Sasha Howell has been costuming theater productions in the Northland for over a decade now, most prominently at the College of St. Scholastica Theatre as the costume designer. For Howell, the freedom of being able to push the limits of traditional style is part of the appeal. “There’s so many opportunities to tell a story through clothing,” says Howell. “There’s so many ways to be playful.”
Notable productions for Howell include Suessical the Musical and, one of her first productions at CSS, Iph… “I was still really green and super bold,” says Howell. “I brought steampunk to the table assuming they were going to laugh me out of the room.” Despite her initial inhibitions, Sasha’s idea was accepted, and it led to very positive reviews.
But it's not always a tale of untethered creativity; sometimes the way to success is through accuracy and research. Howell is currently preparing for Nell Gwynn, which takes place in London in the 1600s. “You don’t just get to dress King Charles however,” says Howell. A few years ago, Howell costumed for The Diary of Anne Frank, which led to the inevitable. “I have an alarming amount of Nazi regalia in my costume shop," says Howell. "The things I have to google for my job; it's really problematic sometimes."