a n a J
Acevedo
TAILOR MADE FOR A CAREER
in costuming
Jana Acevedo might just be the only Cameron alumna who holds the title of stitcher. As a professional tailor/seamstress, she works in the entertainment industry making costumes for film, television and theatre. It all started when she learned how to sew during her ninth grade home economics class. “I guess the idea of working in costuming started around the end of high school,” the Elgin High School graduate says. “I remember reading behind-the-scenes magazine articles about TV shows that I really liked and thinking that would be fun to do.” As a theatre arts major (and a McMahon Scholar) at CU, she was exposed to all facets of production, including costuming, makeup, lighting, scenic design, props, directing and acting. Her familiarity with so many aspects of production continue to play an important role in her career as a professional tailor. “Set and lighting are so important to the overall design of a production,” she says. “They really go hand-in-hand (with costuming) to make the look of a production cohesive.” Jana was actively involved in a multitude of CU theatre productions – sometimes as a member of the cast, sometimes 22
CAMERON UNIVERSITY
on the crew. Her talents were utilized in “Our Town,” “The Medium,” “Watbanaland,” “The Day Room,” “Annie Get Your Gun,” “The Imaginary Invalid,” “The Servant of Two Masters,” “Oxygen,” “Once Upon A Mattress,” “Scenes and Revelations,” “Working,” “Whose Life Is It Anyway?,” “Wit,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “I Hate Hamlet” and “Nine.” One highlight of her Cameron days was receiving awards for costume design from the Oklahoma One State American College Theatre Festival and the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Region VI, for her work on “Scenes and Revelations.” She also made a mark academically, earning membership in Phi Eta Sigma and picking up numerous university honors including “Who’s Who Among American College Students" and departmental awards such as Outstanding Academic Achievement, Outstanding Contribution by a Theatre Major, and Student of the Year. After graduating from CU, she landed a position with Lawton Community Theatre (LCT), where she worked for three years.
