Izumi Inaba

Costume, Scenic, and Makeup Designer

 

Current City:

Chicago, IL

 

 

Born and raised in Japan, Izumi came to the states to learn performing arts at age of 18. She double majored in dance and theatre design at State University of New York, Buffalo. Right after the graduation, she moved to Chicago to attend the master program at Northwestern University, focusing on costume and scenic design. Soon after completing the program in 2009, she started working as a freelance costume/makeup designer in Chicago. She has joined Red Tape Theatre as an ensemble member in 2012, where she has designed all productions since such as Skriker, Elephant's Graveyard, Lear, Madam Barker, and Hamlet is Dead. She has also designed costumes for production with Griffin Theatre, A Red Orchid, The Gift, The Music Theatre Company, The Hypocrites, Lifeline, Strawdog, Albany Park Theatre Project, Steep, Porchlight Music, CPS Shakespeare at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, The Building Stage, Marry-Arrchie, Two Pence Shakespeare, Evanston Dance Ensemble, Wheaton College, Sideshow, TUTA, Raven Theatre, and Buzz 22. Her makeup designs appeared in the productions with Theo Ubique Cabaret (Cats, Non-Equity Jeff Award for Artistic Specialization), and Chicago Dramatists. 

 

She has served as a costume staff/designer at National High School Institute for last 7 years. In 2013, she joined Albany Park Theater Project as a resident artist and has been designing all of their shows since then. Izumi is honored to receive Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award 2014. In the same year, she received another Non-Equity Jeff Award for Costume Design for Red Tape's Madam Barker.

 

After then, her career expanded in the greater league of Chicago Theatre, as well as in the regional venues. Her designs appeared on the stages of Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Lyric Unlimited, Victory Gardens Theater, Writers Theatre, Court Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Theater Wit, Remy Bumppo Theatre, House Theatre of Chicago, Milwaukee Rep, Baltimore Center Stage, Kirk Douglas Theater, City Theater Company, Merrimack Theater, Long Wharf Theatre, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, and many more. In 2019, her Animal Farm costume design (Milwaukee Rep) was featured in the exhibit at USITT and Prague Quadrennial. 

 

She is a proud member of United Scenic Artists Local USA 829. She is very grateful for the Chicago Theatre community, who made her what she is today and made her feel at home.

 

Izumi is represented by

 

Skyler Gray

The Gersh Agency

sgray@gersh.com

212.634.8113

41 Madison Avenue, 29th Floor

 

New York, NY 10010