Sunday, November 6, 2011

Dr. Frankenstein: Costume Design

One of my closest friends, Allen, is a phenomenal actor, and an even greater friend. He teaches drama at a Junior High, and will occasionally hire me to help with his shows. I feel like he's the first one who took me seriously as a costume designer and paid me for my time and work. He continues to do so, continues to introduce me to directors and producers and theater companies who will hire me for my work.
He just played Doctor Frankenstein in an adaption of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein for Salty Dinner Theater Company and hired me to make his costume. I have always hated making men's costumes, but recently have become a huge fan! It kinda makes me want to be a Haberdasher (U.S. definition, not British)
This was a huge challenge for me. I used an old out of print pattern for jacket and pants, but made quite a few changes to better fit my design. He wanted the costume to fit the "Jane Austen" Time period also known as the "Regency period." This is also where the term "Empire waist" started, since this was the era of Bonaparte's Empire and women were wearing their waistlines just below the breasts.
ANYWAY. Enough of the history lesson!
Allen came over, picked the fabric out of my extensive fabric storage which somehow just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Someone told him he looked like Joseph Smith. Good. Roughly the same time period.
But I though he looked simply fantastic.
 Design and construction by Mandee.
Swagger and Facial hair by Allen. :)