Creating the right look for the characters of Shakespeare, contemporary plays, opera, dance, and musicals- large and small- is Susan Branch Towne’s primary quest as an artist and theatre professional.  Joining the director, fellow designers, and performers in support of a text- telling a story- is what drew Susan into Costume Design, and that collaboration continues to bring her the greatest satisfaction.

Susan Branch Towne is a native of Austin, Texas, and holds a BFA from Carnegie-Mellon University and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama.  Her costume designs have been seen on stages across the country, including  The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, The Denver Center Theatre Company, Syracuse Stage, New York City Opera , Pioneer Theatre Company (Salt Lake City), The Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Yale Repertory Theatre, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Skylight Opera Theatre (Milwaukee), Austin Lyric Opera, Madison Repertory Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, Zachary Scott Theatre (Austin), Ballet Austin, Lake George Opera Festival, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, New Jersey Shakespeare Festival, Riverside Theatre and Maltz Jupiter Theatre (Florida), Harvard and Cornell Universities, and for numerous companies Off-Broadway.   She has been a member of United Scenic Artists, Local 829, since 1986.

Though a New York City resident for many years, Susan is now happy to call Austin home again, where she married Robert Towne in 2008, and since 2012, has held a full time faculty position at St. Edward's University.