Rubble&Ash

Rubble&Ash is the name that captures the collaborative design and production work of Andrea M Gross and Barb Portinga. For the past dozen years they have challenged and supported one another as costume designers, pattern makers, and storytellers. As Rubble&Ash, their work has been seen at nimbus in The Brontide, A Very Electric Christmas, Nimbus Presents: A Count Up to Christmas, The Red and the Bright, A Life of Days, The Pathetic Life and Remarkable Afterlife of Elmer McCurdy the Worst Robber in the West, The River Becomes Sea, and The Kalevala; at Park Square Theatre in Jefferson Township Sparkling Junior Talent Pageant; at Interact Theater in We're Still Here and Hell is Empty and All the Devils are here…Again! and the History Theater with Superman Becomes Lois Lane and The Boy Wonder.

Barb and Andrea are founding members of The Costume Collective in Northeast Minneapolis; a costume rental house supporting artists across the state and country with costumes compiled from some of the largest stocks in the Twin Cities. The company is founded in the values of resource conservation, accessibility and inclusion.

Rubble&Ash melds pieces from existing stocks of costumes; thrift, antique, and fabric stores; and purpose builds garments to combine elements in unexpected ways. The intention is always to support the story and creation of character with collaboration, skill and ingenuity.

nimbus credits

Costume Design
Nimbus Presents: A Count Up to Christmas
The Red and the Bright
A Life of Days
The Pathetic Life and Remarkable Afterlife of Elmer McCurdy, the Worst Robber in the West
The River Becomes Sea
The Kalevala