmalee Berger, a Costume Design and Technology graduate student in the West Virginia University School of Theatre and Dance, was recently awarded the United States Institute for Theatre Technology 2025 Young Designers, Managers, and Technicians’ Makeup Design Award.
The YDMT awards annually highlight promising newcomers in the theatre technology world. To qualify for the Makeup Design Award, applicants must submit a resume, letter of recommendation from a faculty member, letter of support, personal artistic statement and a portfolio of work.
“My interest in theatrical makeup has grown while in grad school. I taught Introduction to Makeup for two years and became more interested in how makeup, costume, and people interact,” Berger said.
The YDMT awards are highly competitive, with more than 80 student applicants from across the country. A national adjudication committee reviews all of the entries and selects only one student per category to receive the honors.
“I am most proud of putting myself out there,” Berger said. “Even though I was happy with my submission, I absolutely did not expect to win, so it was scary to hit the submit button.”
Berger has been a makeup designer for recent WVU School of Theatre and Dance productions, including “Phoebe in Winter” and “Ride the Cyclone.” She has also worked as costumer designer, draper, wardrobe manager and crafts lead for various shows. After graduation, Berger plans to move to Chicago to begin her design career.
The USITT Makeup Design Award is sponsored by Kryolan Professional Make-Up. Along with the $1,000 prize, Berger received a Kryolan makeup kit valued at $500 and a $2,000 Kryolan shopping spree.
“There are so many incredible designers out there, so I was really taken by surprise,” Berger said. “It made me feel really good about the work I've been doing while at WVU.”
Berger will be honored with other recipients at the USITT25 conference in Columbus, Ohio on March 6.
To learn more about the Costume Design and Technology program, visit theatre.wvu.edu.
For more information on YDMT awards, visit usitt.org.