Fabric is strewn all over a medium-sized room on the first floor of the MSU Auditorium, where Billy Wilburn stands among the silk, lace and taffeta looking over costume design sketches.
Wilburn, a 25-year-old theater graduate student, talks about the sketch with his supervisor, helping to plan what the cast of the MSU Department of Theatre's production of "Twelfth Night" will be wearing when the curtain goes up on Oct. 7.
It's not an uncommon practice for Wilburn, who, with a needle and thread in hand, has managed to weave his way to a selective top costume design position with the department.
Chosen only a few months ago, the Kentucky native finished his undergraduate work at Morehead State University and was selected to be one of the three graduate students on the costume design team.
Wilburn has begun his graduate work with a résumé of awards from various organizations, honoring his work with scenic, costume and prop design. Has a extensive résumé - 45 plays in the last four years.
"Although most students do about four or five plays a year, I always did 10," he said.
He decided to do his graduate work at MSU after one of his professors, an MSU alumnus, told him about the program in Lansing.
"I love it here," said Wilburn, who looked at numerous other schools before settling on MSU.
"Everyone here is always open to new ideas and they are looking to involve as many people as possible."
Theater Professor Gretel Geist selected Wilburn to be on the team.
"I always check the recommendations for the applicants," she said. "His application was just glowing."
Wilburn will work with Geist for the next school year to help the MSU Department of Theatre design costumes for its upcoming shows.
He will solely design the costumes for the November performance of "Women of Lockerbie," but also will help for other productions.
Next year, he hopes to start teaching different aspects of theater design to students.
And with a three-class schedule, Wilburn manages to work at least 20 hours a week at the Theatre Department.
"I try to do whatever is needed there," he said. "The spark of learning new things just excites me."
