Backstage costume producers bring theatre to life through design
May 1, 2023
Piecing together a large brain made of fabric is not a part of most Northwestern students’ typical agenda. Neither is crafting a mermaid tail out of plastic forks or creating deer masks out of bark pieces.
But NU’s costume designers have made all of these creations as part of their work to bring productions across the University to the stage.
The Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center Costume Shop is responsible for every stitch, garment and accessory onstage at the Wirtz Center’s student productions. In the shop, undergraduate work study students, volunteers, six master of fine arts students and costume professionals piece together the costumes that make shows come to life.
This year, the Costume Shop worked on Wirtz productions like “Indecent,” which was performed from April 21-30, and Henry V.
Serena Sandoval, the Costume Shop’s supervisor, coordinates costume production for the Wirtz Center’s mainstage productions by working with designers, pulling costumes from stock, arranging fittings and mentoring students. She said her favorite part of working in costume design is the collaboration.
“Theatre is not a one person thing,” Sandoval said. “That’s why people are drawn to the fields — because when you’re working, you’re working collaboratively the whole time.”
Sandoval said the Costume Shop models mainstage regional theaters in Chicago on a smaller scale.
She added that she’s aiming to involve more undergraduate students and to downsize the shop’s production to streamline their work.
“We’re creating really beautiful work on a really big scale,” Sandoval said. “There’s more learning to be had by scoping down just a little bit more and refining some of the details further and adding a lot more structure to our institution.”
Communication freshman Poseybelle Stoeffler works as a costume shop aide for work-study, helping with organization and sewing. She said she was inspired by her mom, who made her Halloween costumes growing up.
Besides serving as a creative outlet, Stoeffler said costume production helps her adapt as a performer.
“I really want to get as much experience as I can, so that I am a very well-rounded artist,” she said. “Something as a performer that I value is understanding the process so that you can value everybody and all of the different parts that are put into it.”
Beyond the Costume Shop, undergraduates also get involved in costume production through NU’s Student Theatre Coalition.
Communication freshman Millie Rose Taub worked with costumes for StuCo as assistant costume designer for February’s “Peter and the Starcatcher,” a play based on the story of Peter Pan. She’s currently on the costumes team for StuCo’s upcoming freshman musical, “Little Shop of Horrors.”
Taub said one of her favorite parts of costume design is making quirky costumes in unexpected ways. For example, for “Peter and the Starcatcher,” she helped make bra tops out of gold plates and toy cars.
“I really have fun with anything that’s over the top or crafty,” Taub said. “I would really love to keep doing work where it’s just absurd.”
While she doesn’t intend on pursuing costume design after college, Taub said she enjoys being a part of a different aspect of theatre.
Costume design taught her to be resourceful, Taub said, since she often thrifts costumes and then has to find ways to make them fit a show. She loves the process of watching each piece of a production come together out of old clothes, glitter and hot glue.
“It’s really incredible to see just exactly what we’re capable of,” Taub said. “It’s always really exciting to know that we’re making theatre that is really incredible.”
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @emilymlichty
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