Taylor Payne was tailor made to be one of The Theatre School’s unofficial ambassadors. While studying costume design and costume technology at DePaul University, her magnetic personality, unbridled curiosity and willingness to help others made her a standout in the graduating class of 2013. She also earned a reputation for being one of The Theatre School’s best examples of what can be accomplished when students love what they are learning.

The product of a high school theatre teacher mom and a dad who earned a doctorate in chemistry, Payne’s leveled thinking and true flair for the creative are unique. With a combination of brains and artistry working in concert with approachability, Payne seems to naturally inspire young people and artists interested in theatre. Whether she’s volunteering as a makeup artist for a charitable event or speaking to high school students, her love of theatre and openness take center stage.

“I sent her to a career day at a high school in my place,” said Nan Zabriskie, head of makeup and wigs at The Theatre School. Payne began working for Zabriskie during her freshman year after taking a class in makeup. “The report I received about Taylor’s participation was that the students just loved her. Not only that, her personality was so warm and inviting that some students wanted to be her.”

Payne, who hails from Encinitas, Calif., came to love and understand theatre by spending a good deal of her youth hanging out at the school where her mom taught. “I grew up in a small black box [theatre] essentially,” said Payne. “I filled in a lot of the gaps when I was younger and worked my way up the food chain. When I got to high school, I did costume design and began to participate in theatre in a much more directed way. I was good in math and science and I was also artistic, so I had a lot of options.”

Those options led her to consider studying art history until her mother subtly opened Payne’s mind to the study of costume design. “My mom actually went to DePaul’s website and put information about art history and costume design on my bed and asked me which one looked more interesting to me,” said Payne. “I said costume design!”

Once Payne began studying at DePaul, she let her imagination and talents take flight. “My favorite part of being a costumer was conceptualizing the character and understanding their background and why they wore the clothes they put on every day,” said Payne. “I also enjoyed working with my hands and loved the drawing part, but I missed the construction. I wanted to make sure I had a dual focus in both.”  Payne’s curiosity, however, would not be confined to a dual major — costume design and costume technology.

Her interest in science also needed attention. Taking the makeup class helped Payne indulge yet another thing she loved. “Because of my artistic background with my mom as a theatre artist and with my dad being a scientist, the two have combined very well in me. It’s why I love makeup so much. Makeup has that artistic aspect that I love about costume design and theatre, but it also has the interesting mix of chemistry, such as how different materials work with faces and how solvents work with heat and humidity.”

Payne has gone far to help others learn about The Theatre School. “I love volunteering and talking with students, said Payne. “To kids who have parents who tell them it’s either business or you don’t get money for college, I say, ‘Go for business, but minor in art.’ You can get the degree and still explore what you love.” Payne also mentors new Theatre School students and makes herself available to answer their questions.

Zabriskie said Payne has become her “Grand Poobah” of assistants over the years and that her future is limitless. “Her enthusiasm for all things having to do with learning is infectious,” said Zabriskie. “She has a sharing personality and she’s so happy to pass on her tricks. That makes her such a strong ambassador for the school.”

Written by Valerie Phillips