ABOUT

Rafael Jaen is a professional costume designer, a theatre design professor, and a book author. Additionally, he is a national leader at organizations that promote opportunities for the next generation of theater artists. 

His designs for Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them (Company One) got a 2015 Elliot Norton Award nomination. His costumes for The Mikado (Lyric Stage), Kiss Me Kate (Lyric Stage), and The Remarkable Rooming House of Mme Le Monde (BeauJest/Provincetown Tennessee Williams Festival) got 2013 and 2010 IRNE nominations and Hubbie Awards for Best Costumes. His designs for Nicholas Nickleby earned 2011 IRNE and Elliot Norton Award nominations. His designs for Urinetown, The Musical (Lyric Stage), received the 2006 IRNE Award nomination for Best Costumes, and the show got the IRNE Award for Best Production. In addition, LIVE DESIGN and the TD & T journal have featured his work. 

When not designing, Mr. Jaen presents workshops on design-tech portfolios and website development and digital rendering using Photoshop. He is the author of Developing and Maintaining a Design-Tech Portfolio, SHOWCASE 2nd Edition, by Focal Press, (USITT Golden Pen 2013 nomination), and Digital Costume Design and Collaboration, by Focal/Routledge. He also contributed to two chapters (related to Frankenstein) in Fashioning Horror: Dressing to Kill on Screen and in Literature by Bloomsbury. Jaen is also the series editor for the Backstage book series, a partnership between USITT and FOCAL Press.

Memberships include United Scenic Artist (USA/IATSE) 829, United States Institute for Theater Technology (USITT).