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Costume Design in Theatre: Importance and Symbolism

Learn about the significance of costumes in theatre, from reflecting setting to character traits. Explore color symbolism and historical costume design practices to enhance storytelling on stage. Dive into creating costumes based on period and character analysis. Discover the role of costumes in transporting both audience and actors into the world of a play.

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Costume Design in Theatre: Importance and Symbolism

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  1. Costuming Theatre Arts

  2. Vocabulary • Costume Crew – the people responsible for making/borrowing/buying the costumes, assisting with costume changes and emergencies backstage, and cleaning the costumes • Dresser – responsible for helping with costume changes and emergencies backstage • Wardrobe Mistress – responsible for the care of all costumes (cleaning, fixing, etc.) • Costume Plot – a chart listing each character, the acts or scenes in which they appear, and all undergarments, garments and accessories needed • Accessories – anything carried or worn on top of the basic costume for decorative purposes (hats, purses, jewelry, etc.)

  3. Costume Plot Example Play: Calling Dr. Curemee Date: November 12-13 Act 3, Scene 2 Taken from Glencoe’s Exploring Theatre, Nancy Prince & Jeanie Jackson, (c) 2005

  4. You may already have experience in Costume Design! • Did you dress up last Halloween? Or any other Halloween? Think of your favorite costume. • What did it look like? • What materials did you use? • What design did you use? • How did you gather it? Make/buy/borrow/rent?

  5. Why are Costumes Important? • Help the audience“see” the characters. They show them the: • Setting: • Time period • Location • Character: • Age • Personality • Social standing/wealth • Occupation/job • Help the actors feel and move as characters rather than as themselves

  6. Research! • Costumes must reflect the setting (time and place) of the play. Costume Designers must research what costumes of that place/time looked like! • Study the period of when the story takes place • Research in: • costume books • encyclopedias • old magazines • paintings/artwork/photography

  7. Things to think about when designing!

  8. 1. Consider the silouette There are 3 different types: • The draped line, like in a toga • The fitted line, like men’s tights in Shakespearean times. • Combination, like fitted bodice and draped skirt.

  9. 2. Consider the choice of fabric. • Fabric helps to suggest social status: • Luxurious texture suggests wealth • Rough textures suggest poverty • The weight of the fabric is also important • Regal robes require bulky material • Fairies from Midsummer Night’s Dream need light-weight material that will flow easily.

  10. 3. Consider the color. • Proper choice of color will help establish the play’s mood and the personality of the character. • Blues and greens are restful • Red coveys danger or anger • Black denotes tragedy • Purple suggest royalty • White is associated with purity and innocence

  11. 4. Consider decoration. • Decoration (accessories) includes trim and accessories attached to the costume. • Buttons • Lace • Hats • Shoes • Fans • Canes • Jewelry

  12. How do we get costumes? • Buy • Rent • Make • Borrow • Refurbish (change/alter old costumes to make them look different)

  13. Mary Poppins Costume Design • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY_yM38fJYI

  14. Elizabethan Era • Color played a huge role in what the people of the Elizabethan era wore. • Some colors were more expensive because the things used to make the dyes were rare, etc. Only the wealthy could afford those colors. Examples: • Purple • Royal Blue • Crimson (dark red)

  15. Elizabethan Era • Sumptuary Laws dictated what people were allowed to wear based on their position in society. • People of lower class were not allowed to wear certain colors or fabrics. These colors were reserved for royalty only: • Gold • Purple • Royal Blue • Crimson (dark red) • It was against the law to wear a color or fabric you were not allowed to wear, and you could be sentenced to death if you wore it!

  16. Meaning/Symbols of Colors(Elizabethan Era)

  17. Your Assignment • Design a costume’s color and fabric. You will be begin with a basic black and white Elizabethan era costume rendering. • Add the color and find/attach at least 3 pieces of fabric that you would use for the costume. 1 of those fabric pieces can be a trim (ribbon, etc.). • Fabrics and the colors on your drawing must match! • You will create an original character based on your choices. • Make sure you look at the Sumptuary laws to make sure your character is allowed to wear those colors! • Look at the meanings of the colors to show your character’s personality. • Describe your character’s personality and what you did with your color/fabric choices to show their personality.

  18. Examples

  19. Examples

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