Costume Parade

Costume Parade

DENTON COMMUNITY THEATREPRESENTS

SECOND SATURDAY SEMINARS

THE ART OF COSTUMING &

AN OVERVIEW OF VINTAGE & HISTORIC DRESS

SARAHANN SUTTERNOVEMBER 2009

Costume ParadePROGRAM

About Me Ground Work Research Sourcing Special Issues Tips Special Topic: Vintage Dress

Costume Parade

How I Got Started Interest Enthusiasm Mentors Luck

First Experience “Annie Get Your Gun” Thanks to DCT! Betty Ann Barrow! Summer 2002

ABOUT ME

Costume ParadeABOUT ME

What do you need to be a costumer?Creativity & imaginationA willingness to work hard

What don’t you need to be a costumer? You don't need to be able to sewYou don't need to be able to drawYou don't need a design degree

Costume ParadeABOUT ME: SHOWS

Assistant Costumed DCT’s “Annie Get Your Gun” (2002) UNT’s “Suor Angelica” (2003)

Costumed DCT’s “Oklahoma” (2003) UNT’s “Cendrillon” (2004) UNT’s “The Marriage of Figaro” (2005) DCT’s “Joseph…Dreamcoat” (2007) MTD’s “I Love You…Now Change” (2008)


DCT’s “Annie Get Your Gun”


DCT’s “Oklahoma”


UNT’s “Suor Angelica”


UNT’s “Cendrillon”


UNT’s “The Marriage of Figaro”


DCT’s “Joseph…Dreamcoat”


MTD’s “I Love You…Now Change”

Costume Parade

1st steps consist of: Gathering information Determining your work style

Talk with the director to determine:Director's visionDirector's working styleSchedule Budget

GROUND WORK

Costume ParadeGROUND WORK

The question of help:AssistantsSewersDressers

"Designing" versus "Coordinating" What’s the difference?Ideally, do both

Costume ParadeGROUND WORK Costume Sheets

Actor/character namesMeasurements

Taking Measurements What’s neededHow-to

Costume ParadeGROUND WORK

Sample Costume Form

Costume Parade

Research is always neededEspecially for any ‘historic’ showEven for ‘minimalist’ or unorthodox

productions2nd step of costuming process

Save your research:Keep a notebookMake a "Favorites" folderCreate a computer folder

RESEARCH

Costume ParadeRESEARCH: COSTUME HISTORY 1700 A.D. & Prior

Women’s Dress Silhouettes changed about every 100 years Big differences between upper & lower classes

Men’s Dress Silhouettes changed about every 100 years Big differences between upper & lower classes

Post 1700 A.D. Women’s Dress

Silhouettes changed about every 10 years Class differences in dress diminished

Men’s Dress Silhouettes changed less frequently Class differences in dress diminished

Costume ParadeRESEARCH: COSTUME HISTORY

Changing silhouettes of the 20th Century

Women’s fashion underwent major changes every decade of the 20th century

Community Theatre Costuming Research Reminders:

Couture vs. common dressSome characters are behind the times

Historical accuracy: don’t panic!

Costume Parade

Specific sourcesCostuming booksThe internet Pattern companies Halloween costumes Films & televisionPaper dollsMuseums

Please refer to handouts

RESEARCH

Costume Parade

Sourcing Process of actually procuring costumes Hardest part

Designing’ vs. ‘coordinating’ Variety of sources for both approaches Need to weight cost vs. ease vs. effectiveness

SOURCING

Costume ParadeSOURCING: OPTIONS Making

Pros: Customized to needs and actors’ sizes This is a BIG pro!

Cons: Fabric often expensive May take more work & time

Buying Pros:

May be better long-term financial decision Can often get exactly what’s needed

Cons: Can be expensive Consider shipping costs

Finding/Borrowing Pro

Best option if costume stocks available Free!

Cons Borrowing presents risks Your organization's stock may be limited

Costume ParadeSOURCING: OPTIONS

Refurbishing Pros:

Great option (especially for costume stocks) Low cost

Cons: Can be a lot of work May require sewing skills

Renting Pros:

Many rental choices Least labor intensive choice No storage issues Good for specialty items

Cons: Often expensive Items must be returned

Costume ParadeSOURCING: SPECIFIC OPTIONS Denton Community Theatre's Costume Stock Music Theatre of Denton's Costume Stock Local schools Universities

UNT's Drama Department UNT Opera Theatre TWU

Rose Costumes Dallas Costume Shop Denton Dance World Vintage stores Thrift stores Garage and estate sales The Asian Trade District (Harry Hines/Royal Lane)

Costume ParadeSOURCING: SPECIFIC OPTIONS

The internet Dance supply companies Historical clothing specialty site Purveyors of ethnic clothing eBay Craig's List Online costume rental companies Specialty companies

Other theaters Halloween costumes Churches Cast members Other individuals Your private stock

Costume Parade

Budgets Movement Issues Modesty/Comfort Issues Colors Shoes Temperament Alterations & Prohibitions Dyeing & Painting Hair Makeup Quick Changes Borrowing from the Cast The Costumer’s Speech

SPECIAL ISSUES

Costume ParadeSPECIAL ISSUES

•Budgets• Compromising is key• Going over budget•Movement issues• Allow for movement•Musicals• Practice skirts•Modesty/comfort issues• Be sensitive to modesty concerns• Be sensitive to body image issues


•Colors•Color schemes•Science of color•Black & white•Shoes• Historical accuracy•Movement issues• Usually bought by cast •Men’s shoes sometimes trickier• Stockings – usually cast purchases


•Temperament• You• The actors• The creative staff (especially the director)•Practical requirements of a costume • Have nothing to do with aesthetics • Covers enough to be decent• Allow for movement required on stage• Lets actors get enough air to function • Doesn't physically hurt actors


•Hair• Do-it-yourself vs. specialists•Wigs• Coloring & cutting•Makeup• Usually do-it-yourself• Usually cast purchases • Special looks•Quick changes• Sometimes very challenging!• Determine requirements early •May require backstage dressers


•Alterations & Prohibitions• Avoid cutting• Be careful with fabric• Respect borrowed items• Use judgment about vintage clothes•Dyeing and Painting• Deceptively simple• Challenges of dyeing• Limitations of painting

Costume ParadeSPECIAL ISSUES•Borrowing from cast:• Free• Good for contemporary shows • You know costumes will fit & flatter actors • Actors share in create process• Risk of dirt & stains• Actors may see it as imposition• Beware of ‘too many cooks’

Costume ParadeTIPS

•The Costumer's Speech• Eating & drinking in costume• How to handle costume issues• Putting away costumes• Cleaning & repairing costumes• Any other ground rules• Responsibility definitions

•Defining responsibility• Determine your own work expectations

• Ironing, cleaning, repairing• When & how often

• Determine cast’s work expectations• Can or should the cast clean/iron/repair costumes?• Communicate expectations to cast

Costume Parade

#1 TipKeep everything in perspective:community theater should uplift you!

TIPS

Costume ParadeTIPS

•The glue gun is your friend

•Safety pins are your friend

•Be careful with white

•Free is good

•Ask for help

•Think out of the box

•From Betty Ann Barrow: “you only need to

sew theatrical costumes with black or white

thread.”

Costume ParadeTIPS•Bring your own sewing machine (if applicable)

•Use the Work Day

•Get stuff done early

•Thrift stores & garage sales are great

•Cut up cheap clothes for the fabric

•Use bedclothes or curtains as fabric

•Expect to be at strike

•Make costume/character charts

•Make lists/charts of each costume and its

pieces.

Costume Parade

How I discovered Vintage A love of clothes! Family collections Old Hollywood

‘Vintage’ vs. ‘Antique’ Disputed ‘New Vintage:’ 1950s-1980s ‘Old Vintage:’ 1900-1960s ‘Antique:’ Pre-1900

VINTAGE DRESS

Costume ParadeVINTAGE DRESS

•Finding Vintage• Family• Vintage stores• The internet• Garage/estate sales• Antique stores•Identifying Vintage• Style• Condition• Labels• Zippers • Homemade vintage

Costume ParadeVINTAGE DRESS

•Collecting Vintage• Specialize • Know your subject• Check condition• Don’t pay too much• Pay what it’s worth to you•Wearing Vintage• Sizing issues• Condition issues• Preservation issues• Using it for theater

Costume ParadePHOTO CREDITS

Adam Reese & Heather Chamberlain Stephanie Felton Cecile Sutter Jenny Tucker Jayme Durant Audrey Gamez Laura Webb Fashion-era.com SarahAnn Sutter

Costume Parade

Documents

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