Here we are, deep in to winter term-
I am continuing to reconsider what skills to practice in an advanced costume design class. The way I learned was through a series of paper projects- unlimited budgets, the role of the director filled by the student or the teacher, and the only metric of assessment was the quality of the rendering and the number of swatches. In grad school there was so much pressure to have a Koncept. While we practice production skills in the costume shop and our students serve as design assistants and even as designers on fully supported shows, I’m hoping to integrate other design skills in addition to script analysis, research & rendering ideas….rinse & repeat, script by script.
Rarely in the profession do we get to work with a big budget and full shop support. Usually we are relying on a stock; often we are working on new work. And there is always a director or choreographer with an opinion, and if you are working on new work, there are writers who have ideas too. We do not ever design in a vacuum except in the classroom.
Can we craft situations when we teach best fitting practices outside of the pressure of a full production? Can we get into stock and really discuss the potential of a pulled garment when the stakes are a little lower? Is there a platform to collaborate across disciplines to practice the iterative brainstorming process in the classroom? I’m hoping at the end of this semester to answer “yes” to all these questions.
Here at U-M we are fortunate to have amazing production resources- a gifted and robust costume shop staff, a huge costume stock, and general management support rarely seen in higher ed theatre. Students here have practicum credits that allow then to develop skills as technicians and designers. A common track is wardrobe crew, then crew head, a semester working in the shop, then assisting a faculty designer. Some students then have the opportunity to eventually design for the main stage curricular season, but it is a big jump from assisting a faculty member to designing: answering questions from drapers, acting with foresight to communicate with the wardrobe head and crew, navigating the budget with the shop manager, and of course being available and making the decisions during multiple fittings, not to mention the pre-production process of researching, drawing, and communicating the design with the director. Sometimes, there are “studio” productions that don’t have shop support that can be be opportunities for students to access stock, work with faculty directors, but sometimes they grow in scope and it’s the student designer who ends up doing all the alterations and burning out. Each of these production opportunities require different skills and what we’ve been missing is an in between step in our training.
This term, we’ve piloted the idea of the whole class, 8 students, co-designing a studio production of The Importance of Being Earnest. The goals for the students were to get to stock and identify the potential of a garment, practice developing an inclusive, consent-based, collaborative fitting environment, and communicate work notes to our stitcher. Students had to read the script and complete a costume slot for the whole show. After the director came to class to talk through each character and the ideas behind this abridged production, I assigned each student two looks to shepherd through the whole process. Before going to stock, they researched the period, their looks, and developed a detailed pieces list. Then we all headed to our stock to pull options. Working closely with the stage manager, we scheduled the performers for fittings. Because of the extra time in stock, and the availability of fitting times, attendance during class for that week was flexible. Students worked in pairs to assist in fittings, document the looks, and coordinate notes with an alum who was hired to complete the fitting notes and run wardrobe on the show. During class we loaded in the show to the theatre, each student in charge of their two looks, checking in the items to ensure everything is accounted for. Then, half the class attended the first dress rehearsal, and the other half the second dress rehearsal.
What the student designers didn’t have to do was sew, or manage the sixteen looks of the whole show. Students were made aware (and slightly shocked) to understand how much time our support person provided to complete all the work. While sewing skills are also important to practice, it was critical to me that the scope of this project remain feasible, and that the learning goals of a design class were prioritized while collaborating with a performance department. We let go of the need for a cohesive design for the show, (though honestly, it all came together pretty well!) and prioritized the process.
My goals were that these second and third year students practiced these skills with a smaller scope and lower stakes before assisting and maybe eventually designing where there are more resources at hand.
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For all you educators out there, outlined below is the actual assignment, developed using the Winkelmes TILT template- https://tilthighered.com
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice a realistic costume design production process in a low stakes manner. Oftentimes theoretical “paper” projects offer limitless possibilities and budgets. For this project, we will rely of specific queues from the script to guide research. That research, along with the sizing information of the cast members will inform how the costumes are pulled from our costume stock warehouse. We will conduct fittings and communicate the work notes with a stitcher. Lastly, we will take turns attending dress rehearsals to polish up a pulled show ready for public viewing.
Skills:
Read and analyze script for costume clues
Research and organize period images to convey design ideas
Discern appropriate options from stock
Practice collaborative and consent based fittings
Communicate working notes throughout process
Actively attend a dress rehearsal and note any adjustments
Knowledge:
Understand the creative and analytical process of designing costumes for stage using a dramatic source
Develop a discerning eye and design accuracy in studying the details found in research
Cultivate an eye to discern the potential of items pulled from stock
Develop your personae in the fitting room
Proper fitting techniques to adjust garments for comfort, period accuracy, and character development
Clarity in communicating with all team members
Tasks:
Overall, you will responsible for 2 looks
Read the script, at least twice
Create a costume plot for the whole show (not just your two looks) (due Jan 18)
Research your looks for the period (due Jan 23)
Create a pieces list considering everything they are wearing, head to toe, skin out (due before stock trip)
Go to the costume warehouse and pull options for all items for all characters you are responsible for (week of Jan 23)
Fit the costumes on the performers (week of Jan 30)
Communicate work notes
Attend dress rehearsal and provide and feedback to performers & wardrobe crew (week of Feb 13)
Assignment Details
Costume Plot 30 pts
Create a google spreadsheet tracking all scenes, characters and what they are wearing
Due, uploaded to Canvas Jan. 18
Corrections and updates reflecting any changes are due Feb 15
Pieces list 25 pts
Access the shared spreadsheet.
Add your looks to the main list on tab 1
Copy “Pieces” tab and create one tab for each character
List each item of everything that character wears, head to toe, skin out
Due @ Jan 24 before stock trip
Corrections and updates reflecting all changes due Feb 15
Research 30 pts
Create a living bibliography that tracks your research map (databases, search term, etc…)
Organize folders, a slide show, or mood board that accurately synthesizes primary and carefully curated secondary visual resources that communicate the silhouette and details of the looks you are responsible for.
Your research should include details such as understructures, foundation garments, shoes, and all accessories, in addition to what the audience sees.
Your research should tell you what are the style lines of the period to honor.
Is there a painter or image the whole class can use to guide the palette or feel?
Due Jan 23
Pulling 35 pts
To be completed the week of Jan 23rd
Let the hunt begin! Bring a tape measure with you to our stock facility 3600 Varsity Dr
We will coordinate several shared trips this week in time blocks; I will be there with you as well as our stock manager, Theresa Hartman.
We will practice measuring garments for ease, determining potential, alterability, stage worthiness, etc…
Fittings 35 pts
To be completed the week of Jan 30th
Fittings will be scheduled during class time as performers are available and in the evenings that week during rehearsal.
Each of you will have a fitting “buddy” and myself in attendance.
Your job is to be upbeat and confident while collaborative and attuned to the performers’ needs.
You are responsible for marking all necessary adjustments, pinning, etc…and your buddy is responsible for taking all fitting notes to communicate with the stitcher
Take photos of all looks, front & back
Update pieces list to reflect any changes
Overall finish 25
You are ultimately responsible for what ends up onstage. Has every accessory been considered? Are the hems level? Is the character conveyed?
Did you discuss a hairstyle the performer can achieve on their own in this studio environment?
Take a “clean” back stage photo & capture one dress rehearsal image showing your complete work.
Communication 20 pts
Were your notes clear to the stitcher?
To the cast & crew?
How was your tone? Timeliness?
Process documentation 25 pts
Create a process documentation that synthesizes a sample of research, fitting photos and production shots all in one place
Answer these questions: What are you proud of? What, if anything, would you do differently next time given the same resources & constraints?