Silver and Gold?

As we got closer to the show time, there were more and more things that needed to be done. One of the big ones was costuming. Costume design, like everything else in theatre, has a process.

1. A theme for the costumes must be chosen and approved by director/producer/costume designer/powers that be.

2. The show must be cast.

3. Measurements are taken for all actors.

4. Costume pieces are pulled (found in the costume shop), purchased, or made. Typically two or three options are pulled for each actor/character.

5. Actors come in to try on costumes. The best are set aside.

6. Alterations, repairs, and other changes are made to the costumes.

7. Everyone prays nothing awful happens to the costumes between the dress rehearsals and final curtain call.

I only have a rudimentary knowledge of sewing, but since I am in the costume design class this semester, I was recruited to help. I sewed a lot of snaps/buttons, fixed some hems, and shortened the straps on Red's dress. One of my biggest projects was painting Cinderella's ball gown.

Photo by Jamie Schartz

Yes, you read that right. Sharon (Sullivan, the costume director) bought a white wedding gown, and Corey Perkins and I spent several hours painting it Cinderella blue with special fabric paint.

Personally, I am one who likes to get my hands dirty when I'm working on a big project, so this happened to me:

Photo courtesy of Lynn Wilson

My entire arm was blue, but after about 10 minutes of scrubbing, I got most of it washed off my hands. Lynn stopped me on my way out to snap this picture, and I'm glad she did.