Rate My Professor Tory Depew

At Western Carolina University, where she has been a faculty member for seven years and director for the past two, Depew teaches courses in costume design and technology, costume crafts, and period styles. Her academic interests focus on designing costumes for opera and Shakespeare productions, as well as reimagining historical fashion to engage modern audiences in fresh, fantastical ways. Under her leadership, the School of Stage and Screen has flourished, earning the 2024 North Carolina Theatre Conference College/University Award for artistic, professional, and educational excellence in theatre. This accolade, the second for the program following a win in 2006, highlights the school's growth from a lesser-known entity to a recognized leader in theatre education, supported by a robust curriculum, dedicated faculty, and collaborations with industry professionals such as Broadway scenic designer Jason Lee Courson and New York-based music director Matt Vinson.