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Bobbi Owen Michael R. McVaugh Distinguished Professor of Dramatic Art and Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, College of Arts and Sciences, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education

Undergraduate Education is comprised of a range of academic programs, scholarships, and services for undergraduate students. Among them are Academic Advising, Academic Services, the Honors Program and the Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence, First Year Seminars, Retention Office, Student Academic Counseling, Undergraduate Curricula, and Undergraduate Research. These programs and their leaders are actively involved with all aspects of undergraduate academic-based life at Carolina including the new general education requirements that were effective for entering first year students beginning in Fall 2006, orientation for new students, efforts to improve retention and increase the graduate rate at UNC-Chapel Hill, and the QEP (Quality Enhancement Plan), Making Critical Connections, that was developed as part of the 2006 reaffirmation of accreditation process.

College Office: 3011 Steele Building, CB# 3504, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3504
Phone: 919 843-7773; FAX: 919 843-6557
Website: www.unc.edu/undergrad_ed/

Professor of Dramatic Art

Costume design and costume history, based in Western and non-Western traditions, form the basis of my course load, with an occasional first year seminar and summer courses in introductory theatre literature and history. I write about theatrical designers, most recently the catalog for the United States entry in the 2007 Prague Quadrennial, Design USA (2007) with Jody Blake, and The Designs of Willa Kim (2005). Underway is a volume about theatrical designers active between 1960 and 2010 to be published in 2010 as part of USITT's 50th Anniversary celebration: Late and Great: American Designers from 1960-2010.

Department Office: 213 Center for Dramatic Art, CB# 3230, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3230
Phone: 919 962-2483; FAX 919 962-5791
Office Hours: by appointment

Courses:

• Dramatic Art 467 (167), Costume Design I. An introduction to the tools of the trade used by costume designers to research, design, and render costumes for theatrical productions. (see Fall 2003 Syllabus)
• Dramatic Art 470 (170), History of Costume. This course, usually offered in fall semesters, surveys the clothing forms worn from Ancient Egypt to the modern day. Lectures, illustrated with numerous slides, focus on why the garments developed and how they reflect the culture in which they occur. (see Fall 2004 Course home page including syllabus)
• Dramatic Art 475 (171), African and Asian Costume . This course, usually offered in spring semesters, considers garments worn in Africa, Asia and on the Arabian Peninsula. Specific topics vary from semester to semester and are presented in lecture format accompanied with numerous illustrations. (see Spring 2009 Course home page including syllabus).
• Dramatic Art 477 (177), Theatrical Design. This course was offered for the first time in Spring 2004 (as DRAM 65, Section 3). It introduced students (primarily undergraduate drama majors) to scenery, costume, and lighting design. (see Spring 2004 Syllabus)
• Dramatic Art/Honors 81 (6K), The Psychology of Clothing:  Motivations for Dressing-up and Dressing-down.  The course, a first-year seminar, is about how individuality and group attitudes are expressed through clothing.  Common (and occasionally uncommon) motivations for dress are addressed. (see Spring 2003 Syllabus)

Bobbi Owen is also known as Roberta A. Owen and Mrs. Gordon J. Ferguson.

Projects with web links:

• Costar - I'm helping Professor Judy Adamson with the vintage costume archive stored in the drama department. A non-western version, NowesArk, is also in progress; there is now a Beta version.
• USITT - Vice-president for Communications.

e-mail: owenbob@unc.edu

Revised January 7, 2008