This Class Works Well in a Child/Parent Team

Lesson Plan: Masquerade: A class on Costume Design

This class is designed to teach all aspects of costuming a show and the importance of costumes. Age range 13-up This class works well in a child/parent team

Week One: Identify characters by the iconic costume: Explain how the costume is part of the character. What emotions does the costume itself elicit? Fear? Courage? Laughter? Peace? Happiness? Intimidation? Look at the examples and list all the things you know about the character by the costume they are wearing. 1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Week Two: Discuss what a period piece is: In this session I teach the students to do their research in the fashion of the time period the play is set. This produces authenticity and believability with the characters and doesn’t break the fourth wall. Each student is given a time period and a character to design. I use the 1400’s the 1800’s the 1920’s 1940’s 1950’s 1960’s 1970’s 1980’s 1990’s and present day. The character is a nurse. It is interesting to see how the uniform changes and how the interpretation must stick within its period. See examples: Nurse in the 1400’s

Nurses in the 1960’s Nurses today

So you can see how imperative it is to stay within your time period.

Week Three: Accessorize! In this session I choose a period piece and we costume a character. Now it’s time to pick the appropriate accessories to go along with the costume. Is it a hat era? What kind of purse would the character carry? Do they wear a scarf or gloves? What jewelry is appropriate? Do they wear a wrist watch? Are they married and should they wear a ring? What about eyeglasses? Are they within the time period? I teach the students how to locate accessories and how to make one look period if one can’t be found.

Week Four: Create! In this session, I assign each student a character to costume. This character is a fantasy character such as Mother Nature, or Tornado, Snowflake, Shadow, Symphony etc. Each student must create a costume and display it without giving the character’s name. Students should be able to identify the character by the type of costume they are wearing.

Week Five- Eight: Costuming a show: In this session I help the students assist the costumer in costuming the latest production at The Center for the Arts. This is a hands on activity where they will learn to make costume sheets for the actors, taking measurements and learning to size. The students will participate in “pulling” costumes form the costume department. Assigning and labeling. They will observe a costume fitting and assigning of costumes.

This session culminates in a showcase fashion show where enrolled students demonstrate their creations.