Doctor Jekyll, I Costume ... er ... Presume

My theatrical production company, Idle Muse, is producing one of my favorite stories: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  We will be putting up the production this September. Whoa. Wait. Hold on. Stop. Halt. Stani. Arrête. Alto! Lest you start channeling "The Hoff" and dancing about proclaiming that “this is this moment”...please know that we are not, I repeat not, doing the musical Jekyll and Hyde. 

You will just have to get your Wildhorn and Cuden fix somewhere else.

This play, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, is adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, from the novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. We've only had two production meetings and even though it will have it's classic Late Victorian splendor, it already promises to be just as thrilling and gory as I remember the book being.

This provides me with, now, one of my greatest challenges as a costume designer. We want to portray the grit of the era while staying true to the text. There are six actors each with his or her own track (e.g. five of said actors will play a handful of characters while the actor playing Jekyll will remain only himself). 

Did I mention that this is Late Victorian? Yep. 1883. All of its upper crusty and West London with a side of Industrial Revolution.

Most of the actors have costume changes in 5 (yes, “five”) seconds or less. The impetus is to have it all be deftly wrapped in a blanket of seriousness and not have it become a giant ludicrous "camp fest."

There is a thin line between speed and humor and speed and efficiency of movement that makes the hair on every designer's neck stand up. We designers all want our serious work to be taken seriously. Camp quick changes are all well and good when doing a production of The Mystery of Irma Vepp.  

Camp is not our intention here, so, I must carefully examine each actor's stage business with the patience of a neurosurgeon before I proceed.

The principles of the show will be guided by the director, Ensemble Member, Nathan Pease. The Concepts of the show fit into our mission statement as a company.

So too must the costumes of this show conform to that Late Victorian setting.

I love a challenge.

"This is what I know..."

POST ALL THE THINGS

I've had two really great successful photo session with Greg Inda of Greg Inda Photography.

And now to post into oblivion.

Everything "YES"...and Now I Want Ethiopian Food.

This year, I gave myself the challenge of “everything ‘yes’”. If I saw it in the thrift shop or mending bin…the answer was: “yes. I will make something out of it”

I try to never limit myself...but I do always throw myself a designer challenge to keep my life interesting.

My sister gave me vintage clothing from the 1980s. Yes.

I found a plethora of vintage things that were pastel. Pastel??  But I'm afraid of pastel. No matter....  "YES".

My neighborhood is Pakistani, Indian, Afghani, Israeli, Croatian, Russian and Ethiopian. Saris. Yes. Habesha Tibeb. Yes. Yes.

Result is a super collection of delicious cantaloupe, coconut, tamarind, lime, plantain, wheat, yam, clove, coffee, chai and curry. Sumptuous velvets, sassy plaids. 

All the spices and twice the sugar? Yes. 

All the warmth - twice the cool?  Yes. 

All the fashion and twice the practicality? YES.

Now serving up a plateful of Chicago summer.  Do not miss it.

www.etsy.com/shop/ErinRoseDesign

Are you kidding me right now?

So apparently - my life is an episode of "Hoarders".  Theatre Addition.  My shop has not been usable since I closed The Mystery of Irma Vepp.  In OCTOBER.

Yes. There is a toaster oven in there. I know, right. Ridiculous. (It bakes FIMO really well...obviously...not while it is in the middle of the floor.

So.  This is really embarrassing.  Problem is that I don't even remotely want to have anything to do with cleaning it. Drudgery.

I'll have to make a game out of it.

Let's do the time warp. Again?

Oh. heavens. So a year has passed. I'm a bad blogger.

So. Today is about getting back on the horse. Giddyap.  Photoshoots, posters, inventory, taxes and book work.  Oh my.

Bling

I am getting married this year. So. Naturally. I've been geeking out on all things bling.

Like It.

 I totally wish I could do all of this social media on the treadmill or something. I'm terrified that I'm going to get a squared ass from all this typing. Anyway.  This is the week of photoshoots and displays.

I feel like a Christmas Elf delivering all the sparkles to Chicago.

(Don't ask. It seemed to make far more sense than "Easter bunny".......meh.)

Tomorrow I see Mr.and Mrs. Digz in Andersonville.  Super cute store. If you're local you should totally check it out.

Most of my beaded necklaces will go there. I launch the larger metal worked mixed media pieces soon too but will probably only do so online initially.

By the way, readers.  Like my blog. Send it to other people.  Like my Tumblr and my Facebook page too.  I try to keep things interesting now that I've actually got stuff to talk about. hahaha.



Towanda!!!!