Note to self: do NOT read the rehearsal report before going to bed. No matter the item or note, there really is no point in worrying about it before trying to go to sleep!
Every night after rehearsal the stage manager sends a report to the entire production staff and other invested parties (I have fond memories of these rolling in by FAX in the 1990s). It includes a log of the call time, end time, what they accomplished, breaks taken, who was late, absent, etc...Each production department has a section to catch notes. For costumes this can include requests for rehearsal items, information about how something is used (gets thrown on ground, needs a pocket for a prop, is removed onstage, etc...). Or something vague like, the director "would like to have a conversation about the costume for Tom Joad." When I read this at 11pm, my mind races with allllll the possibilities. At the end of the day, it's really just not a big deal. I knew I'd be seeing the director at the production meeting the following morning. My only real concerns were: understanding what needed to change and having the time to thoughtfully make that change with tight schedules, the upcoming Thanksgiving break, how Black Friday and holiday shopping would impact and new show shopping, and the looming tech rehearsals. My concern was not that the costume needed to change.
Directly after the production meeting, the director thoughtfully acknowledged the work to date and explained that the implicit narrative had shifted during the rehearsal process. The original design was incorporating the story that Tom had been provided a brand new suit upon his release from prison. We had bought him a suit along with an extra pair of pants that were distressed and aged that he would change into at intermission, along with a second, distressed, shirt. We had sent his clothes to rehearsal so he could practice his onstage undressing and dressing at the "river," so the director was able to preview everything.
At the end of the day he really only needs a hat, shirt, pants, and shoes, so the most subtle of details is amplified with such a limited clothing vocabulary. My only hesitancy in changing his costume at this point was the director wasn't seeing anyone else in full costume yet. But, she was quite sure the current look was too heavy and urban looking. So we popped up to the shop and behold, in my "boutique" of stock extras was a looser, lighter weight pair of pants and a shirt. The performer happens to work in the theatre office, so we asked him to hop in for the world's fastest fitting. Start to finish, from conversation to updated paperwork was just over 30 minutes! Right now, as we get ready to roll into tech (after all the T'giving pie) is maybe he looks a bit like Huck Finn?? But, his old cap is standing by with other options at the ready if we want to try anything else between now and opening night.
Below- Far left is the sketch. Then the 1st fitting photo- the plan was for the jacket to come off very quickly, even with the possibility that he only has it over his arm with it being too hot.
The 2nd fitting photo on the right- my only thought now, other than the hat, is wishing his pants were higher on his waist which the dark brown ones do. The shoe change happened the week earlier and is the piece that DOES acknowledge the "government issue" part of our story telling. He has two pair of plain black oxfords with the second pair being really distressed for Act 2.
As I imagine the second image sans jacket I'm struck by how vague my original rendering is...how many different ways can a shirt and pair of pants be interpreted?
Comments