Tessie Bundick was working on her PhD in theatre arts at the University of Minnesota in 1975. Her thesis topic focused on the first 10 years of costume design at the Guthrie Theatre: 1963 to 1972. Her work was about design in those years, but also incorporated a great deal of the theater’s history – one that isn’t often told from a designer’s perspective. 

Sir Tyrone Guthrie employed some of the finest designers and technicians in the industry, and Tessie was lucky enough to interview many of them for her dissertation. Come hear an expert talk about the early years of costume design at the Guthrie. You will certainly learn something new! 

Tessie has worked in many theatres around the Twin Cities and also does makeup for film and photo shoots. She currently teaches Makeup for the Actor at the University of Minnesota. 

In 2013, Hennepin History Museum exhibited a retrospective of Tessie’s design career.