
Bridget Lentz. Photo: The Phipps Center for the Arts
At the heart of all things costuming at The Phipps Center for the Arts (PCA) is Bridget Lentz, our costume shop manager. With a love for costumes and a well-earned reputation for keeping the shop organized (not an easy task), Lentz is a key player in bringing the characters of the PCA productions to life.
Her days are as varied as the costumes she manages, from organizing different pieces while blasting Broadway tunes to collaborating with designers and sewing on buttons. She likens her to-do list to the children’s book If You Give a Pig a Pancake—there’s always something new leading her in unexpected directions.
One of Lentz’s favorite things about her work is discovering unique costume pieces in the PCA’s robust costume stock. Whether working alone or alongside volunteers, she enjoys exploring the basement where most children’s theatre costumes are stored.
Lentz’s dedication doesn’t stop at costumes, however. She’s a connector of people, helping designers, volunteers and community members feel at home in the creative chaos of the costume shop. Her commitment to repurposing and maintaining the PCA’s costume collection is part of what makes the productions special. Each costume is stitched with care and a touch of that Lentz magic.
Ben Thietje serves as the executive director of The Phipps Center for the Arts. Learn more at thephipps.org.