Since graduating from The Northern School of Art’s BA (Hons) Costume Interpretation with Design course, Leigh Telford has built a wealth of experience in the world of costume, working across musical theatre, live performance, television and freelance productions.
Leigh began working as a local dresser at Sunderland Empire, gaining experience on touring productions including Les Misérables, My Fair Lady, Birmingham Royal Ballet and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Alongside this, Leigh developed a freelance career as a wardrobe assistant, working on major touring productions including Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour, Michael Bublé’s An Evening with Michael Tour, Diversity’s Connected Tour and PAW Patrol Live!. Leigh also gained television experience through a stint working on CBBC’s The Dumping Ground.
A move into permanent musical theatre work saw Leigh join The Lion King UK, Ireland and Switzerland tour, progressing from Assistant to Deputy Head of Wardrobe. The experience helped cement a passion for musical theatre and led to a first Head of Wardrobe position on the UK and Ireland tour of Madagascar the Musical. Leigh subsequently took on the role of Wardrobe Supervisor for the production, before progressing to Deputy Head of Wardrobe at Hamilton in London’s West End.
Working in wardrobe combines Leigh’s creative skills with the practical and collaborative demands of live performance. The role involves helping to ensure that costumes, wigs and wardrobe changes are managed seamlessly throughout a production, often working as part of a large backstage team to keep performances running smoothly.
From dressing touring productions at Sunderland Empire to working on international tours and major West End productions, Leigh’s career demonstrates the range of opportunities available within professional costume and wardrobe. With experience spanning theatre, live entertainment and television, Leigh has built a career that reflects a genuine passion for the industry.
For Leigh, the journey from graduating from The Northern School of Art to working on some of the biggest productions in musical theatre has been a dream come true, with each role bringing new opportunities to develop skills, gain experience and work alongside talented creative teams.
Instagram: @leightelfordcostumier