It is with sadness that we let the Vancouver theatre and film community know that Jean Driscoll-Bell passed away in early July after a brief illness. During her 20 plus years in the department’s costume shop, Jean was a pivotal part of the journey for thousands of students, faculty, and staff. Starting with UBC in the late 1980s she was a force behind the needle and her skills were on full display in hundreds of UBC Theatre and Film productions. Jean was an inspiration to burgeoning design students, and a welcoming face to anyone that found themselves down in the costume shop. She was a true master craftsperson; she famously knew, from memory, the proper length of a jacket cuff based on the era of the time period. The Vancouver theatre and film community is packed with talented artists who can trace their spark back to Jeannie and the quiet hum of the machines in the basement of the Frederic Wood Theatre. She will be greatly missed. We are warmed by the knowledge that her creations still live on in our costume stock and will continue to see the stage lights for many years to come.
