Quick Chat: Annie Louis

Meet Annie Louis, our fantastic associate development director, today on Quick Chats! Though new to our development team, Annie has an amazing history at APT working on some very familiar shows in the costume department. We're so glad she's back to talk to us about her favorite APT costume memories, what she's most excited about in her new position, and, of course, what character from our 2022 season she'd dress up as for Halloween. Keep reading for more!

APT: Hi, Annie! How is your autumn going?
Annie Louis: Hello! My autumn is going very well. Lots of big changes for me this year and I’m excited to settle in during these cooler months.

APT: Speaking of cool, you recently started your new position as Associate Development Director here at APT! Congrats on joining the team! Can you share a little bit about why you enjoy working in Development?
Annie Louis: Thank you! I see so many people that want to do good in their communities by trying to make it a little better or by preserving what already makes it exceptional. Development work acts as a conduit connecting those amazing people with the community they want to bolster - in our case, APT. What I enjoy most about Development is getting the chance to talk to those folks and hear their stories, act as a philanthropic guide, and express gratitude on behalf of APT. It’s a frontline view of the joyful hard work of growing good in this world.

APT: You’ve worked at APT before this summer! Can you talk a little bit about your time in the world of Costumes?
Annie Louis: APT’s costume shop is home to the funniest, loveliest, hardest-working folks I’ve ever met. The focus, talent, and skill required to churn out the sensational costumes, wigs, and hats you see on stage are incredible. It was always so satisfying seeing your completed work in context on stage. One of the pieces I’m most proud of building is the burgundy, burnt-velvet robe that Tracy Michelle Arnold wore in Heartbreak House. That velvet is notoriously tricky to work with and much of that costume was hand-stitched. A lot of love and one or two curse words went into that piece.

APT: Do you have a favorite APT show that you have worked on?
Annie Louis: It’s really difficult to choose one! For stitching, I think As You Like It. There were a lot of fun challenges and fabrics in that one. Or all the trim Twelfth Night required! I enjoy building pieces that have a lot of details. I was on the wardrobe crew for Fences and The Book of Will and both of those experiences were so special. Also, I had the chance to stitch the backdrops on a couple of shows for the scene shop, namely Our Country’s Good and A Doll’s House. Those presented new puzzles to solve, just by their sheer size! Although, ultimately, A Midsummer Night's Dream was my first show in the shop and will always be special to me for that reason and for the friendships made during that first summer.

APT: That's an impressive list! What are some things you like to do in your free time?
Annie Louis: I can most likely be found playing cribbage with my partner, Ryan, somewhere with good beer and live music. Or knitting during a Packer game. Or getting outside and on the water. Or doing yoga. I’m also an avid reader and am happy to discuss, at any time, why Neil Gaiman is one of the greatest storytellers of our time.

APT: Amazing! Okay, here's your Wild Card Question! Halloween’s around the corner! If you could dress up as one character from the 2022 APT season, who/what would you be and why?
Annie Louis: The Moor Hen. Absolutely. No question. Is there a way to record Colleen making those incredible bird sounds so I can play them secretly from within the costume?

APT: Fantastic answer! Anything else you'd like to share?
Annie Louis: Covid spun a lot of our worlds around. I’m so grateful, that among all the change and upheaval of the last few years, I’ve found myself doing work that I’m passionate about. Even more so, that I get to do it now at APT. This place has meant so much to me for the last 15 years and I’m so excited to join the Development team whose goal is to ensure that it will be around for a long, long time to come.