Final costume bible - Sophie Kew

Assignment Front Sheet
Student ID No: 50339285 Student Name: Sophie Kew
Programme Code No: B5LT Year: 1
Unit Code: Y01T
Unit Title: Costume Interpretation
Unit Tutor: Lou Cox
Assignment Type/Title: DCC 113 Costume Interpretation
Deadline: 27th May – 1pm
I confirm that I am submitting this assignment: I confirm
1) The assignment is my own work and has not ben previously submitted in relation to any other module.
2) I have read and understood the College regulations regarding Plagiarism and academic offences and this work conform
to the requirements set out in those documents.
Student Signature: Skew

Contents Page:
Assignment Sheet ……………………………. 1
Specification Sheet ………………………….. 3
Weekly Charts ..................................... 4
What is a Costume Bible …................. 17
InTo The Woods Plot ………................. 19
Character and Analysis …………………… 50
Script ……………………………………………… 58
Communication in a Production .…… 62
Networking Communication ………….. 75
Class Communication ………………….…. 83
Why is Opera Important ………………... 87
Pattern Research ………………………………………………...… 98
Budgeting and Sourcing …………………………………….... 108
Toiles, Samples …………………………..……………………..... 111
Drafting ……………………………………………………………….. 112
Construction …………………………………………………….…. 116
History of Blood ……………………..…………………………... 127
Videos of Blood Splattering attached in Email …….. 133
Blood Images ………………………………………………………. 134
Good Images ………………………………………………………. 136
Bad Images ……………………………………………………….... 137
Bonnet Construction …………………………………………… 138
Risk Assessments ………….... 140
Evaluation …………………….... 142
Bibliography ………………..….. 144
Citation ……………………..……. 145

SPECIFICATION SHEET
COSTUME CONSTRUCTION
BA(Hons) Costume Construction
Costume Specification Sheet:
Character: Act 1: Granny – Clean
Dress
Act 2: Wolf – Bloody
Dress
Production/ Year: Into The Woods 2007
Performer/ Contact/ Email: Daisy
Willow
07639085607
07975211455
Daisyball@gmail.com
Willowdavey@gmail.com
Makers/ Contact Email: Sophie Kew 07981490782 Sophiekew2000@gmail.com
50339285@student.southessessex.ac.uk
Date of Production/
Performance:
11th June 2007
Place of Production/
Performance:
Royal Opera House Linbury Studio
Costume Element: 2 Night Dresses 2 Bonnets Nude Bra, White Briefs, Mic Belt, Brown Wool
Slippers with Pom Poms, Lavender bed socks

BA(Hons) Costume Construction
Checklist
DCC113: Costume Interpretation
You should have had chance to look through the costume bibles and have selected your design to work from. Please can you complete this list and email it back to
Emma. Thankyou.
•Name: Sophie Kew
•Copy of design/ image:
•Character: Granny
•Performance: InTo The Woods
•Model/ Performer’s name: Mannequin (Daisy)
•Have you taken measurements: Y/N
Working with measurements from: By my 2 mannequins
Elements of costume (what are you making?):
1.Bonnet
2.Night dress x2
One clean one and one distressed nightgown.
Initial plan of work (what are you working on this week?):
Monday: Look at the story of into the woods, research Stephen Sondheim and Grimm Brothers. Chose 3 characters to research about, look at their themes, colours,
styles and shapes.
Tuesday: Chose my chosen character, give a reason why, explain my character, cost and sourcing materials. Print our relevant documents from the Bible, send work
in on working on to tutors. Create the technical file, add measurement charts.
Wednesday: look further into my chosen character
Thursday: Watch the Disney’s into the woods.
Friday: Free time

Week 5
Week 5
Week Beginning
27th April to 1st May 2020

Week 6
Week 6
Week Beginning
4th May 2020 to 8th May

Week 7
Week 7
Week Beginning
11th May 2020 to 16th May

Week 8
Week 8
Week Beginning
18th May 2020 to 22nd May 2020

Week 9 Final Week
Week Beginning
25th May 2020 to 27thMay

DCC113/ Costume Bible
INTO THE WOODS
MUSICAL
THE VERY FIRST PRODUCTION OF THE MUSICAL DEBUTED IN SAN
DIEGO 1986 DECEMBER 4TH IN THE OLD GLOBE THEATRE.

What is A Costume Bible?
During Tours at the Royal Opera House in Purfleet and Covent Garden, I noticed they
would have units on walls or a small room just full of Costume Bibles, but what is a
Costume Bible and why are they so important for every production?
A costume Bible is a book or a folder created by the Costume Designer for an upcoming
show or production. Inside it will include: The Directors Notes, The costume plot (this will
be a chart of every costume change), The performers body
measurements, any notes if they have changed body size (such as one performer could
become prepregnant after having measurements taken in the past so that is an
important part of information needed for the costume makers). It will have inspirational
mood boards, different ranges of chosen colour swatches and the Designers Vision. The
measurement charts will need to be clear and easy to read, it should include the actor’s
name down one side and key measurements going across the page. In doing this on
separate pages and in moveable folder sleeves you are making it easier for a costume
runner to do purchasing without needing to carry the whole bible with them. They are
sometimes called an “At – A – Glance” chart. In the bible there will be a section just for
receipts and the budget. It will be a budget breakdown, with how much money you
should be spending on each costume. By keeping the receipts it will help other future
companies to find the exact material but also you will get reimbursed from the
Production Manager. Another section will be for materials, such as the width, price,
store, yards, zippers, buttons and any other needed materials. Most importantly there
should be the Directors Vision, which is then sketched by the Costume Designer. In the
back of the bible it is helpful to include photographs of how the performers look in their
costumes and whether anything needs to be changed or altered. It is not essential but
might be helpful to have a couple of pages for accessories such as props, jewellery and
hats to match the correct colours linked to the costumes.

The very first production of the musical debuted in San Diego 1986/7 in the Old Globe Theatre. InTo The Woods is a musical created
by Stephen Sondheim, His musical is a mix of different Grimm Brother Tales such as, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Rapunzel and
Jack and the Beanstalk. They look at the consequences of the Characters actions, their wishes and quest throughout the musical. It
begins with a Barker and his Wife who are on a quest to start a family, originally this plot is from a Grimm Brothers book Rapunzel,
changing the story around in the book the baker’s Father would climb over a wall to gather vegetables for his hungry pregnant wife,
due to the fact that he stole the witches vegetable they made a trade with the wife’s un-born daughter, named Rapunzel. The whole
musical revolves around 4 ingredients that need to be delivered to the witch, only then will she lift the curse, White Cow, Red Cape,
Yellow Hair, Golden Slipper. Cinderella story starts with her wanting to go to the King’s Festival, due to not having anything nice to
wear she visits her mothers grave and asks her spirit to then receives a gown and golden slippers. Little Red Riding Hood comes
across a hungry wolf who persuades her to take the long way around to her Grand Mothers house. The Baker and his wife find beans
in his fathers jacket and tries to convince Jack they are magic and to take them in trade for the cow. While the Baker is walking
through the woods, he comes along Red Riding Hoods Grandma’s House, as he goes in he finds himself killing the wolf and rescues
Little Red and her Grand Mother, in return she give him the Red cape. Throughout the story it is a struggle to gather all four
ingredients as they come across challenges in their path.
During Act II, it lets you see what all the characters life’s look like after getting their wishes. The Baker and his wife comes across
challenges with their new infant son, Jack misses the Giant Kingdom in the sky and Cinderella is bored with her new life in the palace.
Next the Giants are introduced in to the story by coming down and destroying the witches garden and the Bakers home. The Palace
steward ignores the Bakers finding and finds himself on his way home in the forest, though he comes across Little Red Riding Hood
who could no longer find her Grand Mothers House. Young Jack plans a way to slay the giants, killing the male giant the giantess
comes down for revenge. Many of the characters want to give Jack to the giant, so he runs away and hides, The Baker and his wife
spilt up, she is then seduced by Cinderella's Prince, later on the Baker comes across Cinderella who fled to her mothers grave, he
convinces her to join his group. Later on the Bakers Wife is killed after crossing the path of the Giantess. Jack is found crying over the
bakers wife body. The Baker, Jack, Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and the Royal Family all join together and succeed in slaying the giant.
To make it a happy ending, the baker askes Jack and Red Riding hood to live with him and his son. While also agreeing to help
Cinderella to rebuild the Kingdom.
INTO THE WOODS MUSICAL PLOT:

InTo The Woods is an original story, but it is a fractured fairy tale, there are a mix of many
known characters from Grimm Brothers, the creators of the musical also added invented
characters, by doing this it has made it a more truly original musical. The themes through
out the story are Humour, Darkness, Seduction, Challenges, Quests and Romance, the
musical is a tale full of possibilities. The show has moments of adult themes but it does
not move away from the dark aspect of the fairy tales, such as “All actions must have
consequences”.
Stephen Sondheim’s InTo The Woods Musical has been re released 11 times, 3 of them
being Revivals.
1. 1987 Broadway
2. 1988 US Tour
3. 1990 West End
4. 1998 West End Revival
5. 2002 Broadway Revival
6. 2007 Royal Opera House London
7. 2010 West End Revival
8. 2012 Central Park Delacorte Theatre Production
9. 2014 Film Adaptation (Disney)
10. 2015 Off – Broadway
11. 2019 Hollywood Bowl Production
There was also a child friendly version made, the first act was half removed and the second act was completely taken out. The
performance is shortened to 2 and a half hours to fit in a 50 minute range. The songs were also scored to be much more easier for
children to follow.

The Grimm Brothers are famous for their Kinder – Und Hausmarchen
(Grimm’s Fairy Tales) which led to the birth of modern folklore. They are
also known for creating their dark spin on all fairy tale legends.
The books that they wrote were based upon collected tales that had been
given down from generation to generation. Originally the books were not
intended for younger children due to their dark themes, although many
young adults were drawn to the books, because of their darkness, power,
adventure and the unexpected twists throughout the books.
Grimm’s traditional stories were: Cinderella, Goldilocks and the Three
Bears and Jack and the Beanstalk.
Stephen Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist known for his
work in Musical Theatre. Some of the musicals he produced are Sweeny
Todd and Into The Woods. I looked at these 2 in more detail due to the
fact that these were given to me as choices from the Costume Bible. I
wanted to see how they had been adapted through time, but also because
they both have a dark theme throughout the plays.
There is a well known theme between Stephen’s Musicals and the Grimm
Brothers such as: “Be careful what you wish for”, that helped and inspired
him to make the Musical in the first place.
The Baker and his wife WISH for a child, Cinderella WISHES to go to the
King’s Festival, and Jack who WISHES for his cow to give some milk.

The New York
Times. InTo The
Woods Articles
1986
In most of the InTo The Woods productions, the theme between Cinderella's
Prince and the wolf both share the same characteristics of being unable to
control their appetites, they were usually played by the same actor. The show
has many different theme’s within such as, growing up, accepting responsibly,
morality and consequences. The Time Magazine wrote that the play is “basic
insight…is at heart, most fairy-tale are about loving yet embattled relationship
between parents and children. Almost everything that goes wrong – which is
to say, almost everything that can—arises from a failure of parental or filial
duty, despite the best intentions”.

Costume design sketches from the 2007 Production. There are always four stories entwined with InTo The Woods. Cinderella, Red Riding
Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel. All the characters have been set on a journey through the woods where all the exciting and
the frightening, unusual, and enchanting things begin and end. Sondheim’s music is recognized throughout the stage show, the settings
are magical but they say “his music casts a definite spell over the actors and the audience”. As the production near the ending it get more
darker as it deals with loss of love ones, fear of growing up, growing old and making the right and wrong decisions, but there is always
hope that no one is alone. These sketches are very inspirational and I find the detail and historic hints useful for my research.

InTo The Woods, Rapunzel.
I have picked Rapunzel as a possible character to work with for this unit, what really caught my eye with
this is design was the colour and the drawing but mainly how beautiful the garment is. I absolutely love
the corset and sleeves with the ruffles and draping fabric at the back, I have made a couple of corsets in
the past, so I understand the making process and techniques needed. The whole design reminded me of
Medieval fashion, adding of a simple head band and the cross over fabric design on her wig is very
effective. Looking at the sketches, I can see the skirt and corset would have had a lot of embroidery added
to it, it makes her look more like a princess, she does not look like a low class character due to how
elegant she looks.
Looking at the costing sheet, a couple of the materials were expensive and I believe would be a struggle to
source, such as:
1. BroadWick Silks Bodice = £39.00 meter
2. BroadWick Silks Skirt = £30.00 meter
3. Blouse, Priesters, OHC Natural, Crepe Silk Satin = £14.52 meter
4. Trim, Barnett Lawson = £1.20 meter
5. Footsies (Marks and Spenser) = £3 twin pack
6. Brooches Sewn = £2.50 each
7. Jogging Bottoms = £10
8. Ribbon in Plaits = £15.00 roll
Pros: Beautiful, detailed, I have made a corset before, enjoy working with ruffles
Cons: Not experienced enough with the techniques needed, cost of the materials is too high, it would be
very time consuming, a lot of effort on a final piece when the end mark is only 25% towards our grade.

InTo The Woods
Little Red Riding Hood.
This was my second choice of character to consider from the Costume Bible. I really love everything about this
design, and I have learnt all of the construction ranging from, Corset, underpinning (bustle). My favourite part
on this design is the skirt and the detail added within it. I have never made a skirt before that has a layered
section. The other issue with this character’s costume is that the majority of my class have chosen to make it, if
others are constructing this garment believe it will lose it’s originality and makes the ideas boring.
Most of the materials were a reasonable price and easy to source online ,although some of the materials were
very expensive being: the Top Skirt Applique at £65.00 meter and the Silk and Linen for the Bodice starting at
£45.00 meter.
1. Blouse = £3.50 meter and Blouse Trim = £0.35 meter
2. Skirt Ribbed cotton = £12 meter
3. Top skirt = £10.95 meter
4. Cape Silk = 10 Euro’s per meter
5. Cape Trim = £5.00 meter
6. White Tights = £16 for a pair
The main theme for Little Red Riding Hood is travelling around in the woods, her costume would need to
resemble that, by adding the red cape it acts as a travelling coat and it also adds to her innocence. Red
symbolises danger or seduction, the story being a young girl traveling to her Grand Mothers House but being
followed through the dark by the wolf. The costume has a sense of elegance, so that that garment moves in the
same exaggerating as the character is feeling.
Pros: Embroidery, would like to make a hooded cape, it has the most info in the Bible.
Cons: Lots of the group have chosen this character – lose originality, coat of fabric.

InTo The Woods, Granny.
After considering all of the characters from the Costume Bible and thinking about the positives and
negatives of each character I have came to the decision to create the costume for “Granny”, I made my
decision based on the fact that no one in my class has chosen this character and also because I think it
is a good opportunity to make 2 identical garments for the character. One will be lovely, clean, fresh
and tidy, while the other one will be covered in blood, to resemble her being attacked by the wolf.
What I also love about this garment it that it is not to bold, big or intricate, sometimes it’s the simplest
designs that give of the most detail. With this garment the biggest design feature is the blood, because
of this many things could go wrong, such as making the blood to light or to dark, it could be lumpy or to
runny. Its all about getting the right density for the blood which I why I will be creating a load of blood
splatted samples before putting it all of my final pieces. This is my reasoning for making two identical
costumes, so I can show how it would look before and after being distressed.
The materials need for this are pretty simple and easy to source online. The Shawl that she wears is the
most expensive item of clothing and this was purchased in by the costume department rather than
being a constructed piece. Shawl = £63
1. Ingredients for the blood
2. Bonnet material
3. Night dress (chemise) material Poly-cotton = £1.89
Pros: Simple Construction so I get to showcase my technical skills, Cheap Materials, easily sourced
materials, Quick Delivery and free material delivery, Distressing looks good.
Cons: It is to simple?, Boring, Not a lot of photos in the Bible, If I do it wrong should I make a spare?

InTo The Woods
Martin Beck Theatre
302 W. 45th St
Costume Designer: Ann Hould-Ward
Music by: Stephen Sondheim
Lyrics by: Stephen Sondheim
Book by: James Lapine
Article Written by Adam Hetrick:
How Tony Award Winning Costume Ann Hould-Ward re-invented the fairy tale.
In the mid 1980’s Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine set out to write Into the Woods, a “quest” musical that would
intertwine the characters and narratives of classic fairy tales with a contemporary underpinning.
By excavating the often overlooked darker aspects and implications (the ones you don’t see in the Disney versions), Sondheim
and Lapine reintroduced audiences to the bedtime stories they heard as children—only this time Cinderella, Little Red and
the charming Prince were tangled in confusion, conflict, sexual tension and ethical dilemmas.
While these fairy tale characters navigated unfamiliar emotional territory, they were instantly recognizable to audiences
thanks to the detailed costume designs of Ann Hould-Ward, who collaborated with Lapine and Sondheim just a few years
prior when she translated the pointillistic art of George Seurat into wearable fashion for Sunday in the Park With George.

What sources did you turn to when you began conceiving what these classic characters would look like?
Ann Hould-Ward: Lapine was so interested in really going back to the original fairy tales, and he was very interested in what the
psychology was: the echoing of contemporary psychology (when we did it in the late 80s), and the psychology that people didn’t even
know when they’re telling their children the fairy tales in the 1700s.
We went back and looked at a lot of the initial versions of the fairy tales to begin with. When you go back and look at a lot of those
original fairy tales, they’re pretty terrifying. I mean, we’ve kind of made them easier for our children. Cinderella, if you go back and
read some of the original versions, she ends up underneath a table being kicked by everybody at the table. There’s a lot more anxiety-
ridden, anxious things that I think we’ve kind of cleansed the palette of those fairy tales with, through time. Then, we spent a lot of
time looking at illustrations through time of all of these various fairy tales. We spent a lot of time with the [Arthur] Rackham versions,
which are those are beautiful illustrations, then looking at some more contemporary ones and then starting to think about the
characters all together from that.
Your concept for the Wolf, which married the physical attributes of man and beast, was dripping with sexuality—right down to being
anatomically correct. I understand that it took several versions to get the look right.
AHW: Steve and James both felt that there needed to be a sexual nature—I mean, it’s in “Hello, Little Girl.” It’s in the song, right? My
favourite singing of that song ever was listening to Steve in his library singing it at his piano, you know, just the nature of the
enticement of that song is so wonderful and fun. But it’s got a darker side, too, this child and what’s happening. That’s a really good
reflection of what we’re talking about with these fairy tales when we tell our children, they’re used to explore all sorts of other things
in our lives, right? All sorts of other aspects of how we choose, how we make decisions. And so we wanted to have a very sexual
nature to the Wolf, and so he has a prosthetic chest—we actually cast the chest of a body builder, I think. And he had all the physical
attributes of a male. We really went through a lot of versions of what that should be, and what really worked from stage during the
preview time.

This was also an era when these kinds of prosthetics were really being introduced and used for the first time. Phantom was
implementing them as well. How do you go about capturing the right look, but making sure audiences can see and hear the
actor?
AHW: It was a matter of casting their faces and then working with prosthetic designers and figuring out how much we could
really put on. And, of course, you always have the situation in the theatre that it has to be adhered at least once a day and
sometimes twice a day, and you’re gonna do it eight times a week, so, how much can their skin really take?
I remember Bernadette [Peters] really wanted this kind of lump on her chin, and so, she was wonderful about really inventing
the Witch. My daughter was about a year old, and I needed to run down to the wardrobe department during a matinee, and
Bernadette was sitting in the stairway waiting to go on. And of course I’m walking up with a baby and she goes “Ohhh!” and—
forgetting that she had [the Witch prosthetics on]—and my daughter was like “Ahhh!” because this witch was glad to see her.
What were your biggest challenges with Into the Woods?
AHW: One of the interesting challenges was actually the Wolf muzzle for Bob Westenberg, because we really had to make sure
that his singing resonance was the same. Because you’re actually making a funnel through which the sound is coming, and you
could be vastly affecting it. There was a lot of figuring out how long that muzzle could be so that it could look like a snout, like
a wolf has or a dog has, but that it also sounded right. We made a number of these and worked with Bob, and then had the
final go of putting it all together and having Steve hear it to make sure that it sounded fine. So that was a pretty good
challenge. Nowadays, I think maybe that stuff doesn’t sound so involved, but at the time, [Into the Woods] was of the very first
productions of these kinds of prosthetics in the theatre that were used maybe once or twice and then had to be replaced. It
was a whole process of figuring out economically how we did it in the theatre, how to make them a little more durable than
movie prosthetics where they just rip it off and there’s a whole new set tomorrow. You’re trying to do it eight times a week for
years and years and years—you hope.

AHW: We were really basing it on the fairy tale. In their brilliance, Steve and James were playing that game in the casting of
children who should be on their way out of the nest, but their parents have kind of entrapped them still in the clothing of the
child: Little Red, the little girl, or Jack who’s very much a graphic representation of the character and a little boy’s costume.
And so you’re looking at the dichotomy of them being trapped in that while they’re actually having the emotions of trying to
get out into the world.
Since it’s been 30 years, can you reveal a bit of the magic behind the Witch’s transformation?
AHW: We wanted that transition to go as rapidly as it possibly could. That transition actually involved a [body] double, but
even then, [Bernadette] was on an elevator down and back up to do the change. So, it actually involved getting part of the
transition done before you realized it as an audience member. There were a number of costumes that they go through to be
able to make that transition happen so rapidly at the very end. I remember the wonderful wardrobe mistress who did all of
my shows up through Beauty and the Beast, Nancy Schaefer, was in charge of that transition, and we were so concerned
about it. We were going to try it for the first time and I’m in the audience just like, “Oh my gosh, how’s this gonna go?” And it
was done before we even knew it. It had happened, and it was perfect the very first time. But it was a lot of planning of what
was changed when, how much of the prosthetics came off beforehand—a number of things. Most of the costume was already
under other items by the time you saw Bernadette for the last time as the [beautified] Witch.
What are some of the memories you carry with you from working on Into the Woods?
AHW: One of the most thrilling things for me was the beloved Tom Aldredge, [who played the Narrator/Mysterious Man] and
changed his clothes 13 times for me during the production. There were a number of versions of the costume for the Old Man,
and he actually wore the Narrator’s suit underneath. The Narrator’s suit, the pants, the vest and the shirt was actually all on a
zip-up-the-back, so it was like a unitard that he wore underneath the Old Man in the Woods outfit.

All of the fabric [for Bernadette Peters as the Witch] that was done, really looked like the tree branches that were in Tony
[Straige’s] set. This was all hand-painted in Martin Esquardo’s shop to really have all of the branches inside. This is a piece of
the original cape that was in the second act—the red, and then the branches. And, of course, she had the velvet version of
this that she wore at different points in the first act so she could hide amongst the trees and we didn’t know where she
was.”

My Review of the Ann Hould-Ward Interview
While reading through Ann Hould-Ward’s article, I found it interesting
to discover where she got her inspiration from and from this I felt that I
needed to extend my research further into the realm of fairy tales. I
enjoyed reading about how she created the magical costumes for InTo
The Woods and how she produced her mood boards for each character.
I found it interesting how the costumes remained sympathetic to the
Grimm stories and the costumes have similar details. Referring to the
question that she is asked “What sources did you turn to?” she
comments “ We went back and looked at a lot of the initial versions of
the fairy tales to begin with” she also mentions “original fairy-tales” as
a costume designer it is extremely important to understand what you
are working with if there have already been many creations of this
story before. It is important to research the characteristics of the
character throughout different stage productions, films and children
books, you want to understand their main colour’s in the costumes,
that the audience would recognize them by such as: Red Riding Hood =
Red Cape. You also want to look at the original drawing designs,
illustrations, and modern time drawings, she mentions that they
worked alongside with Arthur Rackham visions.
1. Morden illustration, 2. Arthur Rackham, 3. Children Book, 4. Joe
Kucharski illustration.

Ann also talks about how it was a struggle to use prosthetics for the Wolf. It was just the
beginning where theatres began to experiment with prosthetics within performers costume.
“InTo The Woods was of the very first productions to use these kinds of prosthetics”, because it
was the beginning of new makeup for performers, they explored with ways of how to make
them “economically” and “durable” for the theatres, the main reason being costume changes.
The performers could wear prosthetic’s up to “8 times a week” not every sustainable if they are
being thrown away after each use, so there needed to be a new way to shape and mould so
they could be re-used over and over again.
She comments that “one of the interesting challenges was actually the wolf muzzle” due to needing it
to be breathable and able to sing through. For something like this it would have been a challenging
obstacle to overcome and she would have had to problem solve the situation. By doing that she
worked with Bob Westenberg and Steve by creating a number of different styles for the muzzle and by
the end she had the perfect deign for Bob to wear on stage. Its all about the experiments before you
make a final design as anything can go wrong and be changed throughout production. She ends it with
a “Pretty good challenge”.
I found these comments interesting as they indirectly link to the Granny costume and the need to
have several pieces of the same garment ready to use, some in good condition and some distressed.
Sometimes as a costume designer you will need to work with others to overcome issue with
sustainability and prosthetics or dying.
My favourite part In the article, is where she talks about the Narrator/ Mystery Man and how he
managed his costume changes. Throught-out a production he changed “13 times” but Ann found a
way to relive some of the stress to a quick change by making his Narrators an all in one design with a
zip at the back, he would wear this underneath his “Old Man in the Woods outfit. It was a genius idea
because she problemed solved a garment and how it could/ would make the actors life much more
easier while performing on stage.

I decided to watch the Disney original of InTo The Woods. While I was watching it I took down notes on the storyline, in order to
compare the musical theatre productions, and to see if it had been changed or stayed the same. I looked at the themes of the setting
but most importantly I payed most of my attention to the actors costumes and how they had been designed to appeal to a modern
audience but to still tell the original story.
The film is based upon Stephen Sondheim's production, it uses his script but he wrote a new original song for the Disney film. So it is
almost identical to the theatre version with the exception of some minor costume details changing.
The 4 entwined characters were still, Red Riding Hood, Jack, Cinderella an Rapunzel as per the original script.
Paying close attention to all of the Characters costumes I had taken notes below from a few of them:
Red Riding Hood: Cinderella: Granny:
1. Silk Rep Cape 1. Apron 1. Night Gown
2. Ribbons 2. Corset Stay 2. Ruffles on front of the bodice, sitting around the neck
3. Grey/ Blue Tights 3. Underpinnings/ Layering 3. Stockings
4. Smocking on the front bodice 4. Gold 4. Shawl
5. Puff Sleeve 5. Chiffon
Themes:
1. Dark 7. Forest
2. Dull 8. Woods
3. Pale 9. Ball
4. Grey 10. Festival
5. Magical 11. Pain
6. Cold 12. Confusion
Colleen Atwood was
the Costume
Designer for the
Disney production of
InTo The Woods.
13. Lost
14. Love
15. Hate
16. Punishment
17. Consequences

Further images of the characters in Disney’s InTo The Woods film from 2014.
There were a few changes from the Stage Musical to the film ranging from
the songs, the lyrics changed slightly to fit with the storyline. Any changes
had to be agreed by Stephen and James Lapine. In the film there was no
mysterious man and the narrator was removed, but the film was narrated by
the baker. The Bakers fathers only had a minor role and was descripted as
being dead and Snow White and Sleeping Beauty were removed from the
storyline. In the film the themes are not as strong as the stage production,
leaning towards Jack’s Mother’s death, she is pushed by the steward and
hit's her head, though on stage he clubs her to death with his staff. On the
following slides I have created costume mood-board’s for each of the main
characters, to show that I understand each element of their garments and
how I would add my own modern spin on them.

DCC113
INTO THE WOODS MUSICAL
Character and Text Analysis
HOW HAS THE LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD STORY BEEN INTERPRETED
IN THE MUSICAL?
HOW HAS THE “GRANNY” CHARACTER IN GENERAL BEEN
PORTRAYED IN FILMS, BOOKS AND THEATRES AROUND THE WORLD?

Little Red Riding Hood as always been a little darker than the other well
known childhood fairy-tales. The famous story has the iconic Red cape
worn by Little Red through out every story to of been performed and
written. The story revolves around Little Red Riding Hood who goes to
visit her sick grandmother in the woods. On her travels she comes across
a hungry wolf, due to her innocence she naively tells the wolf where she
is heading. In the original story the wolf would go and eat her
grandmother, then dress in disguise as the Granny in order to eat the
little girl. Later on in the story a lumberjack comes across the big bad
wolf and cuts the wolfs stomach open, saving the Grandmother and
Little Red.
The story of Little Red Riding Hood goes back all the way back to the 10th
Century in France. Though an Anthropologist found several visions of
Little Red Riding Hood, going back to almost 3000 years, he believes in
Europe the earliest version is a Greek fable from the 6th Century BC, a
tale by Aesop.
Little Red is a strong character, appearing vulnerable but she is capable
and headstrong, travelling alone and with a purpose. She is not afraid of
anything.
I found that several modern productions of the story follow
the story line exactly how the story was originally written.
The promotional images for theatre, ballet and film are all
the same in keeping with the themes of the story. I think
that it is important to keep the key features of a character
visible In order for people to understand who the character
is and it helps to communicate the characters personality
and role in a story.
Little Red and her Granny-
Origins and Characteristics

The characteristics of the elderly female character
I have discovered that the character of a Grandmother or an elderly female features in several
stories throughout the years.
A story called “La Finta Nona” meaning “The False Grandmother” or “The Story of
Grandmother”. Many folklorist have searched and tracked down versions of the stories and
came across a version where Little Red Riding Hood, is able to trick the wolf and escape.
Another version of the story comes from China called “The Tiger Grandma” or “Grand Aunt
Tigress”.
Instead of the big bad wolf the character is portrayed as a Tiger.
In 1857 the Grimm Brothers wrote the tale of The Little Red Riding Hood as we know it today.
I decided to research the role of elderly women in literature, film and theatre and discovered
they are very typecast in their roles and character types.
In the majority of story’s that exist toady Grandmother characters are portrayed as being ill or
weak, fragile women who are vulnerable and frail. For example in Little Red Riding Hood the
Granny relies on her Granddaughter to bring her bread brought from the bakery sent from by
her Mother, she sits frail in her night clothes in bed waiting for help to come.
In the beginning of the script we therefore are led to believe that Granny is this same type of
character.

The Development of the Character Granny through the use of language
in the Script
In Act 1 we are led to believe the character is a typical representation of an elderly Grandmother
because in the text of Into the Woods, Little Red describes how she is taking food to her sick
granny, so we believe her to be another example of a frail sick old lady.
However, deeper analysis of the script and the character reveals that she is in fact a ruthless wolf
killer who has made her granddaughters blood red cape from the skin of wolves that she has
murdered over the years.
She appears to be resilient and independent, a strong woman who is not afraid to stick up for
herself against an evil enemy. She is certainly not a weak woman but a powerful character. I
believe from examining the text that she would have been a working class woman, her speech is
coarse and aggressive, not the polite language of the Princes or Princesses in the script or the
higher classes.
She uses language that reveals her character to be lower class and I think this links to her being a
strong character as she would have to look after herself and earn money to keep her own home
as she would not have the privileges of characters such as Prince Charming
Over the years the character of an elderly woman is also often portrayed and evil or
manipulative, they are usually wicked witches and the ‘bad’ characters in stories. Elderly female
characters are not usually respected and have been mistreated by society making them turn evil
and cast spells or seek revenge. An example would be the witch in Into The Woods or the queen
in Sleeping Beauty. They are usually seeking revenge, the character Granny seems to have a
problem with wolves that is ongoing, usually resulting in their deaths !

Quotes that support my analysis of the Characters:
Red: “ I have no fear” – Not Afraid
“To Granny who is sick in bed” – Good Grand daughter
- Frail Granny
“So Grandmother will have something good to make her strong” – Hint’s that Granny is ill.
Stoic – “Little Red Riding Hood leans with him doesn’t move her feet”
Committed – “Follow the path never stray”
Child Like – “Weeping” “increasingly/ sensitive – upset” “crying” Not scared/ strong like her Grandmother
A killer – “pulls a knife from beneath her cape and runs towards the giant” “then attempts to kill narrator”
Selfish “I ate all of the sweets, and half the loaf of bread”
Proud “my Granny made it for me” – The Cape
Defensive “I don’t like to be without my cape, please give it back!”
Angry/ Upset “Little Red Riding Hood stands but not scared, numb for a moment then lets out a blood curdling scream, followed by hysterical weeping”
– the Baker stealing the precious cape.
Naive – the Wolf “He seemed so nice… he made me feel excited”
Lesson learned – “take extra care with strangers”
Worry / Distress but wont accept fear – “she was surprised to fid her Grandmother cottage door open … how uneasy I feel. Perhaps it’s all the sweets”
A killer of wolves like her Granny (reason she wasn’t afraid)
“how many wolves have you carved up? – Questioned by the Witch

Quotes that support my analysis of the Characters:
Worry / Distress but wont accept fear – “she was surprised to fid her Grandmother cottage door open … how uneasy I feel. Perhaps it’s all the
sweets”
A killer of wolves like her Granny (reason she wasn’t afraid)
“how many wolves have you carved up? – Questioned by the Witch
Granny:
Revenge – “tries to strangle the wolf”
No time to be scared – “kill the devil. Take the knife and cut his head off”
Violent, aggressive, angry – “let the animal die a painful, agonizing, hideous death”
In control/ role model – “quiet child. This evil must be destroyed”
Sinister and manipulative – Sadistic (dark humour – “we’ll fill his belly with them (stones), then we’ll watch him try to run away”.
Independent/ purposeful – to the Baker “don’t ya want the skins?”
- Surprised he doesn’t want hem because she sees it as he prize for killing the wolf.
- Role model “don’t be scared. Granny is right” – to Little Red Riding Hood. - “Just be prepared”
- Clever (makes capes) / proud of killing wolves – “maybe Granny will make me another with the skins of that wolf”
Red is like her Granny/ threatens Jack/ protective of her cape – powerful/ ruthless – “Stay away from my cape, or I’ll slice you into a thousand
bits!”
Granny is protective/ defends her Granddaughter/ is a role model. Gives her a knife/ wants Red to wear skins of the wolves to how they were victorious in
killing wolves – Not scared/ powerful “my Granny made it from a wolf that attacked us. And I got to skin the animal. And best of all, she gave me this
beautiful knife, for protection!”

Little Red Riding hood:
INTO THE WOODS, IT’S TIME TO GO,
I HATE TO LEAVE,
I HAVE TO, THOUGH.
INTO THE WOODS--
IT’S TIME AND SO I MUST BEGIN MY JOURNEY.
INTO THE WOODS
AND THROUGH THE TREES
TO WHERE I AM
EXPECTED, MA’AM,
INTO THE WOODS
TO GRANDMOTHER’S HOUSE-
(Mouth full) INTO THE WOODS
TO GRANDMOTHER’S HOUSE -
Baker’s Wife: You’re certain of your way?
THE WAY IS CLEAR,
THE LIGHT IS GOOD,
I HAVE NO FEAR,
NOR NO ONE SHOULD.
THE WOODS ARE JUST TREES,
THE TREES ARE JUST WOOD.
I SORT OF HATE TO ASK IT,
BUT DO YOU HAVE A BASKET?
Baker: Don’t stray and be late.
Baker’s Wife: And save some of those sweets for granny!
INTO THE WOODS
AND DOWN THE DELL,
THE PATH IT STRAIGHT,
I KNOW IT WELL.
INTO THE WOODS,
AND WHO CAN TELL
WHAT’S WAITING ON THE JOURNEY?
INTO THE WOODS
TO BRING SOME BREAD
TO GRANNY WHO
IS SICK IN BED.
NEVER CAN TELL
WHAT LIES AHEAD.
FOR ALL THAT I KNOW,
SHE’S ALREADY DEAD.
BUT INTO THE WOODS,
INTO THE WOODS,
INTO THE WOODS,
TO GRANDMOTHER’S HOUSE
AND HOME BEFORE DARK.
(pause)
(exits. another part of the woods. LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD, skipping to the accompaniment of “Into the
Woods,” is surprised by the WOLF. MUSIC stops)
Wolf: Good day, young lady.
Little Red Riding hood: Good day, Mr. Wolf.
(MUSIC resumes. LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD continues. WOLF stops her again. MUSIC stops)
Wolf: Whither away so hurriedly?
Little Red Riding hood: To my Grandmother’s.
(MUSIC resumes. LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD continues briefly. WOLF stops her once more)
Wolf: And what might be in your basket?
(sniffs basket, then her torso)
Little Red Riding hood: Bread and wine, so Grandmother will have something good to make her strong.
Wolf: And where might your grandmother live?
(BAKER appears behind a tree and eavesdrops)
Little Red Riding hood: A good quarter of a league further in the woods; her house stands under three large
oak trees.
(WOLF grunts lasciviously to himself as he watches LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD skip off)
Wolf:
MMMH...
(rubbing his thighs)
UNHH...
LOOK AT THAT FLESH,
PINK AND PLUMP.
HELLO LITTLE GIRL...
TENDER AND FRESH,
NOT ONE LUMP.
HELLO LITTLE GIRL...
THIS ONE’S ESPECIALLY LUSH,
DELICIOUS...
MMMH...
(smacks his lips, then runs over and pops up in front of LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD, holds her as for a tango. he
begins moving like Fred Astaire. LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD leans with him, but doesn’t move her feet)
HELLO,
LITTLE GIRL,
WHAT’S YOUR RUSH?
YOU’RE MISSING ALL THE FLOWERS.
THE SUN WON’T SET FOR HOURS,
TAKE YOUR TIME.
(breaking away)
MOTHER SAID,
“STRAIGHT AHEAD,”
NOT TO DELAY
OR BE MISLED.
Wolf:
BUT SLOW, LITTLE GIRL,
HARK! AND HUSH ---
THE BIRDS ARE SINGING SWEETLY.
YOU’LL MISS THE BIRDS COMPLETELY;
YOU’RE TRAVELING SO FLEETLY.
(LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD stops to listen; WOLF devours her with his eyes, mutters to himself)
GRANDMOTHER FIRST,
THEN MISS PLUMP...
WHAT A DELECTABLE COUPLE:
UTTER PERFECTION --
ONE BRITTLE, ONE SUPPLE --
(sees LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD start to move off again)
ONE MOMENT, MY DEAR---!
(LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD stops again)
Little Red Riding hood: MOTHER SAID,
“COME WHAT MAY,
FOLLOW THE PATH AND NEVER STRAY.”
Wolf:
JUST SO, LITTLE GIRL---
ANY PATH.
SO MANY WORTH EXPLORING.
JUST ONE WOULD BE SO BORING.
AND LOOK WHAT YOU’RE IGNORING...
(gestures to the trees and flowers. LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD looks around) (to himself):
THINK OF THOSE CRISP,
AGING BONES,
THEN SOMETHING FRESH ON THE PALATE,
THINK OF THAT SCRUMPTIOUS CARNALITY
TWICE IN ONE DAY--!
THERE’S NO POSSIBLE WAY
TO DESCRIBE WHAT YOU FEEL,
WHEN YOU’RE TALKING TO YOUR MEAL.
MOTHER SAID NOT TO STRAY.
STILL, I SUPPOSE A SMALL DELAY.
GRANNY MIGHT LIKE A FRESH BOUQUET...
GOODBYE MR. WOLF.
(she crosses to flowers, starts to pick them, then exits)
Wolf:
GOODBYE, LITTLE GIRL. (starts off)
AND HELLO... (he howls and exits)

Hello.
Baker: Have you saved some of those sweets for Granny? (he holds on to the edge of LITTLE RED
RIDINGHOOD’S cape)
I ate all of the sweets, and half the loaf of bread.
Baker: Where did you get that beautiful cape? I so admire it.
My Granny made it for me.
Baker: Is that right? I would love a red cloak like that. (examines the cape)
You’d look pretty foolish.
(Baker goes to her and takes her cape)
Baker: May I take a look at it?
I don’t like to be without my cape. Please give it back!
Baker: (frustrated) I want it badly.
Give it back please.
Witch’s Voice: Forget the little girl and get the cape!
(BAKER suddenly dashes away with the cape under his arm. LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD stands numb for a
moment, then lets out a blood-curdling scream, followed by hysterical weeping)
Baker: (returning with the cape and placing it on LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD’S shoulders) I just wanted to make
certain that you really loved this cape. Now you go to your Granny’s--and you be careful that no wolf comes
your way.
I’d rather a wolf than you, any day. (she stomps on BAKER’s foot and exits)
(we see GRANNY’s cottage with WOLF, dressed as GRANNY, in bed, covers up and hands near his mouth. the
walls of the cottage are made of scrim. LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD enters)
(to herself) Oh dear.
How uneasy I feel. Perhaps it’s all the sweets.
(towards the bed) Good day, Grandmother. (moves to the bed)
My, Grandmother, you’re looking very strange.
What big ears you have!
Wolf:
The better to hear you with, my dear.
But Grandmother, what big eyes you have!
Wolf:
The better to see you with, my dear.
But Grandmother, what large hands you have!
Wolf:
The better to hug you with, my dear.
Oh, Grandmother.
What a terrible, big, wet mouth you have!
Wolf:
The better to eat you with!
(bloodcurdling scream from LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD who disappears)
Narrator: And scarcely had the wolf said this, then with a single bound he was devouring the little girl. Well, it
was a full day of eating for the both. And with his appetite appeased, the Wolf took to bed for a nice long nap.
(WOLF snoring, BAKER is outside cottage. Narrator exits)
Baker: That Grandmother has a mighty snore. (goes up to the window and looks in) Odd. Where is the little
one? Eating no doubt.
(turns to walk away. WOLF belches. BAKER suddenly stops)
Or eaten!
(enters the house and timidly goes over to the bed, his knife stretched before him. he lets out a yelp when he
sees the WOLF)
Grandmother, ha! (BAKER draws the knife back, then stops)
What is that red cloth in the corner of your mouth? Looks to me to be a piece of...ah ha! I’ll get that cape from
within your stomach.
(he slits the WOLF’s stomach, then recoils in disgust)
(stepping out of the WOLF, bloodied)
What a fright! How dark and dank it was inside that wolf.
(GRANNY emerges from WOLF, also bloodied)
Granny:
(wheezing, tries to strangle WOLF, who reacts in pain)
Kill the devil.

Take that knife and cut his evil head off.
Let’s see the demon sliced into a thousand bits.
Better yet, let the animal die a painful, agonizing, hideous death.
(Shocked) GRANNY!
Granny:
Quiet, child.
This evil must be destroyed.
Fetch me some great stones!
We’ll fill his belly with them,
then we’ll watch him try to run away!
Baker: (faint) Well, I will leave you to your task.
Granny:
Don’t ya want the skins?
Baker: No. No. You keep them.
Granny:
What kind of hunter are you?
Baker: I’m a baker!
(GRANNY pulls him into the house as LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD walks downstage. lights change)
MOTHER SAID “STRAIGHT AHEAD!”
NOT TO DELAY
OR BE MISLED.
I SHOULD HAVE HEEDED HER ADVICE...
BUT HE SEEMED SO NICE.
AND HE SHOWED ME THINGS,
MANY BEAUTIFUL THINGS,
THAT I HADN’T THOUGHT TO EXPLORE.
THEY WERE OFF MY PATH,
SO I NEVER HAD DARED.
I HAD BEEN SO CAREFUL;
I NEVER HAD CARED.
AND HE MADE ME FEEL EXCITED --
WELL, EXCITED AND SCARED.
WHEN HE SAID, “COME IN!”
WITH THAT SICKENING GRIN,
HOW COULD I KNOW WHAT WAS IN STORE?
ONCE HIS TEETH WERE BARED,
THOUGH, I REALLY GOT SCARED --
WELL, EXCITED AND SCARED --
BUT HE DREW ME CLOSE
AND HE SWALLOWED ME DOWN,
DOWN A DARK SLIMY PATH
WHERE LIE SECRETS THAT I NEVER WANT TO KNOW,
AND WHEN EVERYTHING FAMILIAR
SEEMED TO DISAPPEAR FOREVER,
AT THE END OF THE PATH
WAS GRANNY ONCE AGAIN.
SO WE WAIT IN THE DARK
UNTIL SOMEONE LET US FREE,
AND WE’RE BROUGHT INTO THE LIGHT,
AND WE’RE BACK AT THE START.
AND I KNOW THINGS NOW,
MANY VALUABLE THINGS,
THAT I HADN’T KNOWN BEFORE.
DO NOT PUT YOUR FAITH
IN A CAPE AND A HOOD,
THEY WILL NOT PROTECT YOU
THE WAY THAT THEY SHOULD.
AND TAKE EXTRA CARE WITH STRANGERS,
EVEN FLOWERS HAVE THEIR DANGERS.
AND THOUGH SCARY IS EXCITING,
NICE IS DIFFERENT THAN GOOD.
NOW I KNOW:
DON’T BE SCARED.
GRANNY IS RIGHT,
JUST BE PREPARED.
ISN’T NICE TO KNOW A LOT!
AND A LITTLE BIT NOT...
(BAKER appears, dejected)
Mr. Baker, you saved our lives. Here.
(she hands him her cape)
Baker: Are you certain?
Yes.
Maybe Granny will make me another with the skins of that wolf.
Baker: Thank you!
(dancing with joy, kisses her cheek and EXITS
as LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD watches.
disgusted LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD EXITS. NARRATOR enters)
What happened to your house?
Baker’s Wife: We’ve had a baking accident.
Baker: Baking accident?
Baker’s Wife: (whispers to him) No use frightening the young thing.
Baker: (whispers back) You can’t frighten her.
Well, I guess Granny will have to do without the bread and sweets.
Besides, I have all I can carry.
(drops suitcase)
Baker’s Wife: (trying to lift suitcase) Why such a load?
Oh. I’m moving in with Granny.
We had an accident, too.
I came home to find our house collapsed.
As if a big wind blew it in.
I couldn’t find my mother anywhere.
Baker’s Wife: Oh, no.
So, I salvaged what I could,
and now I’m off.

I don’t need anyone to take me.
I’ve gone many times before.
Baker: But not when there have been such winds blowing.
Baker’s Wife: That’s right. We’ll all take you.
Baker: No!
Baker’s Wife: I’m not about to stay here with the baby when a “wind” might return to this house, too.
Jack: I know Mother made me promise, but I’m going to find that Giant anyway!
(CINDERELLA, JACK, BAKER, BAKER’S WIFE, LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD all make their way into the woods)
Baker: INTO THE WOODS, IT’S ALWAYS WHEN, YOU THINK AT LAST, YOU’RE THROUGH, AND THEN, INTO THE
WOODS YOU GO AGAIN, TO TAKE ANOTHER JOURNEY.
Baker’s Wife: INTO THE WOODS, THE WEATHER’S CLEAR, WE’VE BEEN BEFORE, WE’VE NAUGHT TO FEAR...
INTO THE WOODS, AWAY FROM HERE--
Jack: INTO THE WOODS, TO FIND A GIANT--!
INTO THE WOODS TO GRANDMOTHER’S HOUSE...
Baker: INTO THE WOODS, THE PATH IS STRAIGHT, NO REASON THEN TO HESITATE--
Baker’s Wife: INTO THE WOODS, IT’S NOT SO LATE, IT’S JUST ANOTHER JOURNEY...
Cinderella: INTO THE WOODS, BUT NOT TOO LONG: THE SKIES ARE STRANGE, THE WINDS ARE STRONG.
INTO THE WOODS TO SEE WHAT’S WRONG...
Jack: (picking up a huge pair of broken eyeglasses) INTO THE WOODS TO SLAY THE GIANT!
Baker’s Wife: INTO THE WOODS TO SHIELD THE CHILD...
TO FLEE THE WINDS...
Baker: TO FIND A FUTURE...
Baker’s Wife: TO SHIELD...
Jack: TO SLAY...
TO FLEE...
Baker: TO FIND...
Cinderella: TO FIX...
Baker’s Wife: TO HIDE...
TO MOVE...
Jack: TO BATTLE...
Cinderella: TO SEE WHAT THE TROUBLE IS...
END OF SCENE ONE
They’re almost finished.
You see over there between those two trees?
When the giant comes,
we are to send her over there.
Cinderella: Good.
I wanted to climb the tree too.
Cinderella: I am glad that you are here to help me.
(LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD begins to cry; music begins)
What’s wrong?
My granny’s gone.
Cinderella: Oh no. I’m so sorry.
I think my granny and my mother would be very angry with me.
Cinderella: Why?
They said to always make them proud.
And here I am about to kill somebody.
Cinderella: Not somebody. A giant that has been doing harm.
But the giant’s a person.
Aren’t we to show forgiveness?
Mother would be very unhappy with these circumstances.
Cinderella: MOTHER CANNOT GUIDE YOU.
NOW YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN.
ONLY ME BESIDE YOU, STILL, YOU’RE NOT ALONE.
We went down the dell.
Baker’s Wife: Perhaps you forgot the way.
The path is straight.
Baker: Was straight. Now there is no path.
(increasingly upset)
Where’s the stream?
Where’s the lily pond?
Where’s Granny?
Baker’s Wife: Calm down.
(the BABY starts to cry; to BAKER)
Maybe we should turn back.
No!
Baker: We will just have to find Granny’s house without the path.
(crying)
But Mother warned me never to stray from the path!
Baker: The path has strayed from you.
Wait. That looks familiar.
See, in the distance, three oak trees.

DCC113
Communication within a
Production and Key Members
and Class Members
WHY IS WORKING IN A TEAM IMPORTANT?
WHY DO WE HAVE TO HAVE COMMUNICATION WITH OTHER TEAMS WHEN
PLANNING A PRODUCTION?
HOW CAN IT AFFECT THE WHOLE SCHEDULE WITHOUT COMMUNICATION?

Team Dynamics and Roles:
In any group within a production, the main key to productivity is teamwork. This means a co-operative and symbolic relationship between all
members in the building. Central to this is the ability of each individual to be adaptable. It is important to realise that a good team will share
skills, abilities and experience in an interactive and flexible way. The responsibilities of a team will be different from company to company.
Chief Executive/General Manager
Artistic Director
Administrator Director
Front of House Publicity/ Marketing Manger Production Manger
Box Office Assistants Assistant Production Manger
Assistant's/Usher
Stage Manager Lighting Designer Sound Designer Costume Designer Set Designer Technical Stage Manager
Deputy Manger Chief Electrician Sound Technician Wardrobe Supervisor Master Carpenter Scenic Painters/Prop Maker Head Fly Man Performers
Assistant Stage Manager Assistant Electrician Assistant Technician Cutters/Tailor Assistant Carpenters Assistant Painters/Prop Maker Crew Dressers

General Manger:
• Reports directly to the board of Governors.
• Has overall responsibility for the general running of the theatre.
• Works with the Artistic Director.
• Oversees and staff the Front of House and Marketing Departments.
• Works with a board of Directors to negotiate contractual terms and engage
the Artistic Director.
Artistic Director:
• Works with the General Manger.
• Hires Directors and Designers.
• Plans the season with respect to in-house and visiting productions.
• Directs a few production out of the season.
• Works with marketing and publicity in developing sponsorship and marketing
policies.
Director:
• Has overall artistic control of the production they have been hired to direct.
• Works with the Designers to create the style and concepts integral to the
production.
• Responsible for directing the performers and advising all production
departments as to the requirements of the production.
• Works with the Production Manger to ensure budgetary control.

Production Manager:
• Employs and Supervise all production staff.
• Ensure all staff are Health and Safety trained.
• Responsible for maintained and safety of all working areas.
• Works with and agrees the budget and design deadlines with the Director and Designers.
• Advise the Designer’s about Health and Safety implication within the set design.
• Prepares and distributes all schedule and budget to all production departments.
• Oversees all ordering of material and building work.
• Control production budget.
• Chairs design and production/ progress meetings.
• Prepare risk assessments.
• Contributes to the technical rehearsal by taking notes.
• Attends the first performance to confirm the Directors original intent has been achieved.
Company Stage Manger:
• Works with the Marketing Departments.
• Organise accommodation for performers and crew members.
• Organise travel arrangements.
• Monitoring the weekly hours of the cast.
• Running extra rehearsal/understudy rehearsal during the run.
• Covers for the Stage Manger on show calls.

Deputy Stage Manager:
• Assist with auditions and preparation of rehearsal rooms.
• Makes up prop list.
• Sets up and run rehearsals daily.
• Keeps records of performers hours with respect to union arrangement.
• Advise stage manager of any health and safety issues within rehearsal.
• Cues show during the technical rehearsals, dresses and run.
• Writes up show report.
• Assists with the safe return of props and furniture.
Assistant Stage Manager:
• Assist with auditions and preparation of rehearsal room.
• Major responsibility setting the props, furniture and set dressing, also backstage
work during the run.
• Assist with safe return of props and furniture.
Set Designer:
• Work with the Director to look a the visual and stylistic elements of set, furniture
and props.
• Build a scale model of the set.
• Work with the Director, Costume and Lighting Designer.
• Works with the Production Manager to ensure the design is within budget.
• Oversees building, painting, fit up and technical and dress rehearsals.

Master Carpenter:
• Responsible for making the sets.
• Trains all assistants.
• Ensures work staff follow Health and Safety.
• Controls the budget.
• May run the fit up and the delivery of the set.
Scenic Painter:
• Oversees the smooth running of the paint shop.
• Responsible for painting all elements of the set within the time allocated.
• Ensure all trainee staff follow Health and Safety.
• Controls the budget.
Prop Master:
• Smooth running of the prop shop.
• Responsible for delivering all props.
• Ensure all trainee staff follow Health and Safety.
• Controls props budget.
Lighting Designer:
• Works with the Director, Set and Costume designers to develop the overall
Lighting design.
• Decides on the most important lights to use.
• Chooses the most appropriate positions for lighting.
• Trains the lighting technician who is operating the show.

Chief LX:
• Manages the running of the Electrical Department.
• Responsible for all in-house Electrical equipment with respect
to Health and Safety.
• Responsible for rigging, focusing and plotting tin the allocated
time.
• Source hire and effects and controls the department budget.
Sound Designer:
• Works with the Director and the Musical Director.
• Talks with the Production Manager.
• Trains all Sound Technicians operating the show, and oversee
the technical rehearsal, dresses and the first night.
Sound Technician:
• Responsible for all the in-house equipment is to standard.
• Hires and orders equipment needed.
• Records sound effects needed.
• Operates the sound during the run, and maintains the
standards of the sound quality.

Costume Designer:
• Works wit the Director and the Set and Lighting Designers, will create the
visual and stylistic designs of the costumes.
• Provides costume plates/drawings and fabric samples for the wardrobe
supervisor, to realise the designs.
• In connection with the Production Manager and Wardrobe Supervisor,
ensure the expenditure comes within the budget.
• Oversees the making and hiring of costumes and attends all fittings.
• Attend technical dress rehearsals and the first night to ensure the original
intentions have been achieved.
Wardrobe Supervisor:
• Manages the smooth running of the Wardrobe.
• Responsible for the delivery of all costumes within the time allocated.
• Trains all staff and oversees the making and hiring of the costumes.
• Ensures all work done in wardrobe complies with Health and Safety.
• Order all materials necessary for the costume makers.
• Controls the costume budget.
• Runs the fitting and costume calls, to ensure the performers are
comfortable and happy with their costumes.
• Attends the technical, dress rehearsal and first night to ensure the original
intension have been realised.

Cutters/Tailors:
• Works to the design provided by the Costume Designer.
• Builds all costumes within the time allocated.
• Observes safe working practices within Wardrobe.
• Attends the technical, dress rehearsals and first night to take notes of
required alterations.
Dressers/Maintenance:
• Responsible for the costume changes during the technical, dress rehearsals
and the run.
• Ensure the performers are assisted with any difficulties they may have
pertaining to the costumes or costume changes.
• Maintains the costumes throughout the run to provide a constant quality of
appearance.
Technical Stage Manager:
• Responsible for moving elements of the set.
• Works with the Production Manager, Lighting Designer and Fly man and
allocates each piece of flown scenery to a specific bar.
• Manages the creates and plans the scene changes.
• Trains the staff where the necessary in respect of technical work onstage.
• Ensure the moving elements of the set comply with Health and Safety.
• Oversees all technical onstage work during production week and the run.

Head Fly-man:
• Maintains the fly floor and the flying system.
• Responsible for the safe rigging of all flown pieces of scenery complying with
Health and Safety regulations.
• Trains other crew member working on the fly floor.
• Complies the flying plot and operates the show.
Crew:
• Mainly employed on a show by show basis to supplement permanent staff.
• Assist with get ins, fit ups, scene changes, flying, follow spotting and get outs.
• Complies with all Health and Safety regulations as stipulated by the Production
Manger.
Marketing/ Publicity Manager:
• Responsible for selling the show, ad raising the public profile of the theatre.
• Works with the General Manger and the Artistic Director attracts sponsorship in
order to raise funds and revenue.
• Produces poser, leaflets and advertising and organising their distribution.
Arranges press and photo calls with the performers in connection with the stage
Manager.

Why is working in a team important?
How can it affect the whole schedule without
communication and why do we communicate?
After researching about the many roles it takes to set
up and produce a production, I now understand why
it is so important to have communication within
every department in the company. If you don’t
communicate with a certain department, which you
know is essential, you could end up messing up the
whole entire production. As an example, “if myself or
my costume department do NOT communicate with
the Lighting Department, and the costumes we have
been working on for months finally go on stage for
the first time, the lights may not work together, it
could wash out the colours, the lights could have
been put in the wrong positions, they will not show
the detail we need or completely change the colour
of the garments, then all that effort of 2 departments
have gone to waste. It is ESSENSTIAL that we all
communicate with each other, as we all have to
understand what every ones views, opinions and
ideas are to come up with a final product.
Before creating a schedule for a theatre show, the
Production Manager would have to call a meeting with
every Head Manager from all Departments. The very
first meeting would be for initial designs and continue
up to a few nights before the opening night. By doing
this he/she is gathering important information from
every one, and understands their needs more clearly,
such as how much budget carpentry would need to build
the sets, how many costumes the makers would need to
make and the deadline to be finished by, what lighting
rig designs need to thought off and the colours needed,
but most importantly how much time everyone is
getting to have a successful show. Without a schedule
everyone would be lost, not understanding where they
need to be at what time. By creating a clear schedule
with the details in order of the important events, this
enable ALL departments to keep within the time
constraints of any given production. The cast need to be
available for fittings and costume trials.
The main key
features are:
1. Design Deadlines
for Set, Costume,
Lighting, Sound
and Front of
House.
2. Design Meetings.
3. Production
Meetings/
Progress
Meetings.
4. Rough outline of
the Production
Week.
5. Props call/spread.
6. Costume
call/parade.

1st March Initial Design Meeting.
10th March Design Meeting.
17th March Set and Costume Design Finalised
22nd March AM Read Through. Set and Costume Presentation.
PM Props Meeting
23rd March AM Rehearsals and Build Begins
26th March AM Production Meeting
2nd April AM Production Meeting
7th April PM Credits Deadline
Props Deadline
8th April PM Props Call
Costume Call
9th April AM Production Meeting
PM LX and Sound Deadline
10th April AM Final run through
EVE Strike/Rigg
11th April Fit up
12 April Focus
13th April Plot
14th April Technical
15th April Tech/Dress
16th April Dress/Preview
This is an example of a schedule that would be used
within a Theatre. Every department would get this
schedule sent over either email or handed to them.
All this information would off came from past
meetings with the Production Manager, this would
then count as a second way of communication for the
departments if they were unable to make it to the
past meeting. By adding the Date, AM, PM, EVE and
task, it is a clear indication of what needs to be done.
The only people that would NOT get this schedule are
the Performers, as the Director will be working with
the Deputy Stage Manager who will provide the
performers with the rehearsal schedule on a daily or
weekly basis.

What is a Costume Call/ Costume Parade and
is it another form of communication?
A costume parade is a meeting where all the actors/
performers dress up in full costumes (head to toe) and
makeup and will appear on stage under lights. This is
another way for the Lighting Department to understand
where they may need to change the position of their
lights. The Director, Costume, Set Designers, Wardrobe
Supervisor, Production Manager and the Stage Manager
will sit in front of the stage to have full sight of the
performers in their garments. Even though there is usually
a lot of costume changes and fittings throughout a
rehearsal, this is a great opportunity to examine each
costume in detail. The Director and Designers are able to
see a number of performers/characters together who will
be in a same scene together to ensure a equality of style
and colour. The performers also have the chance to wear
the costumes before the technical rehearsal and comment
on how well it fit’s them and whether it is the correct style
for the character. They can also see how well they can
move in it.
The wardrobe supervisor will take notes regarding
comments and suggestions made by the Director,
Designers and Performers, because of this information and
communication from everyone, the wardrobe department
will have the time to make the necessary alterations before
the technical rehearsal. The Stage Manger’s team will assist
with making sure the costume call runs smoothly by
ensuring the running order is followed to and calling the
performers in turns so no time is wasted.
By watching the Costume Call all the departments should
have all the information collected which will help them in
the later date, when they will need to communicate within
the different departments.

At the beginning of this Unit, Nikki and Adam
had set up a group chat for everyone who is
doing “InTo The Woods”, we use this as another
communication platform for images, website
links and advice regarding, fabric materials,
sourcing the material, and construction the
garment. Many of us have historical costume
books that we also share on the group chat.

As part of the Communication Learning
outcome, I have recently joined a
private costume Facebook page,
because I was struggling to find a bodice
block for a night dress, I had posted on
the page, what it Is that I am working on
with an image attached and if anyone
had any advices has to where I could
find a drafting bock pattern. Luckily a
few people had got in contact with me,
with suggestions and website links. One
of the comments came from my
Foundation course tutor Rachel Young,
because I was a past student of hers,
she was able to contact me though
student emails, to provide me with a
bodice block, a measurement and a
couple of alteration pages for
constructing a womens Bodice Block. I
will need to add the Waist to Ground
Measurement separately using the size
12 sheet provided by Rachel. Though in
the end I did use my mannequins
measurements.

Vinilla Burnham is
the Admin of the
group on
Facebook, she is
very helpful and
also knows Amada
Hall from the
Royal Opera
House in Purfleet,
so she is a great
source to gather
information and
guidance from.

From the comments above you will see Rachel
mention about sending over some bodice blocks
for me to possibly use for the night dress
construction. As well as Facebook, Outlook is
another way for communication between me and
other class mates and tutors. Below are the emails
that were sent backs and forwards.

This is another women I spoke to
after posting on the Facebook
Group. She actually got in contact
with me first. Her name is Caroline
and a costume student in Wales.
She was kind enough to photograph images
from a book she owns, on how to make a
Victorian Night Dress General Directions.
It was really nice getting to talk to another
student on a similar course to me and share
information about the garment.

I have also been
communicating with my
tutors over Outlook email.
I have been sending over
my Checklists and Action
plans as to what it is I am
working on over the next
week.
Due to issue of the college
being shut, we have had
to adapt to using emails
or Microsoft Teams to still
communicate with
everyone and have
tutorials over face time.

Microsoft Teams, also has a separate, private
messaging section to talk to your tutors
about any issues with the project or the
Learning outcomes. Before I had my facetime
call with Keeley I had sent over my work from
Power-point as a mini heads up as to what I
have been working on.
During the face-time we were both able to understand what part of
the power-point we were talking about and to add extra notes
about it, such as: “Was I on the Right track”, “Could I improve”, and
“Should be adding anything else in to it”. Having these facetime
calls are extremely useful because we are bale to see our teachers
and show written work over the computer and the fabric would
could using. Again this is another communication way.

Hi Sophie
It was lovely to catch up with you. I have added these notes to Teams but am emailing them also as I know you are still finding your way around the new
system.
As discussed, see if you can book a 1 to 1 with Emma tomorrow to discuss the “technical stuff”!
Tutorial notes:
Selected "Grandma" character. Intending to create a clean and a broken-down garment using blood effects. Very good research so far into the production,
associated productions and the characters.
Next steps/things to consider:
•Ensure you also investigate opera as an art form and the performers needs in terms of the function of their costumes
•Focus in on your chosen character and do a more in-depth analysis of them and their role in the story
•Could you also create the nightcap to complete the costume more fully? Research into styles of the time period and potential patterns
•Make sure you ask for help with technical aspects of the construction elements - Speak to Emma or Lou regarding the placket as you are unsure about this
part of the garment.
•Could you explore different styles of sleeve and produce samples before deciding on the final that best fits the design? You may need to investigate patterns
for this.
•There is lots of potential for sampling – pin tucking, lace details, ruffles etc.
•Blood. Seed the recipe link in the "Collaboration space" and below.
•Blood – research how this is done in industry to give and authentic feel. Find examples of fake blood (bright red thin type, congealed, dried, washed out)
•Look on the ROH or similar for videos on how to apply the splatter effects, make sure you do lots of tests with this aspect and the different types of blood.
•I suggest you do tests with a garment on your stand, it will work better if on a form as it will be more realistic
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/make-fake-blood-fake-blood-recipes-1105964
•Communication – make sure you are documenting all of the communication you are undertaking e.g., Facebook, peer conversations, feedback from staff,
emails.
•Document all of your communication – how can this be recorded in one place? Could this be a separate digital file that you keep adding to, maybe with
dates?
Well done Sophie you have made a good start. Make sure you ask the staff for help if you get stuck.
Take care and keep safe,
Keeley

After the facetime talk with Keeley she advised
me on the possibility contacting Emma for my
Sewing issue I am struggling with, it was better to
book the one to one the day after as that would
was the last day to contact all teachers before
they went on Easter Half Term.
I was only on face time with Emma for about
30mins, it was a pretty straight forward talk, once
she told me how to overcome the issue I was
struggling with.
Once we have finished all our facetime talks with the
teachers they will write up notes from our one to ones
and post them on to Microsoft Teams or us then to
access them from home. The nots are extremely clear
of hat I need to do. I have already decided I was going
to do more in-depth research for the Yoke part of the
night dress and the construction side of it all.

Hi Sophie Here are the notes from
today’s tutorial, you can find all your
notes on Teams class notebook in your
tutorial file. 28/04/20 EB · Had a catch up
with Sophie today · Sophie has been
creating the nightshirt shape on her
stand and had pinned pin tucks and lace
in place to check proportion. · Sophie
need to try and get this information on
the stand to a flat draft so that she is
able to make a pattern to work with,
especially as she is making two identical
garments. · The tuck in the skirt part has
worked well. · Sophie needs to decide
how to take the lace into the back of the
garment and whether to have a waist
seam or yolk. · Sophie is progressing well
and will get in touch if she needs any
help. Catch up with you next week, get in
touch if you need any advice
Many Thanks
Emma

My group had also planned to do a group video
face call with everyone at 10:30. It went really
well most of all turned up for it, we all took a
few minutes to get ourselves ready and to figure
out the camera settings, screen adjustments
and the lighting so we can see our faces. We
then got talking about the unit and our
character choices.
The first thing we did was go around separately and talk
about what character we had chosen, why we picked it
and how we have got on with the research side of things.
Many of my class mates have chosen “InTo The Woods”
and have struggled to find any information about the
Musical, so we used that to help give advice on about
possibly watching interviews about the show, instead of
trying to find the actual piece. The only issue we found
with Microsoft Teams is that we can only see 4 people
on a screen at a time, so we are going to try and set up a
zoom account to do our facetimes to see all 13 of us.

Hi Sophie, Peer Assessment Notes:
Sophie has done well, she has completely all of her
research task, followed extra guidance from tutor.
Though she has not got a filled up physical folder, she
has got all of her work on a PowerPoint Presentation.
She still has some Learning Outcome to continue, and
complete, such as:
1. Complete the missing weekly charts
2. Complete time management charts
3. Analyse pattern techniques and why I used them
4. Complete the final evaluation
5. Create more blood samples
6. Images of the 2 completed garments
7. Up close detailing of the 2 (good and bad)
She said she will be submitting her work at least 3-4
day earlier to confirm the up load. She has found a
useful website which she will be using to upload her
work, called SlideShare.net. She just need to confirm
the software with the tutors, so they are aware to
follow to have access to the work.
Sophie Sim’s

DCC113
Why is Opera
an important
Art form within
a theatre?
Why do Opera singers need costumes to
help portray their character?
What is the main function to their
costumes?

What is Opera?
Opera originated in Western Europe in the early 17th Century. Opera is a mix of the Arts including Painting,
Poetry, Drama, Dance and Music. The V&A Museum holds a collection of documents from the early Baroque
extravaganzas though to contemporary productions. Operas would include vast processions, dances, sung
episodes, sumptuous costumes and acted interludes, accompanied by coaches, chariots and elaborates
stage effects. Many Operas are re-made stories from classical mythological. On the right is a drawing that
show the differences between the present day rulers and mythological gods and heroes.
The very first noticeable Opera was Orfeo by Monteverdi, performed in Mantua in Italy in 1607. It told its
story through song and music. Orfeo was based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and still remains the earliest
opera still performed to this day.
18th Century:
In the 18th century there was a rise of Operas being performed around Europe. Operas were composed for
individual singers, who were the great performers. The composer’s job is to write all the music and often in
a tight deadline. A well known composer called Mozart, began writing music at the age of 4. His most
famous scores were from ”The Marriage of Figaro and DON Giovanni”.
In the 19th Century there was a rise of composers around the world, one after another a new name was
rising. Richard Wagner in Germany, Giuseppi Verdi in Italy, Mussorgsky in Russia and Janacek in
Czechoslovakia. In Russia and Eastern Europe composers were becoming inspired by History and Literature.
Opera slowing involved great scenic effects, action Ballet and spoken dialogue.
Engraving of a court ballet
in Vlasislav Hall, Prague
Castle, Mat'a, 1617, Czech
Republic
Newspaper cutting showing a performance
of Monteverdi's 'Orfeo', 29 December 1929

The Origins of Opera?
The very first Opera was written in the 16th century. Opera would use lyrics and music to express their
stories to the world. It can be related to the traditional story telling with music made popular in early
Chinese and Indian culture. It was and still is a way of telling a story, it might be simple and traditional or
elaborate and eccentric in style.
Early Baroque Opera of the Italian Renaissance period were all generally based on Classical Greek and
Roman Mythology and tragedies. They were popular with the higher classes and became a way for the
Bourgeoisie of France and England to spend their time and express their interest in culture and hear a new
exciting language, most of the audience would not understand the language of the performance when it
extended across the globe as it was and is still to this day performed in Italian.
Opera began in Italy with Jacopo Peri’s lost Dafne, produced in Florence in 1598. In Italy the word “Opera”
means “Work”. It is described as “composition in which poetry, dance and music are combined”, Opera has
spread across the world and still contains these basic elements. There are several different types of
performer in an Opera, different themes and influences. Tragedy is still very much a main theme in Opera
and advances in costume, stage production and lighting has helped to extend to appeal of Opera to
different classes of people. Similar to fables, parables and fairy tales there is usually a central theme or a
moral to the ‘story’ within Opera, the Central characters rely on their lyrics as well as their performance on
stage to relay this message to audience, this is important because of the language barrier you still need to
feel the emotion and understand the story without understanding what is being said. A good Opera will
make you understand the message just from the emotions of the performers and the tone of their singing
combined with dramatic effects which will help to produce an atmosphere and set the mood for the story.

Opera as an Art Form - Dressing Opera Singers:
As part of the research into the importance of the costumes in opera, I felt that if I
researched a particular costume designer that it would give me a better
understanding into the historical context of opera costumes and the process of
designing them to be functional and fabulous.
I came across a women named Meriem Bahri, she is a French Tunisian Costume
Designer. She is known for creating gorgeous, evocative, spectacular and
sumptuous period theatre costumes.
She has worked alongside several different ballet and opera schools such as The
Joffrey Academy of Dance and Opera Lafayette. She is currently working with the
Royal Swedish Opera.
When it comes to designing her costumes they often include historical details with
figures completely decorated with large extravagant headdresses and dresses have
beautiful draped brocades. As well as being a Costume Designer, she is also an
Illustrator and this would help with her design communication.
I found an article where she is being interviewed about her journey into costume
design. I found it interesting to actually hear her point of view towards the
industry.

What is the story of how you first came to love music and opera?
I took music lessons when I was young and sang with choirs. I tried playing several instruments but I was more interested by dance and
didn’t continue practicing music. Later, I discovered opera through my passion for costume designing and, to my surprise, I fell in love
with baroque music.
What is the biggest challenge you face as an artist?
My costume ideas are often limited by the budget of the company with whom I’m working and that can be a bit frustrating. On the
other hand, it’s a good mental challenge to be creative on a budget. The most important thing is that I’m given carte blanche to design.
What inspires you?
Everything! Art museums are my number one source of inspiration, but sometimes I take pictures of the sky at sunset just to
remember a particular combination of colours. It’s also important for me to see other designers’ work to tease out my own
concepts about design.
Do you have a favourite opera?
Not really, but I do love La Descente d’Orphée aux Enfers by Charpentier. It was one of the first operas I worked on, and
because it’s written in French, my native language, I can truly appreciate the poetry of the words. Also, the fact that this opera
was never finished adds some mystery to it!

V&A Opera:
The V&A website is a great website for finding information on past Opera’s and their
origins. The Victoria and Albert Museum holds a range of costumes from the 20th
Century Opera Productions. I had came across this striking, lavish robe worn by
Feodor Chaliapin in Mussorgsky’s opera called “Boris Godunov”. It was designed by
Alexander Golovin. The design of the Opera influenced many other designs of the
robe such as Oliver Messel. Though many of the designs were not as elaborated as
the original. Oliver Messel was one of the main theatre designers of the 20th Century,
He won the international acclaim for his lavish, painted and poetic costumes. All of
his illustrations were very sketchy and hard to understand but he always knew what
fabric, cut and decorations he wanted.
In 1977 the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company celebrated the Queens Silver Jubilee
festivities by producing a Silver Jubilee Season at Sadler’s Wells. Bruno Satini was the
Costume Designer and was given the role of creating the Fairy Queen costume. It
consisted of black feathers and black and silver synthetic furnishing fabrics, due to
the chosen fabrics it would shimmer underneath the stage lighting.
Satini got many reviews,
expressing they were
“Disappointed” with the
costume, they felt that the Fairy
Queen was “trim of appearance,
pretty dressed”.

On the V&A website I also found another striking construction costume designed by David Walker
(1934 – 2008), for Sophie in Richard Struss, Opera Der Rosenkavalier. The Opera is set in the 18th
Century era, so he anted the dress to be as close and historically accurate. The dress consisted of
layers of floating materials with trails of bows and trimming on the front and edges. Due to the
fact that the production is an Opera the Designer David, created the dress silhouette without the
use of a tight corset that would constrict the singers chest.
Also In the V&A Collection a beautiful, savage costume from the Stravinsky’s Opera. The costume
for Bronze, resembles a Buddhist Monks robe and distinct headdress to show a sense of authority.
A costume designed by Gerald Scarfe from the production “Orpheus in the Underworld”, it is also
apart of the V&A Museum Collection. Gerald is best known for his “savagely, brilliant cartoonist”
though he is also well known in the theatre industry by creating many theatrical productions. He
was the designer and animator for the Pink Floyd concert and The Wall film.
This Costume was his very first design for the Orpheus Opera in 1985, the costume is meant
To represent the Devil, but with a fashionable sense from the mid – 19th Century gentleman.
All the red material is made and designed to represent the flames from Hell. Due to the scale
designs on the Hat and Jacket, it is telling the audience that he is not fully human. My favourite
part from this costume is that, the designer Gerald Scarfe, designed and constructed this outfit so
a detachable tail can be added on throughout the performance, it is also designed to a length
where “Pluto” the actor, is able to hold it in his hand while still attached to his jacket.
I absolutely love how there is a range of different costume’s to research from the V&A, while finding out
information for Opera, every costume I have came across is completely different from the other, that a
Opera is not about just big dresses and a strong voice. It’s about understanding the actor/actress and
the storyline through their costume’s, and all 3 of these designers did that perfectly.

How the ROH Costume department create Tudor costumes for Elizabeth that are light enough to dance in:
Fay Fullerton is a Costume Designer from the Royal Opera House in London. She has been
with them since 1977 as a costumier and worked up way up in the building. She was then
hired as Head of Costume and later was given an MBE in 2010 for her service to Dance and
Opera. Being Head of the Costume Department you are responsible for running a large, busy
department, managing a highly skilled staff and ensuring all the budget and deadlines are
meet on time. As well as being Head of Costume she also continued working as a Designer
for Will Tuckett’s Elizabeth. It is a dance theatre work on the life and loves of Queen
Elizabeth I.
Being a Costume Designer, it is completely different from being Head of a Department. Fay had told an interviewer “I've worked
in every department, so I know how fabrics work, how they should be cut, what will work best for the dancers and singers – as
soon as I look at a costume I know how much it will cost”. Creating a period ballet is had when it comes
Designing the perfect historically accurate costume but also making it accessible but most important
Part is the movement of the costume. As ballet involves a lot of lifting, spinning and wide leg
Movements. Making costume for a period drama with so much known history, it is important to know
the knowledge to understand how your costume will look. She would use The Royal Collection from the
building to gather images, drawings, portraits and illustration to help her with her costume designs.
Though gathering
Information from the archive can sometime be no use at all to, with the structure of costume on someone’s
body from almost 400 years. Fay’s says “I love making a historic period work for modern times. You should be
able to recognize what the period is, but it’s my take on it and it’s a take that the dancers will appreciate –
because it has to Work for the dancers.”

Ballet Costumes
Fay Fullerton is a ballet costume designer.
This is an ballet dancer named Zenaida Yanowsky,
playing the leading role Elizbeth wearing one of
Fullerton’s designs. The construction technique with this
design looks heavy for a ballet dancer to wear, but the
whole coronation robe is actually made from organza
and netting making it light weight for the dancer. She
states “you could do anything in it, and yet it still has the
same impact”.
This weightlessness of a costume is very important in
costume designing for stage, the dancers and singer
need to be able to move, sign, dance and be able to do it
without feeling constricted or sweating.
I have just recently finished watching “Next in Fashion” on
Netflix's and throughout the episodes many of the designers
used a digital printer which let you print out your own
designed pattern on to any kind of materials.
Fullerton explains on the V&A website that if they did not
have the fabric they wanted in the Departments then she
would create her own patterned fabrics from the Digital
printer they have in the building.
Fullerton also had to create a costume for
the character of Duke of Sussex in the
ballet, Elizabeth. It was extremely
important to make everything historical
accurate. She looked at and got her
influence from this armoured portrait,
when it came to the construction instead
of using real armour as it would be to
heavy for the Ballerina, they hand
painted the leather which was done by
the dye Department in the building.

Designing Stage Costumes:
Within the V&A Museum Collection, there are over 3,500 stage costumes and
accessories. All ranging from complete set outfits, to individual headdresses. They are
all from creative designers and costume makers from the 18th Century to today. All of
the costumes are from Dramas, Operas, Dance, Musicals, Pantomime, Rock, Pop,
Music Hall, Cabaret and the Circus.
A costume must be able to tell a story to the audience even if they are sitting at the
back of the auditorium or from the front row in an audience. Costumes need to be
well constructed to be able to survive the strains of performances, be worn over and
over again and be easy to repair and replacement is too expensive.
For a successful stage production, a costume is worn on stage every night for month or
years, this is including matinées. Every single outfits will include robust handling and quick
costume changing in the side wings or a separate room. All the performers will also produce
sweat generally from being nervous or the bright stage lights constantly beaming down on
the performers.
It is the Costume Designer role to ensure that costumes are designed well and do not affect
the ability of the performers. Advances in materials have made this easier as now designers
have more freedom with new sweat absorbent fabrics, wicking functions and light weight
fabrics.
Frieze showing the costume design for Peter
Grimes in Benjamin Britten’s opera 'Peter
Grimes', Alix Stone, Scottish Opera, 1968
Sketch book page for 'The Merchant of
Venice', Sophie Fedorovitch, 1947.

The Process of designing costumes
Before anything is set in motion, the designer will research the setting, which will often result in to looking at referencing materials from
Books, Films, Magazines, Photographs, Museums and Galleries. From gathering information from all of theses sources the Director is
then able to create the Production World. Everybody from the Departments will be given a design produced of the set and character.
There will be information about the clothes and colours that the performers would need, also information about their personality, age,
status, occupation, nationality and mood.
Moving to the Costume Department the Designer much be able to visualise how all the individual costume will look and fit on the stage.
As rehearsals are happening, it is a great opportunity to look at how the costumes will look on the stage under the lighting and how they
move around. They will look at what may need to be added or changed, by doing this budgeting is then added in to the meetings to
understand how much more will need to be spent.
Before any costumes are made and constructed there would be a sketch design in detail, and an annotated drawing. Sometimes there
would either be a diagram,, collage or a computer graphic. Many Costume Designers will already know what kind of fabrics and
trimmings they want to use, so they will add fabric swatches on to their drawing.
Realism or Impression?
Some costume designs are a representation of real clothes, so the drawings are pretty straightforward. Several designers I have
researched in the past, have been almost Tim Burton looking designs or elaborated full body drawings with headdresses and accessories.
Costumiers Carl Bonn and Colin Mackenzie found working with the unclear designs are the most satisfying to work on. "The more precise
the design the more boring it was to do... every button and whatever put on it. What are you doing? You’re not interpreting. If it’s an
artistic drawing, you talk about it, you create with the designer.“
Notes to the Maker:
As I said above some Designers will attach fabric samples to their drawings, when others will keep their samples for an entire costume or
production on a separate sheets in a file, known as a Costume Bible. For example, Designer Alix Stone would use a heavy dark velvet and
damasks for “The Mines of Sulphur” which were later broken down and distressed.

DCC113
Pattern Research, 18th
– 19th Century
Research and
Budgeting Materials

Researching the range of different Nightdress Patterns.
While researching pattern drafts for a night dress, I found out there are many different way to construct it, ranging from the bodice,
to the dress length, to the collar being drafted either separately or attached to the bodice. While drafting the pattern for my night
dress I made a mistake right at the beginning which through of my of draft. I had done one of my measurement calculations wrong
which resulted to the pattern being to small to fit on my size 12 mannequin, the only issue about this was that I did not realise I had
gone wrong until I finished drafting the whole bodice block.
After realising my mistake, I had to rub out everything I had done and
start from scratch, although it was a learning curve for me again, I had
understood where I went wrong and know not to do it again in the
future. Once I had made the bodice from Nape to Waist, I had 3
different choices as to how I wanted to add the Waist to Ground
measurements, creating the full length of the dress. Either the One-
piece dress block, two-piece dress block or an easy fitting dress block.
I believe if I went with the easy fitting dress block, I would lose the
full, look of my night dress and it would end up looking like a pencil
dress. The 2 piece dress block was confusing at first due to add a 5 cm
gap but I realised that was meaning I had to cut out the 4 different
pieces, giving me a stitch seam across the waist, which I did not want
at all. So I finally went with the 1 piece dress block, where I just
extended of the waist with my Waist to ground measurement, it was
an easy and quick method. Great to use if there is a tough deadline to
meet. The nest issue I need to address is whether or not this block
will provide the fullness I need to the hem of the nightdress.

These are a few images I gathered from the
internet showing a range of different drafting
patterns for a night dress.

Here are a few images of a NOT to Scale bodice block. There are 2
different examples of the dress block I am creating.
The first 2 are a half scale, (not
to scale), Nape to Waist bodice.
This is how my bodice will look
at the beginning of drafting,
before I added on the Waist to
Ground measurements for a
size 12 model. It is extremely
important to add on labels on
every block as they can get lost or
past on to another designer or
maker. The image on my right is
what the draft will look like with
the ground measurement added
on to complete the night dress
design. They are all NET, as you
would add that on to the fabric, in
case you need to make any
alterations. The only issues with
this is draft is that it will give me a
straight pencil dress with no
fullness to it. Which is not the
design. So I have re-started from
scratch with a new design.

Final costume bible - Sophie Kew

Final costume bible - Sophie Kew

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