Patricia Dennis

Even after 40 years as a Duluthian, Patricia Dennis still has the hint of a southern accent. She is prone to uttering phrases such as, “Thank you kindly,” and, “That really trips my trigger,” instantly giving her away as someone who has spent more than a few years as a southern belle.

While it’s true that she spent her early adulthood in the South, today, Dennis considers herself a Duluthian, through and through. Her entire professional career has been spent as a faculty member at the University of Minnesota Duluth, where she has worked as a professor, acting dean, and head of the theater department.

Over the years, Dennis has designed countless costumes, created and styled a multitude of wigs and mustaches, and applied many faces of makeup, all in the name of “creating character” — the ultimate goal of someone in her position. She has worked in a multitude of media, including musicals, opera,

Early life abroad and in the south

The middle child of a military father and a homemaker mother, Dennis was born in Japan. The family spent time stationed at Fort Rucker, Ala., and Fort Campbell, Ky., before settling in for good in Wichita, Kan. Looking back to try to retrace her inspiration for costume design, hair and makeup, Dennis recalls a few early hints.

“In junior high, I had to take home economics classes, but sewing and designing wasn’t necessarily anything I thought of doing beyond whatever my current school project was,” she said. “I have always loved playing with makeup and hair, though.”

Introduction to the theater

During her high school years, Dennis became involved in the drama club. She helped backstage, and did a little acting. She decided to become a theater major in college, and enrolled at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kan.

Throughout college, her attraction to the theater intensified. “I took a stagecraft class, where I learned about the workings of what goes on backstage,” she said. “I loved every minute of it, and liked the community of theater.”

During college, Dennis was involved with the productions of “Camelot” and “Ring Around the Moon,” among other shows. She was the milliner for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” for which she designed and created all the head pieces. She also gained experience working as a soundboard operator. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in technical theater.

After graduation, Dennis chose to pursue a master’s degree. She first attended Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas, later transferring to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she graduated with a Master of Fine Arts degree in costume design, makeup and wigs.

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A move to Duluth

Other than having a best friend who was originally from Minnesota, Dennis had no knowledge of the area. While working as an instructor in Lincoln, Dennis was perusing professional theater magazines and considering her next move. She saw a posting for what was advertised as a summer job as a costume designer at UMD.

She explains how three months turned into 40 years, saying, “It was supposed to be just for the summer, but UMD had just lost their costume designer, who had resigned. I was offered the job, but I was also offered a job at a Big Ten school. I ultimately took the job here, and I’ve never regretted it.”

Dennis shared how she was immediately enthralled with Duluth. “I remember driving up here, still, to this day, and coming over Thompson Hill. I was in awe. It reminded me of a ski resort town. I was taken by the beauty of the area, and the lake.”

While she has grown to accept and even enjoy the snow, there is one Duluth inconvenience that almost drove her away: army worms. “I bought plenty of long underwear and a portable space heater, but I couldn’t handle my car sliding across the road because of the army worms,” she said with a laugh. Thankfully, the worms eventually receded, and Dennis ultimately made the decision to stay.

Different roles, different skills

While Dennis was initially hired to be UMD’s costume designer, she has subsequently held the roles of assistant professor, head of the Theater Department, acting dean, and associate professor of theater — the role she holds today. And when it comes to the theater, Dennis wears many hats.

In addition to being talented in drawing and painting, necessary skills for creating the sketches, drawings and renderings which ultimately become theater costumes, she is also trained in wig creation and “refronting,” where the hair of an existing wig is styled and shaped. Dennis is also trained in sewing, patterning and fabrics, skills she utilizes for designing and creating costumes for theater actors.

She can also create any kind of

Continued on page 36 character through the use of makeup. This can include prosthetics, special-effects makeup, creating the look of blood, gore, or an injury, and of course, makeup for beauty, such as contouring and “high-definition” makeup, which is intended to make its wearer appear utterly flawless. “Some young actresses are made to look like they’re not wearing any makeup, but you’d be surprised at just how much they’re wearing to look that way,” Dennis said.

One of Dennis’ most unforgettable productions was on the set of the production “Starmites.” “It took place in space,” she said. “It was futuristic, and a very campy show. I remember being there day after day until 1, 2 and 3 a.m., with the rest of the crew. But it didn’t matter; we were so excited about the show.”

A sampling of costume designs from various productions at UMD were designed by Patricia Dennis. She hand-draws the designs then works from those drawings.

David Ballard Photography

Above all, Dennis sees her work behind the scenes as necessary to help tell the story. “When working with a play or script, we’re trying to tell a story or inform the audience,” she said. “Designing an appropriate costume or creating character through makeup hopefully enhances the actor’s feeling about their role.”

Other work

In addition to her 40 years at UMD, Dennis has done plenty of other theaterrelated work along the way. For instance, she was the onset costumer for the film “Iron Will,” which was filmed in Duluth. She has done freelance work for Renegade Theater, the Duluth Playhouse and numerous independent, local films and commercials.

She tells the story of being hired to work as a makeup artist on a commercial for the State Tourism Board, which featured well-known actors Bob Denver and Alan Hale Jr. You’d probably know them better by the names Gilligan and the Skipper, from the iconic TV show “Gilligan’s Island.”

“They were such nice men, especially Alan Hale,” Dennis said. “He was really laid-back, and told me I had the softest hands of any makeup artist he’d ever worked with.”

Post-retirement plans

After a 40-year career, Dennis is looking forward to a much-deserved retirement. She plans to do some maintenance projects on her home, located near UMD, and do a bit of traveling.

She’ll spend more time with her best friend, Leanna, goddaughter Airika, and her dog, Jackson. She also plans to spend more time on her favorite hobbies, including knitting and reading. But she isn’t opposed to staying professionally active; in fact, Dennis plans to continue working as a freelancer, and wants to become more involved in the community.

“I’m ready for retirement,” she said. “I’m not looking back with any regret. But the biggest and hardest change will be not seeing my students every day.”

Teaching legacy

While Dennis has been involved with many impressive shows and projects along the way, she wants her true legacy to be that of an educator. She mentions a few of her students who have gone on to find vast professional success in their fields, including Sara C. Olson, who has worked on the “Hunger Games” franchise; Jeff Stolz, now the head of the theater department at Viterbo University; and Bonnie Flesland, a wardrobe director who has toured with Prince, Janet Jackson and others.

“Each and every one of my students is special,” Dennis said. “As teachers, our students touch our hearts in ways they don’t realize. Watching a student gain confidence and understand the potential inside themselves is so rewarding. To see them come into their own as artists, it’s just a privilege to be a part of that.” D

Andrea Busche is a Duluth freelance writer and frequently profiles some of the area’s most interesting people for The Woman Today.

A 40-year retrospective honoring the work of Patricia Dennis will be held in the UMD Marshall Performing Arts Center lobby from April 15-May 3.

By Chris Dahlberg

Divorce is stressful, as are other family law matters such as child custody, parenting time and spousal maintenance. Mediation, which exists in one form or another across states, has been very helpful at reducing a lot of the stress. Mediation allows parties an ability to resolve matters outside court before they go for the “nuclear option” of all-out war in trial where much time, emotional energy and money are spent.

Minnesota’s Sixth Judicial District (St. Louis, Carlton, Lake and Cook counties) has Early Neutral Evaluation (ENE). Similar to mediation, this evaluative process works toward party resolution. However, the nuanced difference is that in this process, evaluators work to show both sides the strengths and weaknesses of their