Costumes are an essential part of any stage production. Unless you’re planning to put on Paradise Lost or a nudist version of a popular play, you pretty much have to get your actors some clothes.
When designing costumes, there are four main things to consider. First, the costumes need to fall in with the general look and feel of the play. Nothing is worse than an outfit that sticks out like a sore thumb. Second, a costume must help the actor create the character. In many ways our clothes define who we are and on stage they are meant to give the audience visual cues as to what to expect. Third, when creating costumes, comfort has to be taken into account. Actors need to be comfortable to move about, breathe and speak freely. And last, but not least, there is the budget to consider.
Chemical Imbalance: A Jekyll and Hyde Play is set in a fictional pseudo-Victorian London. That was fortunate since this setting allowed us to take a lot of liberties with costumes….More at Dressing the Stage: Costumes of Chemical Imbalance « Thespians …
Don’t you love the title of this post? Clever wordplay, wouldn’t you say?
There is so much involved in the costuming of a play. The costume design must fit the character being portrayed. The fabric needs to historically reflect the period and character, along with the colors. This article explains some of what goes into the thinking and planning of the costuming for a period play. For more information about costumes, visit us at http://www.costumescostumescostumes.net