Beat written for Writing for News Media class at Coastal Carolina University. Used as an example for how to creatively feature the theatre department in order to gain more audience members for productions. Used for purpose of class and focus groups with newspaper team. Influenced different articles later (boosting ticket sales by switching to featuring theatre productions on first page in newspaper).

1. Kylie DeBari
Profile
October 16, 2014
COSTUME DESIGNER MAKES MAGIC HAPPEN ON CAMPUS
Amongst the flying buttresses of an opera house, Eric Hall fashioned a petticoat
made of paper.
Although Hall has been a member of Coastal Carolina University’s blooming
theatre department for almost 10 years, he occasionally branches out to professional
theaters to lend his artistic eye. For one year in 2008, Hall crafted costumes of a
meticulous nature at the Ohio Light Opera. From there, his talents only grew.
“For one show we made petticoats and corsets out of crafting paper and
cardboard, jewelry out of molding clay and any craft item you could find in a Michaels,”
said Hall, “It was an especially unique experience and ten times harder than making
costumes out of normal fabric.”
According to fellow in house Costume Designer Melissa-Anne Blizzard, Hall’s
costumes have gotten more and more creative over the years.
“Usually we would just stick to the costume plots that theaters have done in the
past, but Eric always has something magical up his sleeve to create something entirely
new,” said Blizzard.
Hall’s talents not only expand throughout the world of design but through one of
magic as well. As a young adult, Hall had a fascination with Houdini and the movement

2. of magicians through the Victorian era. Occasionally, he’ll perform as a magician and
escape artist at local coffee shops.
“Eric has always been very matter of fact in his way of speaking, it was never a
surprise to me that he did magic, I could imagine him up on stage next to Houdini,
acting the way that he did—dressing the same,” said Costume design student Maria
Neito.
His style reflects that of a modern Victorian man, tailored suit pants and vests
adorn his wardrobe when teaching, although a t-shirt would never been seen on Hall.
As a graduate of New York University’s design for stage and film program, Hall
embraces a New York state of mind when it comes to fashion as well as costume
designing.
As Hall begins each new project at Coastal Carolina, he relates back to the
musical “Pippin.”
“It is indeed true that ‘we’ve got magic to do.’”