Back to the Drawing Board with Met Dresser Chelsey Hill
I first met Chelsey Hill in the dressing room of the ladies' chorus at the Metropolitan Opera. She was dressing the first two aisles in the room, and the first thing I noticed was her amazing eyewear and her shoes. I wanted both. Chelsey was a quiet, confident, cool-as-a-cucumber presence in what can be a highly pressurized environment. Corset too tight? No worries, Chelsey knew just how to adjust it. Tights gone to shreds? Noticed and replaced. It was almost as if she herself knew what it meant to be a singing actress in a costume. It was no surprise when it was finally revealed that Chelsey had moved to NYC in 2014 to pursue a career in musical theater. She knew what we needed because she had “been there, done that”.
As time went on, other talents were revealed. Chelsey has a twinkle in her eye, and an aura of fun about her. I knew she drew amusing illustrations, but when she presented me with an illustration of my costume in Akhnaten (an enormous beetle with wings perched on my head, declared a “nice beetle” by one of our chorister’s children) I knew that this was a serious talent.
Serious talent, indeed! Chelsey has been doing illustrations for Dallas Opera, Baltimore Musicals, W42ndST Magazine, along with many other organizations. You may have noticed our own Met Chorus Artists logo, and many of our social media posts have a certain sparkle about them. That’s because they have been drawn by none other than the “Illustrating Diva,” Chelsey Hill.
I had a few questions for Chelsey.
What is your artistic background?
I grew up immersed in the arts. I come from a long line of professional instrumentalists and visual artists. I was exposed to orchestral music, opera, old school jazz, big band, and Broadway standards from a young age, and truly developed a deep love for that kind of wonderful old music. I took piano, flute, and voice lessons. My instrument was always voice. At my preschool graduation, my predicted career was “opera singer” because I’d sing during lunch and nap time. My go-to tune was a toddler’s version of “O Mio Babbino Caro” (from Gianni Schicchi). I was the first singer in my family, and all three of my siblings followed suit. We’ve all performed in musicals together. I’ve played the mother to most of my younger siblings (great casting). We’re like a scrappier Midwest version of the Von Trapps.
In terms of the visual arts, I was drawn to (pun intended) illustrators/cartoonists like Hilary Knight, Bill Watterson, and Bill Amend. My dad loved to draw, so we shared that love together. I’d watch him work and that would inspire me to draw.
What voice part do you sing and what shows have you done?
I’m a light lyric soprano. The last shows I did were in college and for The Broadway Dreams Foundation. I was an old school classic ingenue, though I much preferred the brassy, old lady character roles. My favorite role I played was Mona Kent in Dames at Sea. I also played Christine Daae in the Maury Yeston production of Phantom. That role landed me a Broadway audition for the doomed 2014 relaunch of Titanic.
When did you move to NYC?
I moved in 2014, the summer after I graduated from college. It was a crazy whirlwind. I had gotten into the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s graduate musical theater program and was set to go there, but some cool last-minute opportunities led me to NYC.
When did you start drawing and when did it start to become a business?
I’ve always loved to draw, especially when I was a kid. I would get in trouble in school for doodling in my workbooks and for giving myself BIC pen tattoos rather than paying attention. I walked away from drawing for a bit when I was really into singing and theater, but I rediscovered it when I moved to NYC. It was a way for me to cope with stress. I started posting my illustrations on social media for fun, and it naturally transitioned into getting work once my style was more refined. It’s been growing steadily ever since.
When did you start working at the Met and what shows did you dress?
I started in September of 2019, and I worked with the Women’s chorus, Men’s chorus, solo women, super women, and children’s chorus departments during the 2019/20 season. I dressed Manon, Turandot, Orfeo, La bohème, Madama Butterfly, Queen of Spades, Akhnaten, Wozzeck, Porgy and Bess, Der Rosenkavalier, the NYE Gala, The Magic Flute, La Traviata, Così fan tutte, and Der Fliegende Holländer. I was set to dress most of the remaining shows of the season before the shutdown killed the fun.
How did you become a dresser?
My work study in college was in my department's costume shop, and I had the best boss/costume design professor. That was one of the highlights of my college experience. When I was looking for a work change a few years into living in NYC, it just clicked that I should try dressing. I knew a ton of people who had dressed at the Met, so I reached out and got the gig. For me, it really was the best decision: working with stunning costumes, being around amazing performers, working alongside multi-talented dressers, and getting to hear exquisite singing every day. The Met is a NYC highlight for me.
You used to go by the name “Coffeehooker” before you changed it to “Illustrating Diva”. What is the coffee connection?
I’ve been a hardcore coffee drinker since I was young. My mother would take my sister and I to Borders Bookstore (RIP) and we’d get their coffee milkshakes. I don’t think she realized that it had espresso in it rather than coffee flavored ice-cream. Since then, I’ve been a full-blown coffee connoisseur. Coffeehooker was created from my initials and is the name of the glamorous and heightened illustrated version of myself. I even trademarked it.
What’s next? Where do you envision your illustrating career going, and are you still pursuing a performance career?
I’d love to keep drawing for music and theater organizations. These are my passion projects that I absolutely adore. I’d love to get more large-scale publication work. I just got my first book cover, and it’s been a blast working on that. I will definitely continue to create more music series. I’m currently working on a Women Composers Alphabet. I want to do more things in that vein. My goal is to give classical music a colorful, glamorous visual representation.
I am currently not pursuing singing or theater, though it still remains the greatest love of my life. I get that theatrical fix with the art I create. I feel like I’ve really merged my musical side with my visual arts side.
Follow Chelsey on Instagram: @illustratingdiva
Facebook: Chelsey Hill- Illustrator
Website: www.chelseyhill.com
