Costume Designer

The Costume Designer finds, makes, and/or coordinates costumes for the cast. He/she reports to the Technical Director, but should also communicate well with the Director to ensure that the costumes are consistent with his/her concept of the show. Costume designing is a big job involving a lot of work, and the Costume Designer should attempt to get as much help as possible. The Costume Designer may also be called upon to provide makeup assistance.

Early Considerations
It is impossible to find or make appropriate clothing before the show is cast, but there are things that can and should be done beforehand. Talk to the Director and find out if there are any specific things he/she wants in the way of costumes (e.g. pockets and who needs them). Also, find out the size of the cast and get a copy of the rehearsal schedule. Come up with an overall concept for how you want the costumes to look and get the Director's approval. Simple sketches are also a great help. Read the show! Think about the relationship between the characters and how the costumes might be used to show what those relationships are. Along with the Director, decide whether the chorus costumes will be very similar or very different.

Buddget: Recycling vs. Building
Before you begin any spending, find out what your budget is. If it is too small, negotiate with the Producer. A good estimate is $5-15 per costume; many come out cheaper than that, but there are usually a few cast members who require extremely fancy and/or expensive costumes, so it usually evens out in the end. If you anticipate needing to do any dry cleaning, mention this and try to get the budget adjusted accordingly. If you are fortunate to be able to find costumes (by using and modifying costumes from an existing collection), the budget may be reduced. Explore CHP's store of costumes to see if there is anything that can be used. Finding costumes is usually cheaper and easier; however, building costumes results in a more consistent look for the show.

Sizing Up the Cast
Measure the cast at the earliest possible moment. The best time is probably during read-through, because most everybody will be there. Read-through is also a good time to make announcements about costume pieces that the cast may have to provide for themselves. The cast is often asked to provide their own shoes, or they can check to see what shoes are in the costume loft. The cast may also be asked to provide their own socks, stockings, or tights. (Note: ``Hardship'' cases should be considered and referred to the Producer if necessary in the event that a cast member cannot afford to provide his/her own costume pieces.)

Scheduling
Costume designing is a lot of work. Get people to help, even if they claim not to be able to sew, because it is rarely true. The earlier you begin, the earlier you are in a position to give instructions to others. Thank and praise people who do help. During the rehearsal period (before production week), bring partially finished pieces in and fit them while alterations are still easy to do. The Director or stage manager should keep you up to date on changes to the cast, but they are more likely to do so if you are accessible and show up every now and then. Work quickly, and remember that costumes are not real clothes. They only have to look good on the outside, and they only have to hold together for a finite number of performances. Prepare to have a final fitting/costume parade very early during production week. After this point, actors should rehearse in as much of their costume as is wearable.

Production Week
Theoretically, all your work should be done by this point. Your duties should consist of taking costume notes during rehearsals and finishing up any detail work. Some tips: Make sure the actors know how and where to hang their costumes. If possible, bring your sewing machine and ironing board into the green room. Encourage actors to iron their own costumes. Keep a list of what still needs to be accomplished and post it. Warn the actors that if it isn't on the list, it won't be done. Prioritize and do the important things first. Bring plenty of safety pins; they tend to disappear. If there is not a separate makeup designer, be prepared to answer questions about makeup and hair. Keep this in mind when you research the period in which the show is to be set. Pay attention to hair styles as well as dress styles so that you will be able to give an opinion. For women, snoods can be a good way to fake long hair

Strike
The main task is to separate costumes from personal belongings, and borrowed costumes from CHP property. Everything must be cleaned before it is stored or returned to its owner. Wash everything that can be washed and dry clean the rest. Collect all receipts and submit them to the Producer for reimbursement.