From Sketch To Stage: A Behind-The-Scenes Look At A.C.T.’s Costume Process
by Victoria Flores
"The details are not the details. They are the design." –Charles Eames
The grandeur of The Geary Theater does not make the show; rather it's the detailed
craftsmanship that creates the show's atmosphere and allows the audience to
fall into the story. Tracing the development of A.C.T.'s costumes for Napoli! from sketch to stage, I found a
crew of artisans shining behind the show's Italian charm.
The costumes
for Napoli! were designed by Lydia Tanji (Dead Metaphor, Marcus; Or the Secret of Sweet, After the War), who starts the costume process with visual research. This research was extensive and captured many
aspects of Napolitano life through classic Italian film stills and portraits
from the era. Tanji also had sketches depicting the cut of men's suits,
worn-out aprons, and even quirky superstitions, like the donning of a chili
pepper (a symbol to ward off evil). Using Tanji's research alongside her final costume
renderings, the costume shop staff had the challenge of portraying the
idiosyncratic Napoli, Italy during its tumultuous governance by conflicting
parties during WWII.
The
next step of the process took me to A.C.T's costume shop, a hidden treasure on
Market Street, which houses costume inventory and rentals as well as the workspace
for A.C.T.'s wardrobe team, including drapers, tailors, stitchers, and artisans.
Costume Director Jessie Amoroso—a costume designer in his own right (Underneath the Lintel)—works directly with the designers to bring their sketches to life and coordinates with the
shop and theater staff throughout the process. Jessie explained that there is a
balance to accomplishing a designer's vision once it's been sketched and
planned. The wardrobe team creates most of the pieces from scratch, but pulls from
the shop's inventory, where possible, to complete costumes within budget and on
time. "Nothing is sacred; [we] won't hesitate to cut something up,"
Jessie remarked, especially if the refurbishment improves an older costume.
 |
| Costume Director Jessie Amoroso |
 |
| Inventory Manager Jef Valentine |
Touring
me through the vast array of costumes—in his stylish, suspender-ed pantaloons—was
Inventory Manager Jef Valentine. A kind
of costume connoisseur, Valentine zipped from rack to rack, detailing shows,
time periods, and A.C.T. history contained in the epic closet. Among all these, he can still hone in on his
favorite pieces from past productions such as Tales of the City and the 1973 production of Taming of the Shrew.
Just
off Valentine's field of costume racks is the crafts/dye room, containing a
colorful array of artifacts and accessories for costume manipulation. Here
costumes from the inventory are distressed or altered in a myriad of ways to
achieve the desired look. Cloaking a dress form in the room was a military
overcoat—a costume worn by Marco Baricelli in Act II of Napoli!—which Accessories and Crafts Artisan
Kelly Koehn worked on, adding bullet holes, paint, and dye to render it
"worn and torn" to fit the character. Paired with the overcoat were
previously-new boots that spent a good amount of time in a small cement mixer
to make them look old and used. |
| York Walker |
During my costume shop visit, I also observed an important stage in the costume process:
a fitting. Fittings are a time for the designer to see the actors in their
costumes and make adjustments before the actors—and their costumes—get onstage.
While on my tour, I saw Tanji seated calmly at the curtained fitting room,
while tailer Alexander Zeek and costume fellow Karly Tufekjian assisted in
fine-tuning the designs to the Italian aesthetic Tanji wanted. During the
fitting, draper Keely Weiman brought in one particularly funny project, a nun's
habit with no back. After the fitting, Weiman adjusted the costume so Napoli! actor, and A.C.T. MFA student,
York Walker was able to don the habit onstage quickly and without assistance.
Less
obvious—but crucial to the success of the costuming process—are the actors'
wigs. Wig Master Jeanna Parham's grand studio, located on the third floor of
The Geary Theater, is decked out with hair tools galore as well as lots of A.C.T.
memorabilia, while Wigs and Makeup Supervisor Jessica McGinty assists the
actors from the wig room, located adjacent to the actors' dressing rooms.
After the costumes have been designed, collected, and distressed to perfection, they're
transferred to the theater where the wardrobe staff—including Wardrobe
Supervisor Mary Montijo and her assistant Diane Cornelius—takes over
coordination of the collection, divvying them up to the appropriate dressings
rooms and assuring costumes are worn correctly throughout the show's run, based
on Tanji's and Amoroso's instructions.
 |
| Wardrobe Supervisor Mary Montijo and her assistant Diane Cornelius |
The beauty of A.C.T.'s costumes is their realistic appearance and wearable construction.
Actors can put costumes on without much help as they are not sewn or pinned
into them. One of Tanji's favorite pieces is a vintage floral summer dress,
worn in the show by Sharon Lockwood. Lockwood showed me dozens of tiny patches
that were added to reinforce each tiny flower on the inside of the dress. This detail makes the garment wearable and
comfortable for the performer.
 |
| York Walker and Asher Grodman |
The
life of an A.C.T. costume is indeed an assortment of moving parts, all driven
by multitasking, talented craftsman working hard to create the atmosphere you
see on stage. "Auguri" (congrats) to all!
