Costume Design and Production of a Midsummer Night's Dream Thesis

Home , Egeus, Francis Flute, Hermia, Lanvin (company), Nick Bottom, Oberon

Costume Design and Production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Thesis

Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Fine Arts

In the Graduate School of The Ohio State University

Cynthia B. Overton, MEd, BFA, BS

Graduate Program in Theatre

The Ohio State University

2020

Thesis Committee

Kristine Kearney, Advisor

Kevin McClatchy

Alex Oliszewski

Copyrighted by

Cynthia B. Overton

2020

Abstract

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare is a comedy about love’s challenges, dreams and magic. The play was presented in the Thurber Theatre located in the Drake Performance and Events Center at The Ohio State University with performances that ran November 15 through 22, 2019. This production of A Midsummer

Night’s Dream was directed by Associate Professor Kevin McClatchy, with scenic design by MFA Design candidate Cade Sikora, lighting design by undergraduate Andrew Pla, and sound design by Program 60 student Lee Williams. McClatchy decided to place the play in the 1920s because he wished to emphasize the societal changes following World

War I. Important themes of post-war World War I were: women becoming more educated, the Jazz Age exploding, a persisting division of classes, and rising surrealism in the visual arts exemplified by artists such as Gustav Klimt, Georgia O’Keeffe and Henri

Matisse.

My costume design process began in March 2019. My research focus identified the mid-1920s, particularly 1925 America, as a point of reference that aligned with the director’s concept. The four distinct groups of characters and their costumes — the lovers, the upper-class, the fairies and the rude mechanicals — have roots in historical accuracy through the clothing patterns, fabric choices and treatments I have made. My research for the two pairs of lovers and the rude mechanicals concentrated on clothing

pictured in historical photographs as well as clothing documented in vintage mail order catalogs and department store advertisements. Inspiration for the fairies came from fashion, costume and graphic designers such as Erté and Alphonse Mucha. Additional inspiration came from art and architecture of the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements.

In my accompanying thesis, I will discuss the play and its historical importance, the director’s concept, overall design concept, character analysis, a description of the production process and a self-evaluation of the final design.

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Acknowledgments

I would like to thank my adviser Associate Professor Kristine Kearney and committee members Associate Professor Kevin McClatchy and Associate Professor Alex Oliszewski for their support through this process. I appreciate the support from Dr. Rebecca

Baygents Turk, those in The Ohio State University Theatre Department and the Jerome

Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute. I would like to acknowledge my past educators and professionals for their support and sparking inquisitive research rabbit holes and encouraging educational and creative endeavors.

Vita

1992…………………………………………Grapevine High School

1997…………………………………………B.S. Tarleton State University

2006…………………………………………B.F.A. The University of Texas at Arlington

2008…………………………………………M.Ed. The University of Texas at Arlington

2017 to present………………………………Graduate Teaching Associate, Department

of Theatre, The Ohio State University

Production History

2018…………………………………………Execution of Justice – Costume

Designer, OSU Department of Theatre

2018…………………………………………Twelfth Night, or What You Will – Costume

Designer, OSU Department of Theatre

2018…………………………………………Opera Americana – Costume Designer,

OSU School of Music

2019…………………………………………The Marriage of Figaro – Costume

Coordinator, OSU School of Music

2019…………………………………………A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Costume

Designer, OSU Department of Theatre

Fields of Study

Major Field: Theatre

Specialization: Costume Design

Table of Contents

Abstract……………………………………………………….……………………….…. ii

Acknowledgments………………………………………………….……………………. iv

Vita…………………………………………………………………….…………………. v

Table of Contents…………………….………...……………...…………………………vii

List of Figures………………………………………….…...………………….……...... viii

List of Plates……………………………………………….……………………………...xi

List of Production Photographs………………………………………….………………xiii

Chapter 1: The Producing Situation……………………………………….……………….1

Chapter 2: The Producing Concept and Design Scheme……………….…………….…….4

Chapter 3: Character Analysis……………………………………………………………22

Chapter 4: The Process……………………………………….….……………………….29

Chapter 5: An Evaluation of the Design……………….….…………...…………………94

Bibliography ……………………………………………….………….….……….….….99

Appendix A. Director’s Concept………………………………………………….….…103

Appendix B. Costume Plot…………………………………………………….…….….113

Appendix C. Research and Preliminary Sketches……………………………………….118

Appendix D. Final Renderings………………………………………………………….136

Appendix E. Production Photographs.…………………………...... ………………….177

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List of Figures

Figure 1: The Three Graces by Paul Poiret, Illustrated by André Edouard Marty………….6

Figure 2: Aphrodite by Erté…...……………………………………………...…...……….7

Figure 3: The Kiss by Gustav Klimt…….……………………………………………….…9

Figure 4: Abstraction, Seaweed Water – Maine by Georgia O’Keefe…….………………10

Figure 5: Conversation Under the Olive Trees by Henri Matisse…………………...…....11

Figure 6: 1921 Jean Lanvin Tea Party Dresses…………………………………………...14

Figure 7: Jean Lanvin Designs at the Exhibition of Decorative Arts, Paris, 1925………...15

Figure 8: Blossom Umbrella by Erté……….…………………………….……………….16

Figure 9: Music by Alphonse Mucha………………………………….………………….18

Figure 10: Reverie by Alphonse Mucha……………………………………...….…….….19

Figure 11: Inspiration for the Color of Titania’s Dress, Tree of Life by Gustav Klimt……20

Figure 12: Fairy Color Palette Images…………………………………………………....20

Figure 13: Costume Rendering of Theseus Top of Show…………………….……...……32

Figure 14: Inspiration for Lysander; Edward, Prince of Wales…………...………...…….34

Figure 15: Costume Rendering of Lysander Top of Show………………...……………...35

Figure 16: Costume Rendering of Helena Day Dress…………………….…….….…….37

Figure 17: Costume Rendering of Hermia Day Dress………...………….…………….…38

Figure 18: Costume Rendering of Helena Undergarments……………………………….40

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Figure 19: Costume Rendering of Hermia Undergarments…………………...….……….41

Figure 20: Costume Rendering of Demetrius Undergarments……….…………….…….42

Figure 21: Costume Rendering of Lysander Undergarments…………….…………….…43

Figure 22: Costume Rendering of Quince and Quince as Prologue………………………45

Figure 23: Production Photograph of Quince as Prologue ……………...……….……….47

Figure 24: Costume Rendering of Ass’ Head…………………………………………….49

Figure 25: Production Photograph of Puck, Nick Bottom with Ass’ Head and Snug…….50

Figure 26: Costume Rendering of Bottom and Bottom as Pyramus …………….….…….51

Figure 27: Production Photograph of Starveling as Moonshine, Flute as Thisbe,

Snout as Wall, Bottom as Pyramus, and Snug as Lion………...….52

Figure 28: Costume Rendering of Starveling and Starveling as Moonshine…………...…54

Figure 29: Costume Rendering of Snug and Snug as Lion………………………….…….56

Figure 30: Costume Rendering of Flute and Flute as Thisbe….………………...….…….58

Figure 31: Costume Rough Idea for Snout as Wall……………………………………….60

Figure 32: Costume Preliminary Design for Snout as Wall…………………...………….61

Figure 33: Costume Rendering of Snout and Snout as Wall………………….……….….62

Figure 34: Production Photograph of Snout as Wall………………………….……….….63

Figure 35: Costume Rendering of Hippolyta Top of Show……………….………………65

Figure 36: Costume Rendering of Amazons…………….………………………….…….66

Figure 37: Production Photograph of Oberon and His Fairies…………………………....68

Figure 38: Costume Rendering of Puck…………………….…………………………….69

Figure 39: Costume Rendering of Titania………………………………………………...70

Figure 40: Placement of Fabric for Fairies Before Dyeing……………….………………73

Figure 41: First Dyeing of Fabric for Titania…………………….……….………………73

Figure 42: Second Dyeing of Fabric for Titania……………………………….………….74

Figure 43: Dyeing of Fabric for Titania’s Wing…………………………….…………….74

Figure 44: Partial Process of Dyeing the Fabric for Titania…………….….……….…….75

Figure 45: Titania Fabric………………………………….…….…………………….….76

Figure 46: Wing Fabric…………………………….……………….…………………….77

Figure 47: Dyed Fabrics for Fairies………………………………………………………78

Figure 48: Production Photograph of Moth, Cobweb, Titania, First Fairy,

Mustardseed and Peaseblossom…………………………….……79

Figure 49: Costume Rendering of Oberon…………………………………………….….81

Figure 50: Production Photograph of Oberon…………………………….……...……….82

Figure 51: Costume Rendering of Helena in Her Wedding Dress………...………………84

Figure 52: Costume Rendering of Hermia in Her Wedding Dress……….……………….85

Figure 53: Costume Rendering of Hippolyta in Her Wedding Dress…………….……….86

List of Plates

Plate 1: Costume Rendering of Hippolyta for Top of Show…....……………….……….137

Plate 2: Costume Rendering of Hippolyta for Hunting Scene...………………...……….138

Plate 3: Costume Rendering of Hippolyta in Her Wedding Dress………….…...……….139

Plate 4: Costume Rendering of Amazons…………………….….……………….….….140

Plate 5: Costume Rendering of Theseus for Top of Show………….……….………….141

Plate 6: Costume Rendering of Theseus for Hunting Scene…….………….………...….142

Plate 7: Costume Rendering of Theseus for Wedding Scene…………....………………143

Plate 8: Costume Rendering of Egeus for Top of Show….…………………….……….144

Plate 9: Costume Rendering of Egeus for Hunting Scene.….…………………….…….145

Plate 10: Costume Rendering of Egeus for Wedding Scene…………………....……….146

Plate 11: Costume Rendering of Philostrate for Top of Show………….…….…………147

Plate 12: Costume Rendering of Philostrate for Hunting Scene………….…….….……148

Plate 13: Costume Rendering of Philostrate for Wedding Scene…………………….…149

Plate 14: Costume Rendering of Demetrius for Top of Show.………………….………150

Plate 15: Costume Rendering of Demetrius in Undergarments……………….…….….151

Plate 16: Costume Rendering of Demetrius for Wedding Scene.…………………….….152

Plate 17: Costume Rendering of Lysander for Top of Show….…………...………….…153

Plate 18: Costume Rendering of Lysander in Undergarments.………………………….154

Plate 19: Costume Rendering of Lysander for Wedding Scene…………...…………….155

Plate 20: Costume Rendering of Helena in Day Dress……………....….…………….…156

Plate 21: Costume Rendering of Helena in Undergarments………………….………….157

Plate 22: Costume Rendering of Helena for Wedding Scene……………...………...….158

Plate 23: Costume Rendering of Hermia in Day Dress…………...………….………….159

Plate 24: Costume Rendering of Hermia in Undergarments…………….…………...….160

Plate 25: Costume Rendering of Hermia for Wedding Scene.……………….………….161

Plate 26: Costume Rendering of Quince and Quince as Prologue…...……….………….162

Plate 27: Costume Rendering of Bottom and Bottom as Pyramus…………….……...…163

Plate 28: Costume Rendering of Flute and Flute as Thisbe….……………….………….164

Plate 29: Costume Rendering of Snout and Snout as Wall…...………….……....………165

Plate 30: Costume Rendering of Snug and Snug as Lion……….……………....……….166

Plate 31: Costume Rendering of Starveling and Starveling as Moonshine…...…...…….167

Plate 32: Costume Rendering of Ass’ Head…………………….…………….…………168

Plate 33: Costume Rendering of Oberon………….………….………….….….……….169

Plate 34: Costume Rendering of Puck………………….…………………….…………170

Plate 35: Costume Rendering of Titania………………………………...………………171

Plate 36: Costume Rendering of Peaseblossom……………….………………………...172

Plate 37: Costume Rendering of Cobweb………………….………………….…….….173

Plate 38: Costume Rendering of Mustardseed….….……….………….….…………….174

Plate 39: Costume Rendering of Moth....………………….…………………………….175

Plate 40: Costume Rendering of First Fairy…...…………………...……………………176

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List of Production Photographs

Production Photograph 1: Amazons Versus Athenians……………….………….….….178

Production Photograph 2: Athenians Versus Amazons…………………………………178

Production Photograph 3: Lysander, Demetrius, Hermia, Helena, Theseus,

Egeus, Hippolyta………….….….…...……….……….….….…179

Production Photograph 4: Puck’s Final Speech………………….…….….…………….180

Production Photograph 5: Puck’s Final Speech……………………….…….…….…….181

Production Photograph 6: Helena, Puck, Lysander, Demetrius, Oberon, Hermia…....…182

Production Photograph 7: Demetrius, Puck, Hermia, Helena, Lysander………….…….183

Production Photograph 8: Bottom and Quince…………………………….…………....184

Production Photograph 9: Flute, Starveling and Snout……………….…………………185

Production Photograph 10: Quince, Bottom, Snug, Snout, Flute, and Starveling…….…186

Production Photograph 11: Flute, Quince, Puck, Bottom with Ass’ Head,

Snug, and Snout………………………………………………....187

Production Photograph 12: Flute, Bottom with Ass’ Head, Puck, Snug, Snout………....188

Production Photograph 13: Lysander, Hermia, Helena, Demetrius, Moonshine,

Thisbe, Wall, Pyramus, Lion, Prologue, Egeus, Philostrate,

Theseus, Hippolyta……………………...…………………...….189

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Production Photograph 14: Starveling as Moonshine, Flute as Thisbe, Snout as Wall,

Bottom as Pyramus, Snug as Lion, Quince as Prologue………....190

Production Photograph 15: Moth, Cobweb, Titania, Peaseblossom,

Mustardseed, First Fairy………………………….….………….191

Production Photograph 16: Titania and Bottom in Ass’ Head………….……………….192

Production Photograph 17: Moth, Cobweb, Titania, First Fairy,

Mustardseed, Peaseblossom….………………...……….………193

Production Photograph 18: Moth, Cobweb, Titania, Peaseblossom, Mustardseed…...…194

Production Photograph 19: Puck and First Fairy…………………….……….………....195

Production Photograph 20: Oberon and Puck…………………………….……….…….196

Production Photograph 21: Puck………………………………….………………….…197

Production Photograph 22: Oberon and His Fairies, Titania and Her Fairies……………197

Production Photograph 23: Oberon and His Fairies, Titania and Her Fairies…………....198

Production Photograph 24: Oberon and His Fairies, Titania and Her Fairies……………198

Production Photograph 25: Oberon and Titania………………………………………....199

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Chapter 1. The Producing Situation

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, written by William Shakespeare, was produced by

The Ohio State University Department of Theatre. This production was performed in the

Autumn semester of 2019. The play was adapted by Associate Professor Kevin

McClatchy, Drake Performance and Event Center Facilities Manager Nathan Sims and

Master of Arts candidate Anne Peterson. Performances ran November 15 through 22,

2019, in the Thurber Theatre located in the Drake Performance and Event Center on The

Ohio State University main campus.

McClatchy directed the production with Sims and undergraduate Ben Fisher serving as co-assistant directors. Cade Sikora, third year Master of Fine Arts Design student, designed the scenery with assistance by undergraduate Harrison Cencer.

Undergraduate Evan Belsky served as the properties master. Undergraduate Andrew Pla designed the lighting with first year Master of Fine Arts Design student Braden Graves assisting. Sound was designed by Program 60 student Lee Williams with undergraduate

Hailey Donatelli assisting. Peterson additionally served as the dramaturg, and alumni

Jason Speicher was the fight choreographer. Second year Master of Fine Arts in Dance student Emily Craver and fourth year Doctor of Philosophy in Dance student Eric

Kaufman were the dance choreographers. This was my first time working on a production with this particular artistic team.

McClatchy’s concept set the visual aspects of the production in the overlapping eras of Art Nouveau and Art Deco. These eras in art, architecture and culture dovetailed at the end of World War I placing this production in the 1920s. The number of costumes built, or created, in the costume studio were determined by factors including the requirements of the two other Autumn shows produced by the Department of Theatre and the personnel working in the costume studio. The Autumn semester productions were

Romeo and Juliet, Bonnets: (How Ladies of Good Breeding Are Induced to Murder), and

A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The faculty, staff and students who produced the costumes were second year Master of Fine Arts Design student Jensen Glick, professional over hire technician Nadine Spray, seven students enrolled in THEATRE 5531: Intermediate Stage

Costume Construction, under supervision by Associate Professor Kristine Kearney and

Glick, twelve THEATRE 2000.05: Technical Production Practicum: Costuming students,

Dr. Rebecca Baygents Turk and myself. The costume materials budget for A Midsummer

Night’s Dream was $6,000.

The Department of Theatre costume studio is located in the Drake Performance and Events Center. Oversight of the costume studio is handled by Turk. Within the costume studio there are nine domestic sewing machines, one industrial sewing machine, three domestic sergers, one industrial serger, four cutting tables, three industrial irons, numerous dress forms and ample sewing notions and tools. There are sewing patterns ranging from historical to modern periods, as well as various fabrics available for use.

There are four separate costume storage spaces in the Drake Performance and Events

Center. Existing costumes range from ancient Greek to contemporary styles accompanied

by shoes, accessories, hats, wigs and jewelry. All of these items were available for consideration as I designed the production. There are two smaller dressing rooms with built-in seating areas for six individuals in each and two larger dressing rooms with built- in seating areas for twelve individuals. Storage of wigs, jewelry, belts, socks, hosiery and undershirts can be found in the two larger dressing rooms. For this production the actors were assigned to the two larger dressing rooms.

The Thurber Theatre is a thirty-five-foot proscenium arch performance space with raked continental seating of up to 603 patrons. Of the theatre spaces in the Drake

Performance and Event Center, it is the largest regarding size of the stage and the audience seating. The Drake Performance and Event Center also houses the Theatre

Department including faculty, staff, and graduate student offices. Studio spaces include costumes, scenic and lighting areas. Classrooms can be found on all three levels.

The first design meeting with the director and creative team was on March 25,

2019. Turk and I began discussion of the costume design in regard to studio resources in

April 2019. The costume pieces to be built were decided upon by the beginning of May

2019. Final designs were due at the end of the Spring 2019 semester, and construction was scheduled to begin in the costume studio at the start of Autumn 2019 semester.

Chapter 2: The Production Concept and Design Scheme

On March 25, 2019, Director and Associate Professor Kevin McClatchy outlined his vision of finding the balance between the original text of A Midsummer Night’s

Dream and creative changes linking the four-hundred-year-old play to contemporary audiences. McClatchy’s directorial vision was presented to the production design team that consisted of Cade Sikora as Scenic Designer, Andrew Pla as Lighting Designer, Lee

Williams as Sound Designer and myself as Costume Designer. Costume designs were not only to express the goals of the dramatic production but also were a way to engage and inform the audience. Additional aspects to consider in designing this particular story are the comedic qualities, the use of magic and the forest setting. McClatchy chose to set the production in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods. Art Nouveau style began to bear influence about 1890 and continued into the early twentieth century. Art Deco style emerged in France just prior to World War I and received world recognition at the 1925

International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts held in Paris. The Art

Deco movement suffered a decline in popularity during the late 1930s leading up to

World War II. There have been resurgences of Art Deco in both the 1960s alongside Pop

Art and in the 1980s with the interest in graphic designs.

The Art Deco influences continue today in design. Art Deco characteristics are bold colors, geometric forms and symmetrical shapes. My inspiration from the Art Deco

movement drew from the work of fashion designer Paul Poiret, and graphic artist and designer Erté (See Figures 1 and 2). The designs of Poiret and Erté show the characteristics of bold colors such as orange and luxurious patterned fabrics often decorated with jewels and furs. The dropped waistline in women’s dresses became popular in this time period.

Figure 1: The Three Graces by Paul Poiret, Illustrated by André Edouard Marty 6

Figure 2: Aphrodite by Erté 7

Art Nouveau design follows an asymmetrical line that uses delicate snippets of nature to enhance and decorate common objects on a variety of materials. The Art

Nouveau movement fused together the fine arts and the decorative arts. An example is using vines or flowers to decorate steel and glass objects. Alphonse Mucha was a prolific artist of the Art Nouveau movement, and his work also provided inspiration for my designs. Although Mucha’s well known artwork comes from the 1890s, its influence could be seen in the Art Deco fashion of the 1920s. His feminine designs in thin, opaque fabrics and needlework designs influenced components of my costume designs.

McClatchy’s director’s statement/concept prompted me to view artists on canvas such as Gustav Klimt, Georgia O’Keeffe and Henri Matisse, to name a few, who had provided inspiration for McClatchy (See Figures 3, 4, and 5). Studies of these artists provided color schemes for my costume designs with connections to the personality and function of a character in the play. Costumes projected the bold, dark shades of green, gold and brown. Decorative additions were green vines and colorful flowers. The golden color for Titania’s dress was inspired by Klimt’s paintings (See Figure 3). Although

O’Keefe is an American Modernism artist, her artwork uses colors relative to the colors of the 1920s. The green and browns for Oberon and Puck were inspired by O’Keefe’s paintings (See Figure 4). O’Keefe also shows a variety of greens, reds, yellows and blues found in a forest adding to the inspiration for Titania’s fairies. The painting by Matisse shows brown and greens mixed together for the home of the fairies (See Figure 5).

Figure 3: The Kiss by Gustav Klimt

Figure 4: Abstraction, Seaweed Water – Maine by Georgia O’Keefe 10

Figure 5: Conversation Under the Olive Trees by Henri Matisse

On April 8, 2019, the preliminary design meeting occurred, which solidified the direction in which the production was going. McClatchy, Sims and Peterson created a prologue of movement to the play depicting a battle between Theseus and Hippolyta and

Theseus’ conquest of the Amazons. Individual team members shared design ideas each was developing. At this point I had drawn forty-four costume renderings for the play, employing a color palette based on various artworks and nature itself. The color palette for the royals, upper-class, and lovers were pastel. The rude mechanicals were browns, greens and rusts. The fairies were bright and based upon actual flowers and insects found in nature. In regard to the fairies, Sikora collaborated with me to ensure the colors he chose for the flowers on the set and in the drops coordinated with the fairy colors of gold, pink, green, orange, blue and purple I had already chosen.

Helena and Hermia needed three distinct looks that included a day dress (See

Figure 6) made from fine fabrics, silk undergarments, and wedding dresses representative of their upper-class characters. Their dresses were stylized versions from the designs of

Jeanne Lanvin, a French fashion designer of the 1920s. For the female lovers, the style of dress called a day dress had numerous designs in the 1920s. Helena wore the boat neckline with the foldout collar matching the sleeve cuffs and the belt at the waist. The contrasting color to the dress color formed horizontal lines for the dress. Short sleeves were for summer, and dresses for the mid-1920s ended below the knee. Decorations included flowers on hats. Hermia wore a fancier style of day dress appropriate for social gatherings. A solid color in a light weight silk fabric finished the look with an asymmetrical hem that fell in a fullness of flounces. The day dresses show how the 12

female lovers wore contrasting collars, cuffs and hems. These dresses were simple yet elegant for the young, upper class women. Both Helena and Hermia wore undergarments made from silk. They had contrasting necklines and hemlines as well as different colors to help visually separate them from each other and to help audience members keep up with who the lovers are. The wedding dresses for Helena and Hermia had varying necklines and hemlines stylized after the designs of Lanvin and Erté (See Figure 7 and 8).

The scalloped design of the decorative lace on the wedding dresses was rendered from

Erté’s designs.

Figure 6: 1921 Jean Lanvin Tea Party Dresses 14

Figure 7: Jean Lanvin Designs at the Exhibition of Decorative Arts, Paris, 1925

Figure 8: Blossom Umbrella by Erté 16

Fairy characters have the potential to wear outrageous colors that are both sensuous and support fantasy designs appropriate for the forest in which they live.

Oberon and his fairy band, including Puck, wore clothing designed in the color palette of green, rusts and brown inspired by the art of Mucha (See Figures 9 and 10). As part of my design, Titania and her fairies display influences from the Art Nouveau period. The inspiration for the color choice for Titania came from Gustav Klimt’s Tree of Life (See

Figure 11). Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Mustardseed, Moth and First Fairy had color inspiration for their costumes from nature (See Figure 12). The colors chosen came from a Klimt painting, flowers, shiny spider webs and grass.

Figure 9: Music by Alphonse Mucha 18

Figure 10: Reverie by Alphonse Mucha 19

Figure 11: Inspiration for the Color of Titania’s Dress, Tree of Life by Gustav Klimt

Figure 12: Fairy Color Palette Images

Designing for the characters in A Midsummer Night’s Dream required actors clothed in costumes reflecting an activity/action on stage that moved the plot forward and also highlighted what was happening in the life of the character. Two examples are shown with the costuming of Hippolyta and the rude mechanicals. Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons and betrothed to Theseus, required three separate looks. The first was her warrior dress indicating her station as queen. Hippolyta’s second look was a hunting outfit. For the hunting scene when discovering the lovers asleep in the forest, all

Athenian court members wore a similar look comprised of a belt back jacket and knee- high boots from the 1920s. I designed jodhpurs rather than a skirt for Hippolyta to wear because she was still a warrior leader and had not completely accepted wearing Athenian clothing. For the wedding in Act 5, I designed a floor length wedding dress and veil for her.

The rude mechanicals needed two separate designs for their costumes. The six characters are: Peter Quince, Nick Bottom, Francis Flute, Tom Snout, Snug and Robin

Starveling. For their first costume change, I dressed the rude mechanicals as working- class men. All of the rude mechanicals’ clothing reflected colors located in nature because they worked with materials found naturally. In this production of A Midsummer

Night’s Dream, the rude mechanicals spent most of their time in the forest trying to rehearse Pyramus and Thisbe. The second group of costumes were designed to support the characters the rude mechanicals were portraying in the play within the play, Pyramus and Thisbe. Costume pieces included found items that the rude mechanicals would have been able to locate and create for their character in the play. 21

Chapter 3: Character Analysis

William Shakespeare was a very creative and imaginative writer recording his talents in thirty-eight plays, five poems and 154 sonnets. The Elizabethan language and references Shakespeare used provided hints about his being educated in school, well read, and informed about the country life around him. Within A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Greek mythology is used for naming characters, historical reference, and plot. The poem

Metamorphoses by Ovid as well as Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales influenced

Shakespeare to weave all these ingredients together to write this timeless play. Although the original play is set in Athens, Shakespeare used parts of his own life and the community in which he lived to describe the setting and characters. An example of this are the dewdrop and cowslip flowers which are found in English gardens. Another example is that the names of the rude mechanicals are all common English names and not

Greek. A character similar to Puck was popular in the folklore stories of Elizabethan

England. The name Puck describes a mischievous fairy, and Robin Goodfellow is a domestic fairy who loves to do pranks and jokes. Some scholars think that Shakespeare may have had access to a translation of Antonio de Torquemada’s Jardin Flores

Curiosas. In this translation there is a section where words are exchanged between the

characters Luduvico and Antonio where they name the mischievous domestic fairy as a

Robingoodfellowes.

Most people believe the first comedy written by Shakespeare was Two Gentlemen of Verona or even The Taming of the Shrew. There is other scholarly evidence that the first comedy was The Comedy of Errors which is presumed to have been written in 1589.

The first recorded performance was on December 28, 1594, and first printed in the First

Folio of 1623. A Midsummer Night’s Dream was written about 1595-96, and the first performance known with certainty occurred at Court on January 1, 1604. Some scholars hold the opinion the play was written to celebrate a wedding although there is no evidence to confirm this. A Midsummer Night’s Dream presents intersecting plot points around ideas of love, sense and nonsense and the supernatural. Shakespeare combined these points creating the dramatic, comedic irony of a play presented within a play. The characters continue to enchant audiences, and the themes, dreams and fairies’ magic spark ideas for production designers. The play has a long record of stage and film performances. Many adaptations by professional and amateur groups continue to show the popularity of the play which attracts a wide variety of audiences. Notable adaptations include Henry Purcell’s The Fairy Queen in 1692 and David Garrick’s The Fairies in

1755. In 1934 performances staged by Max Reinhard in the Hollywood Bowl featured a scenic design including a forest planted with live trees, and a trestle constructed specifically for the wedding procession. In 1935 Reinhard directed a film version with the same cast from the Hollywood Bowl production including Mickey Rooney as Puck. In the 1970 Royal Shakespeare Company’s production staged by Peter Brook, the doubling 23

of the roles of the Theseus/Oberon and Hippolyta/Titania was introduced. A Midsummer

Night’s Dream has been conceived and designed for in various time periods and with variations of the characters. These include the New York Shakespeare Festival production setting the play in the 1980s. The Maryland Shakespeare Players staged a queer production in 2015 with the lovers cast as same-sex couples and the rude mechanicals as drag queens. A film version set in 1890s Tuscany was produced in 1999 with Kevin Kline as Bottom. At the University of Michigan’s Shakespeare in the Arb, A

Midsummer Night’s Dream has been produced three separate seasons since 2001. During the performances the audience moved throughout the 123-acre natural setting of the

Nichols Arboretum (Arb) to view the performance in various settings. In 2016, London’s

Shakespeare Globe presented the play where the Athenians were changed to Hoxton hipsters, a London socio-cultural type of resident. The creative transformations for a performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream encompass any idea imagined becoming a tangible result.

The characters in A Midsummer Night’s Dream are usually placed into separate, socio-economic groups: the lovers, the fairies, the rude mechanicals and the upper-class or aristocracy. Every character in each group has a common trait. The lovers are young people from Athens who are led by their romantic desires to come to the forest. The fairies provide the supernatural magic in the forest. The rude mechanicals are all lower- class workers who come to the forest to practice a play to present after the royal’s wedding in hopes of raising their socio-economic level. The upper-class are all from the court of Athens, and they are the authority figures. The lovers are Lysander, Demetrius, 24

Helena and Hermia. Their troubled relationships show love’s difficulty, and their affectations are changed by the magic potion of the fairies. Lysander, a young nobleman from the city of Athens, is in love with Hermia. Lysander is a romantic and very brave as he stands up to Theseus and Egeus when they insist Hermia is to marry another. Lysander exhibits his leadership ability by speaking up. Demetrius is also a young man of noble birth from Athens who shows his personality trait of obstinacy in his pursuit of Hermia.

In McClatchy’s adaptation, Demetrius has served in the military alongside Egeus,

Hermia’s father, leading to the reason why Demetrius is preferred over Lysander to marry

Hermia. Demetrius is duplicitous when he plays with the emotions of both Hermia and

Helena. Helena is a young girl from Athens who is in love with Demetrius. After being jilted by Demetrius, she follows him to the forest hoping to win him back. She lacks confidence in her looks and thinks Demetrius and Lysander are mocking her when the fairies cause both to fall in love with her. Hermia, the daughter of Egeus, has a mind of her own and defies her father. She goes into the woods with Lysander, but Puck applies a love potion to Lysander, making him fall in love with Helena. Hermia is self-conscious about being short, and her jealousy makes her believe Helena’s height lured Demetrius and Lysander into the woods.

Shakespeare wrote the fairy characters of Titania, Oberon, and Puck as female, male and male respectively. The fairies Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Mustardseed, Moth and

First Fairy are androgynous. The fairies are a close-knit group who serve their respective king and queen. Oberon as the king of the fairies is most likely hundreds of years old yet in this version he was interpreted as a young, forceful leader determined to have his way, 25

especially with the fairy queen Titania. Titania has been bestowed a changeling boy

Oberon wants. Oberon puts a spell on Titania to obtain the boy. Oberon thinks it is funny when he watches Titania adore ass-headed Nick Bottom because he knows she is under a spell. Titania is the beautiful queen of the fairies who is put under a spell making her fall in love with Bottom after he has been turned into an ass by Puck. One group of fairies is composed of Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Mustardseed, Moth, and First Fairy. They are a fun group of woodland creatures who serve as attendants to Titania. Another fairy living in the woods is Puck who is also known as Robin Goodfellow and serves Oberon. In this version Puck is a young fairy and is very mischievous and loves to play pranks on others.

Oberon, Puck, and a group of fairies working for Oberon cause havoc in the woods.

The rude mechanicals are six working class individuals who are chosen by the royals to present the play Pyramus and Thisbe during the festivities after the wedding.

The original text of Shakespeare has the rude mechanicals listed as all men. In

McClatchy’s adaptation, Peter Quince had been changed to a female. The rude mechanicals wear the working-class clothes of denim overalls and corduroy pants with shirts made of rough fibers. They are the working-class of the 1920s who have specific jobs but are also amateur actors.

Nick Bottom is an overconfident man who works as a weaver. He plays Pyramus in Pyramus and Thisbe. Bottom is always telling others what to do although he is not the leader of the group. Additionally, he reveals an arrogant attitude when he wants to play every part in Pyramus and Thisbe.

Peter Quince is a carpenter and directs Pyramus and Thisbe. Quince plays the part of Prologue in Pyramus and Thisbe. As Prologue, Quince interjects corrections as the rude mechanicals forget lines and mispronounce words.

Francis Flute, who works as a bellows-mender, plays Thisbe. A bellows-mender is a person who mends and replaces bellows. Bellows are used to catch and increase an outflow of a force of air, and are used for fires for welding and fireplaces. Bellows also are part of organs to make them play music. When a bellows is used, it can create a high- pitched whistle. Another object making a high-pitched noise is a flute, hence the character’s last name is Flute. Flute is the youngest member of the group, and his voice has not quite deepened. Flute is forced to play a female against his wishes, and therefore the craftsman speaks his part in a high-pitched voice.

Robin Starveling is a tailor who was originally chosen to play Thisbe’s father; however, he ultimately plays Moonshine. A tailor is a person who sews fabric to create fitted clothing such as suits, pants, and jackets for a particular individual.

Tom Snout works as a tinker who makes and repairs things made of tin, usually metal utensils. Snout originally is to play the part of Pyramus’s father. For the play within the play, Snout portrays the Wall symbolizing what divides the two lovers, Pyramus and

Thisbe.

Snug is a joiner by trade, and he plays the Lion. A joiner is an artisan who joins pieces of wood together to finished a project. Their work is more decorative than the

work of a carpenter. Snug is fearful he will forget his lines and frighten the ladies in the audience.

The royal court and upper-class are represented by Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus and

Philostrate. Theseus is the Duke of Athens, and he is the conqueror of the Amazons.

Hippolyta is the conquered queen of the Amazons and betrothed to Theseus. The rude mechanicals will present their play at the royal wedding. Egeus, the father of Hermia, does not approve of Hermia wanting to marry Lysander. Egeus is an overbearing father who wants Hermia to marry Demetrius. In this adaptation, the master of revels was changed from Philostrate to Egeus. In Act five after all the couples have been married,

Egeus reads the list of entertainments to choose from to celebrate the couple’s nuptials.

Philostrate serves Theseus as a guard. Philostrate is very loyal to Theseus, and he understands how a royal court performs its duties of leadership. Philostrate has this view after the many years he has served Theseus.

For this production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the design teams created a place and characters true to life in the 1920s. Collaboration made it possible to target certain visual and action scenes together to follow the director’s concept, allowing the audience to follow the play and its comedy. The 1920s are known for numerous fashion and costume ideas from the flappers and the costuming of vaudeville. Choosing designs from the mid-1920s offered a wide range of colors, fabrics and wardrobe choices to bring each character to life.

Chapter 4: The Process

The process of bringing my design to the stage included creating, purchasing or pulling costume items from existing stock. The clothing not only represented the characters of the play but also functioned to support the script and the actors’ physical interpretation of their character. Each design needed a unified appearance from head to toe. Bringing the preliminary costume ideas to a physical wardrobe for the performance of a production includes considerations in the areas of budget, time schedules and manpower for making the costumes ready. Once my designs were complete, my first approach was to pull stock from costume storage. The Ohio State University Theatre

Department has a large selection of readymade clothes, shoes, hats and accessories. I was permitted to make modifications to most of the clothing, such as changing the hemline, and some pieces were permitted to be dyed. During the summer months I assessed the inventory of fabrics available in the costume studio. Of the costumes earmarked to be made, I estimated how many costumes could be made by utilizing our in-house stock of fabric or by purchasing fabric from various sources such as JoAnn Fabrics or Prism Silks.

I decided not to rent because the number of garments required would not have justified the cost of renting including time and labor. I created a list of potential resources, and my next step was to visit thrift and vintage clothing shops. If I was unable to procure from

those locations, I shopped in new clothing stores as well as online. At the same time, I was finding the most appropriate fabric and patterns to make the costumes selected for construction. When a production is put together from all these sources, it is imperative to make sure the created design is unified and visually complements the play as well as reflecting the paper designs. Until I had obtained the measurements of the cast members,

I kept a log of where items were available for future purchase.

As a costume designer, I must keep track of details for every costume in the production. My three-ring binder for the paperwork, notes, drawings and information became my costume bible to which any additional information was added until strike was completed. The documents in the costume bible consisted of the costume action chart, costume piece list, costume renderings, actor measurement sheets and fitting notes.

Production, rehearsal and performance reports were added when received. As stated in the first chapter, the costume materials budget for A Midsummer Night’s Dream was

$6,000.

The design process began in March 2019. In this production, I chose to support

McClatchy’s reasoning for Demetrius as Egeus’ choice of husband for Hermia. Egeus and Demetrius were connected by being in the military under Theseus’ command; therefore, I dressed Demetrius in a uniform. The identical uniforms for Theseus, Egeus,

Philostrate and Demetrius wore were the easiest costume pieces to acquire (See Figure

13). The coats were already in stock as well as the canvas trousers. Some canvas trousers did have to be replaced because the ones in stock were distressed too far for my needs. To

determine sizing before ordering new canvas trousers, I used the available stock for the fittings.

Figure 13: Costume Rendering of Theseus Top of Show 32

From the beginning of the design process, I felt it was important to dress

Lysander in a fashion popularized by public figures such as Edward, Prince of Wales

(See Figure 14). My choice was to dress Lysander in plus-fours, a style of pants stopping just at or below the knee similar to a pair of knickers (See Figure 15). They were called plus-fours because there was four inches of fabric at the knees. The trousers were sportswear worn particularly while playing golf.

Figure 14: Inspiration for Lysander; Edward, Prince of Wales 34

Figure 15: Costume Rendering of Lysander Top of Show 35

The first time the audience saw Helena and Hermia they were wearing day dresses popular in the 1920s. The two dresses had different shapes to them to help delineate the difference between the two characters. Helena’s dress included angular silhouette lines, and Hermia’s dress included curvilinear silhouette lines (See Figures 16 and 17).

Figure 16: Costume Rendering of Helena Day Dress 37

Figure 17: Costume Rendering of Hermia Day Dress 38

When the four lovers go into the woods, they begin to slowly take off their clothes because they are under the influence of the magic love potion. This shedding of clothes can also be likened to the lover’s discarding their inhibitions as they navigate the forest.

They wear period underwear showing distinct, different silhouettes. By having various looks for the costumes, the audience can visually recognize the different characters, and those characters become visually engaging. Helena was dressed in a blue undergarment which appeared to be shorts, and Hermia was in a peach undergarment that looking to be a skirt (See Figures 18 and 19). Two of the students in the THEA 5531: Intermediate

Stage Costume Construction class built the female lovers’ underwear. Demetrius is dressed in a short leg and sleeveless union suit similar in appearance of those worn in the military (See Figure 20). Lysander wears an undershirt with boxers (See Figure 21).

Figure 18: Costume Rendering of Helena Undergarments 40

Figure 19: Costume Rendering of Hermia Undergarments 41

Figure 20: Costume Rendering of Demetrius Undergarments 42

Figure 21: Costume Rendering of Lysander Undergarments 43

Following the casting process of the production, I discovered Peter Quince, typically played by a male actor, was to be performed by a female. I adjusted the designs for Quince to reflect a female playing this role. After this change, the working-class costume design otherwise stayed the same with overalls, corduroy pants, shirts, vests, hats and shoes pulled from stock or purchased. After researching what the working-class women wore during the 1920s, the costumes for Peter Quince and Snug were switched.

My research did not provide evidence of women in pants with suspenders but did show women in overalls and therefore I put Quince in overalls (See Figure 22). For the performance of Pyramus and Thisbe, Bottom, Snug, Starveling and Snout added costume props which provided a distinction for each character they were portraying. Quince and

Flute had a complete change of costume. Quince changed as this character would not wear her work clothes to a royal event as the leader of the rude mechanicals and Flute as

Thisbe would be in a dress to further the comedy of the troupe.

Figure 22: Costume Rendering of Quince and Quince as Prologue 45

By the time casting was completed on August 27, 2019, I had a total costume count of fifty-one costumes for nineteen actors. In Pyramus and Thisbe, Quince portrays the character Prologue. I originally rendered the character Quince as Prologue in a brown dress. Following costumes fittings with the actor, the costume was changed to an ivory dress with a blue jacket decorated with ivory trim (See Figure 23). White wrist length gloves and a white straw hat trimmed with a blue ribbon completed the outfit. The main reason why I changed to this costume was because the costume would stand out from the set.

Figure 23: Production Photograph of Quince as Prologue 47

Nick Bottom was one character in A Midsummer Night’s Dream whose costume design I revisited for several reasons. For Bottom, I had originally designed the Ass’s head Bottom wears in Act 3, Scene 1 and Act 4, Scene 1 with Art Deco motifs, and also to look as if it were made from metal (See Figure 24). Following conversations with

McClatchy, the Ass’ head required some revisions. The art deco designs were eliminated.

The end result was an ass head of multiple colors with a look of earth tones similar to what would be created by the fairies (See Figure 25). As Pyramus, Bottom wears items the character would have found nearby to create his costume (See Figure 26). Pyramus’ shield was constructed from plywood painted red, white and yellow to represent a dartboard. Pyramus’ armor was fashioned after a sign from a local pub, and his helmet was a leather football helmet of the 1920s decorated with whisk brooms to represent the crests found on Greek and Roman military helmets. I designed all three items.

Undergraduate Evan Belsky and Associate Professor Brad Steinmetz created the shield.

The armor was cut out by Scenic Studio Manager Chad Mahan, and I painted a lion’s head on the board, sealed it and attached the rope. The costume practicum students created the helmet. An adjustment to the design of the armor entailed changing it from a rectangle to an oval shape for aiding the actor’s movement on stage (See Figure 27).

Belsky cut down the armor to create the new oval shape.

Figure 24: Costume Rendering of Ass’ Head 49

Figure 25: Production Photograph of Puck, Nick Bottom with Ass’ Head and Snug 50

Figure 26: Costume Rendering of Bottom and Bottom as Pyramus

Figure 27: Production Photograph of Starveling as Moonshine, Flute as Thisbe, Snout as

Wall, Bottom as Pyramus, and Snug as Lion

I dressed Robin Starveling in a shirt, vest and corduroy pants pulled from stock.

As Moonshine in Pyramus and Thisbe, Starveling held a lantern, thorn bush, and stuffed dog while wearing a robe fashioned after the Pendleton and Beacon patterns found in the

1920s (See Figure 28). The lantern and the mainly yellow multicolored robe represented moonlight. Some scholars think the character Moonshine is in reference to the story of

Cain being banished to the moon with his dog and a thorn bush since Moonshine has these items.

Figure 28: Costume Rendering of Starveling and Starveling as Moonshine 54

As Snug portrayed the character of Lion, my idea was to fashion his costume from items found in his environment. Therefore, I chose to add a mop head for a mane and an old floor rug wrapped around him to represent the fur of a lion (See Figure 29).

The mop head was held on the actor’s head with a headband. There was comedic action added when the mane fell off the actors’ head. Lion’s costume was a gold, faux fur cape with hand grips sewn in two corners. The grips were made by stitching on an additional piece of fabric that allowed for the actor’s fingers to go through and act like a glove. To keep the fur from falling off the actor’s shoulders, two loops were added so the cape would stay in position.

Figure 29: Costume Rendering of Snug and Snug as Lion

I changed the design of Francis Flute by adding suspenders and eliminating his worker’s apron for his performance look. All of the costume items were pulled from stock. When Flute became Thisbe as a character in the play within the play, Flute changed into a feminine costume (See Figure 30). Flute’s high-pitched voice brought comedy when he played Thisbe. Instead of wearing a hat, the actor wore a wig. As

Thisbe, Flute also wore a blue, knee-length dress with a woven shawl along with the same boots and socks that he wore throughout the production. All these items were pulled from stock. To add to the comedy, Flute wore white boxers with big red hearts that were revealed to the audience when the character Thisbe died and fell to the stage floor.

Figure 30: Costume Rendering of Flute and Flute as Thisbe 58

As Wall, Tom Snout wore a costume piece made of slats and wallpaper designed to look like a plaster and lathe wall of the 1920s (drywall had not been invented yet). The first design for Wall showed Snout holding two pieces of a wall in either arm. Following discussion with McClatchy, I redesigned the Wall costume to look like a sandwich board, allowing more freedom of movement for the actor wearing it. Belsky and Steinmetz fabricated the wall unit that the actor wore (See Figures 31 – 34). Subsequent decisions included McClatchy at one point wanting Snout as Wall to be able to fall to the floor and do a turtle movement. This movement was eventually decided against, and other movements were finalized to allow the wall to be constructed at a longer length.

Figure 31: Costume Rough Idea for Snout as Wall

Figure 32: Costume Preliminary Design for Snout as Wall 61

Figure 33: Costume Rendering of Snout and Snout as Wall 62

Figure 34: Production Photograph of Snout as Wall

Figures 31-34: Progression of Snout as Wall Design from Rough Idea to

Production Photograph 63

On July 19, 2019, I received the second version of the manuscript. In this version, a scene was added to the play prior to Act I serving as a Prologue. I also began shopping for the fairy fabrics. On July 23, 2019, I had a meeting with McClatchy where he informed me there was a change regarding which characters would be played by the same actor, or double cast. I also learned the actor playing Philostrate was additionally playing the First Fairy. On July 24, 2019, I created a new action chart with the new version of the play and began designing costumes for the Amazons in the Prologue. On July 26, 2019, I concluded my shopping for patterns for the female lovers’ day dresses and undergarments as well as the fairy’s costumes. On July 29, 2019, I received another version of the script from McClatchy. I was assured that in the future the only changes to the script would be the removal of lines. It was at this point I counted eight new costumes added since our last production meeting in May. In August 2019, upon returning for the Autumn semester, McClatchy decided Hippolyta was no longer to be dressed in fencing gear as had been previously agreed upon, but rather as an Amazon warrior. Three additional female actors portraying fairies were also to be dressed as Amazon warriors. Hippolyta wore a fighting costume for the Prologue matching her fellow Amazonians with the exception of her girdle (See Figures 35 and 36). Her girdle was quick-rigged to allow

Theseus to remove it representing his conquering her as queen.

Figure 35: Costume Rendering of Hippolyta Top of Show 65

Figure 36: Costume Rendering of Amazons 66

Four of the actors who played the rude mechanicals were now also portraying

Oberon’s fairies (See Figure 37). Another casting decision was to have a woman play

Puck. This decision solidified the androgynous look of Puck I had designed. The actor’s lithe, slim figure made it possible to maintain the design with one green unitard (See

Figure 38). Following discussion with McClatchy, we decided Titania and her fairies were to resemble woodland creatures and not have wings as part of the design to not hinder the movement of the actors on stage. With this information, I redesigned the fairy costumes without wings in the renderings. The exception was Titania who had an extension of fabric on her right arm resembling a wing and was created after research of

1920s fashion (See Figure 39).

Figure 37: Production Photograph of Oberon and His Fairies

Figure 38: Costume Rendering of Puck 69

Figure 39: Costume Rendering of Titania

My original rendering for Puck (See Figure 38) completed in May 2019 stayed the same with the character dressed in a green unitard. It was at this point in the build process I made an evaluation of Oberon and Puck’s costumes in regards to laundering and durability for the performance run. With these costume pieces next to the skin of the actor for the entirety of the performance, I decided to alter the design to add spandex tubes for dimensionality to the costume. The addition of these pieces allowed the costumes to be laundered after every performance. Puck only wore one costume. For the tolerance of cleaning after every performance and keeping the design consistent, the vines on Puck’s costume were changed to spandex tubes. The green dyed unitard was finished with a mottled look of shades of green and blue. The lime green zipper was made of synthetic fibers which would not accept any of the dye. The original color of the unitard was lime green. The unitard was dyed by Turk with additional painting by myself.

Nadine Spray added the spandex tubes. To counteract the look of a lime green line down

Puck’s spine, the zipper was colored with permanent markers. A simpler dye process made possible a quick repair if the dye faded from frequent washing. Puck’s costume had tubes of spandex wrapped around the body and gave dimension as if vines were a part of their arms, torso and legs. Puck’s makeup was applied in a manner to continue the look of a forest creature.

In August 2019, the patterns for constructing the costumes of Titania,

Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Mustardseed and Moth were finalized. Five of the THEA 5531:

Intermediate Stage Costume Construction students constructed the costumes for Titania,

Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Mustardseed and Moth. I planned to ice dye the fabrics for these 71

five costumes as well as the one for First Fairy. I began the ice dying process at this time and it was undertaken outside the costume studio where the process could easily be checked on while working on other projects. Ice dyeing involves a process of applying dye to natural fibers and textiles such as silk or cotton. Fiber reactive procion powder dye was used in this application. Once the silk and cotton fabric had been pretreated and soaked in soda ash, it was then placed on grates outside. (See Figure 40). This dyeing process requires a heat source, and I chose to use the sun. The next step was to place ice on top of the fabric and sprinkle the dye on top. Next came the waiting time for the ice to melt. As the sun melted the ice, the dye chemically reacted, and the melted water filtered through the fabric. The time frame of when the ice melted was dependent upon the weather (See Figures 41 – 44). Once the ice had melted, the fabric was placed in a bag to sit overnight. The next day the fabric was rinsed thoroughly and laundered (See Figures

45-47). On September 14 and 15, I finished ice dying the fabric for the fairies. At this point the fabric was ready to be cut into pattern pieces and constructed into the fairy costumes. Titania, the queen of the fairies, wore a golden, silk dress to represent her royalty in the world of the fairies. Titania’s fairies are Peaseblossom, Cobweb,

Mustardseed, Moth and First Fairy, and their costumes were also made of silk with the exception of First Fairy, who’s costume was made of cotton. The colors chosen to be dyed were based on their names and connected to natural items found in the forest.

Peaseblossom was pink, Cobweb was green, Mustardseed was orange, and Moth was blue. First Fairy was purple to help round out the color palette to represent different colors found in nature (See Figure 48).

Figure 40: Placement of Fabric for Fairies Before Dyeing

Figure 41: First Dyeing of Fabric for Titania 73

Figure 42: Second Dyeing of Fabric for Titania

Figure 43: Dyeing of Fabric for Titania’s Wing 74

Figure 44: Partial Process of Dyeing the Fabric for Titania

Figure 45: Titania Fabric

Figure 46: Wing Fabric

Figure 47: Dyed Fabrics for Fairies

Figure 48: Production Photograph of Moth, Cobweb, Titania, First Fairy, Mustardseed,

and Peaseblossom

In September 2019 fittings began. Fittings is the process where actors come to the costume studio, and costume pieces are custom fitted to each actor. During the fittings, notes are made about adjustments to the costume to fit the actor. It was also at this time work on Oberon’s collar and the Ass’ head began.

The men dressed in military uniforms also wore coordinated hats the were originally purchased from What Price Glory (WPG). WPG is a specialty store with locations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as well as the United States of America

(USA). Because the USA location did not have them in stock, the military hats had to be purchased and imported from their UAE location. Lysander’s bowler hat, the hats in the hunting scene, and the rude mechanicals boater and newsboy hats were from stock. The men dressed in formal wear during the wedding scene wore wrist length, white, cotton gloves. The women dressed in bridal clothing and wore opera-length, white gloves.

About this time (mid-September), McClatchy informed me he wanted the scenic crew in costumes. After verifying with Turk, the request was declined, and the scenic crew would not be in costume.

After collaboration with the director, Oberon’s costume evolved from a full unitard to pants (See Figure 49 and 50). McClatchy wanted to show more of Oberon’s physique. His chest was crisscrossed with spandex fabric along with a backpack of leaves at the top to give the appearance of a collar made from materials found in the forest. I discovered Oberon needed a way to hide a flower. This flower would magically pass between Puck and Oberon. Oberon’s costume had no sleeves, so I designed arm braces

for him to wear which contained a hidden pocket for Oberon to hide the magic flower from the view of the audience.

Figure 49: Costume Rendering of Oberon 81

Figure 50: Production Photograph of Oberon 82

Different materials were used in the creation of the Ass’ head. Some worked, and others did not. The original process to build the Ass’ head was based on an example already in stock. This example used a fencing mask as the base. Upon procuring a fencing mask and cutting it down to allow for the actor to be heard, I realized the mask was weighted differently and would not work.

On September 13, 2019, the first rehearsal was held. At this rehearsal the creative team presented the designs to the cast, and the script was read aloud for the first time.

During this month I also was informed the cast would be dancing the Charleston during the wedding scene. With this knowledge, I began looking at the wedding dresses with the safety of the actor in mind. Since the style of this period allowed for calf length wedding dresses, I believed the actors playing Helena and Hermia would be able to dance safely in my designs (See Figures 51 and 52). The two actresses wore ballet flats dyed to match their skin tone to have the appearance of being barefoot, and the ballet slippers were appropriate for dancing the Charleston. The wedding dresses for Hermia, Helena and

Hippolyta were re-styled from dresses contained in stock. I still wanted Hippolyta to be in a different style period wedding dress. Hippolyta needed to look elegant as the highest status female. Hippolyta’s wedding dress was elaborate with smooth textures and lace befitting a woman of her socio-economic status. The lace around her shoulders and arms gave the appearance of armor. This was a nod to her being a warrior at heart (See Figure

53). Hippolyta’s wedding dress and veil had to be shortened, so the actor could make dancing movements without the tripping hazard from a longer dress. The wedding dresses of the two lovers had scalloped lace which echoed the appearance of Erté’s dress 83

designs that appeared on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar magazines and his other illustrations.

Figure 51: Costume Rendering of Helena in Her Wedding Dress 84

Figure 52: Costume Rendering of Hermia in Her Wedding Dress 85

Figure 53: Costume Rendering of Hippolyta in Her Wedding Dress 86

Originally all the men attending the wedding were to be in tailcoats to mimic the dress uniforms of the military. Lysander was the exception since he was not in the military. Dressing Demetrius in a tailcoat was highly advised against by Associate

Professor Kristine Kearney because Demetrius was younger than the other Athenian men.

Demetrius’ costume was changed to a tuxedo jacket. On September 27, 2019, it was announced the actor playing Moth was no longer in the cast. The part was recast from a male to a female actor to play the part. This did not change my design. Additionally, the two actors have similar body measurements which meant the costume pieces already cut out were going to fit the new actor.

Pictures of fittings were uploaded onto the university cloud file sharing service called BuckeyeBox. This is where Connor Graham, who was cast as Demetrius, commented about the union suit missing a butt flap. This made several people chuckle, including myself. I was not completely satisfied with the way the union suit I had already fit on Graham was looking; therefore, I concluded this was the opportune time to find a new union suit with a butt flap.

In October 2019, fittings continued. Oberon and his fairies, Titania, and the lovers wore ballet flats dyed to match their skin tone to appear as if they were barefoot.

Titania’s fairies’ ballet flats were dyed to match their tights to give the look of tree roots.

In discussions with Turk, the decision was to have the ballet flats made out of canvas rather than leather because canvas can accept a myriad of color choices whereas leather is limited in color choices. Ballet flats seemed appropriate as footwear for the movement of

all the fairies, but the rough surface of the stage floor quickly made holes on the soles and toes of the ballet flats. For the safety and protection of the actors’ feet, multiple pairs of ballet flats had to be replaced and repaired. Replacing some ballet flats continued until opening night with some being replaced during the run of the production. The replacement footwear added expense to my budget not factored in at the start of the production process, but I had enough money remaining in the budget to purchase replacement shoes.

At the same time the ballet flats were being dyed, work on the Ass’ head continued. For the Ass’ head, I located a paper pattern of a horse’s head I decided to use as a base for the mask. I had already tried creating it out of wire in a free form and found it was not structurally sound. After assembling the paper mask, my next step was to place it on the actor’s head to ensure it would fit. On October 3, 2019, I visited the Jerome

Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute to view the horse head masks from the original Broadway production of Equus. I was looking at their structure, and at the materials used in construction. I discovered the Equus masks were made from wicker.

In order for me to create my own design out of wicker I would have had to soak the wicker, manipulate it into the form I wanted and let it dry. This was not possible to be accomplished if the wicker was treated. I tried to locate non-treated wicker to create the

Ass’s head utilizing materials from nearby sources. After sourcing Jo-Ann Stores, Hobby

Lobby, Michaels, Blick Art, A.C. Moore Arts and Crafts, and Pat Catan stores in the

Columbus, Ohio area, I discovered all the wicker in stock at these stores were treated.

Ordering online was not an option since shipping time would not get the wicker available 88

in enough time to create the mask. I consulted with Turk on materials, and she suggested using buckram. Buckram is stiff enough, yet if it is steamed, the buckram can be shaped and stretched to the size needed. This was when the magic began in creating the mask. I had located a paper pattern for a horse/unicorn mask. By using buckram, the material was manipulated to create a head shape more anatomically correct. The pattern pieces of the paper pattern were cut out of buckram, and then the pieces were hand-stitched together.

At every seamline, millinery wire was stitched to provide structure and support. When the cheeks and nose were sewn together, the buckram was stretched to suggest an ass head rather than a horse head. After I had completely sewn the head together, Jensen

Glick spray painted it grey. I then added a strip of fabric serving as the base for the mane.

The mane consisted of a combination of yarns, rope and ribbons. The eyes were made from blue jeweled buttons and leaves. A headband and elastic strips were sewn inside the

Ass head to provide a way for it to stay on the actor’s head. By using elastic, it allowed the actor to easily adjust the mask and for Puck to remove the mask from Bottom’s head during the performances.

A designer stumble-through rehearsal took place on October 16, 2019. At this rehearsal, the design team attended to gain a visual for the production and to meet with the director to ask any questions they might have. I was at the designer stumble-through and after watching the run and speaking with McClatchy, we decided Demetrius would no longer be wearing a three-piece suit as it did not make the story line flow with him getting into a completely new costume. I noticed Quince was holding a picture frame when the rude mechanicals believed Bottom had died. I asked McClatchy about the 89

frame. McClatchy informed me he would like a photograph of Bottom in the frame

Quince would be holding. Sikora and I discussed how we might collaborate in supplying costumes for the actor playing Bottom to wear for a photograph to be taken. On October

31, 2019, crew watch occurred where the backstage crew became familiar with the play during an onstage rehearsal. No costumes were worn, and the rehearsal occurred in the theatre space where the show was to be performed.

Throughout the various rehearsals, many changes are made in costuming. Fairy wings, Pyramus’ armor and the Ass head received minor changes. The week before the first dress rehearsal, I had a meeting with McClatchy and Sims because McClatchy did not desire wigs on the fairies. He thought the wigs would be overpowering. My original design McClatchy approved had the fairies in colored wigs. Both Kearney and I felt to make a major decision of cutting the fairy wigs needed to be done after seeing them on stage under the stage lights. By seeing them in this environment, the directors and I could see the overall view of how the wigs would be seen. During the first dress rehearsal, the fairies wore their wigs. The total wig count for the production was nineteen at the first dress rehearsal. After the first dress rehearsal, McClatchy and I decided the fairies would no longer wear wigs; therefore, the wig count was reduced to three including Hermia,

Helena and Flute as Thisbe. During the technical rehearsal before first dress, McClatchy decided Pyramus’ armor needed to be changed from a rectangular to an oval shape to allow the actor more freedom of movement. Belsky then cut the board into an oval shape.

For technical rehearsal, the Ass head was not finished but was complete enough to be worn on stage. The mask still needed two sections patched on the head by the ears, 90

additional ribbons and yarns sewn to the mane and chin as well as the jeweled button eyes. These additions were completed the next day. Another addition I made before first dress was adding boxer shorts to Thisbe’s costume. The boxers chosen were white with big red hearts. I had limited the number of people who knew about it, so it would to be a surprise to the directors, designers, and other individuals in the theatre watching the dress rehearsal. When the actor fell to the floor as if he died and revealed the boxers, the result was a big laugh from the directors and crew. This let me know this type of humor definitely hit home.

A series of changes and additions were made throughout the rehearsal process.

Puck and the named fairies wore specialty makeup coordinated in color with their costumes. The specialty makeup was speckled on with a stippling sponge, and an application of coordinating glitter sparkled when stage lighting was shown on the actor’s face. The look was a representation of the sun shining on liquid in the forest. I decided to add a final touch by placing coordinating flowers in the hair of Peaseblossom, Cobweb,

Mustardseed and Moth. These same flowers were found in Titania’s garland headpiece to connect her to her fairies. Puck’s wig was cut, and I decided to add ivy to the actor’s hair.

Titania and Oberon both had the same greenery in their headdresses to connect the two characters together. Another way Oberon and Titania were connected was through the fabric used to attach her wing to her arm. This same fabric could be seen on Oberon’s headpiece and crisscrossed on his chest.

In November 2019, things were beginning to wrap up in the costume studio as first dress rehearsal was rapidly approaching. This rehearsal is wherein the actors wear all their costume pieces for the first time while rehearsing the show. The only time the production would hold is if there was a wardrobe quick change not happening in time.

The scene would be reset and redone to give the wardrobe crew time to practice the quick change again. A quick change is when an actor has to change costumes quickly and needs assistance. Costumes pieces are usually rigged with snaps, Velcro or other items to make the change happen expediently. The quick changes went well except the change into the hunting scene. Adjustments were made to have the men wear their tux shirts in this scene as the vests obscured the pleats in the front of the shirt. For Hippolyta, adjustments were made on how her hair was to be worn and the wardrobe crew working the change increased speed to get Hippolyta out on stage on time.

The production opened on November 15, 2019. The performance on November

22, 2019, was alumni night. Before the alumni night performance, a reception was held which both Sikora and I attended. We were able to talk with alumni and answer any questions they might have about the production they were about to see. At the reception I had six renderings on display for alumni to view. A summary for the production shows how costuming changed. At the beginning of the Autumn semester, I counted nineteen wigs and forty-two costumes. By opening night there were three wigs and fifty-one costumes. The production ran for nine performances and closed on November 22, 2019.

On closing night, I assisted the wardrobe crew in striking the production. Strike occurs as the theatre crew members restore the theatre, and the wardrobe crew collects the 92

costumes to be cleaned and restocked. Additionally, the wardrobe crew restores the dressing rooms to the original state before the actors started using the costumes. We organized items to be put back into storage. This process took less than two hours. The next day I went into the studio and finished striking the production. Designing A

Midsummer Night’s Dream was a process where attention to detail is needed to make each design of a costume come together into a cohesive whole. It is a process of rethinking and maybe redoing from initial design through the final performance. When the final design aligns with the play, the actors and the audience, it is a magical vision.

Chapter 5: An Evaluation of the Design

My endeavor to design costumes for A Midsummer Night’s Dream and then see them onstage at performances was a journey with many twists and turns. McClatchy’s decision to place the setting in the 1920’s made the costume design open to numerous interpretations. This play presented an opportunity for me to have new learning experiences. Projects do not always go as planned, but a great outcome is always possible.

One great accomplishment was the ice dyeing of the fabric for the fairies. Each fairy costume was in a different color associated with the forest setting. The ice dyeing brought the creative color scheme of the play together, and the beauty of the colors onstage engaged the audience. I believe that knowledge of craftwork such as ice dyeing is important for costumes to have unique, added parts illuminating each character.

My costuming of the rude mechanicals to represent the working class in the middle 1920s was a simple process. The clothing is still sold today in denim and twill fabric by brands such as Dickie’s. When the rude mechanicals were costumed for

Pyramus and Thisbe, the needed items were readily available for the character to look like lower-class workmen who were costuming themselves. Onstage they looked like a group of related individuals from the fabric and colors of their costumes. Since the look 94

of the working attire can be found today, the rude mechanicals were easily understood as reflecting the working-class.

I am especially proud regarding how the costumes the lovers wore for their romp in the woods came together. Hermia and Helena were wearing underwear of different shapes popular in the 1920s. These two garments were built from authentic, historical patterns. Hermia’s undergarment pattern was in the costume department inventory, and

Helena’s undergarment pattern was purchased. Demetrius wore a button-up, single piece known as a union suit. This undergarment was appropriate for the setting of the play.

Union suits can easily be found today, although they are not made in the same period style of sleeveless and short legged. To create this period look, a modern union suit was altered. Lysander’s undershirt and boxers fit the time period and were in stock.

Designing the three wedding dresses for Helena, Hermia and Hippolyta provided an enjoyable activity of pulling the dresses, veils, and gloves from costume stock. One of the wedding dresses and its veil was easily adjusted so the actor would not trip. All three brides had distinct ensembles fitting each character and provided beautiful imagery onstage.

I know the success of these costuming situations was owed in part to the large, invaluable inventory of the Ohio State University costume studio. Staying on schedule as well as providing a good working environment was contributed by Associate Professor

Kristine Kearney, Dr. Rebecca Baygents Turk, Jensen Glick, Nadine Spray, and the students in THEATRE 5531: Intermediate Stage Costume Construction and THEATRE

2000.05: Technical Production Practicum: Costuming. The students enjoyed seeing the costumes they worked for the production on the stage, and I was happy about their experience.

Any designer must expect some challenges. Most of them appear from a situation having not been considered as a possibility. Actor perspiration provided a particular challenge. One of the actors perspired profusely between the fight call and performance.

A fight call is where the actors go on the stage before the performance and rehearse their physical movements to ensure their safety and the safety of the other actors. When the action took place, the actor who had to jump on the other actor’s back could not get a grip for their safety. The costume was changed from a sleeveless undershirt to a short-sleeved undershirt to provide a safe place to grip for the safety of both actors.

Another challenge I had never experienced before baffled me. It was the attitude of experienced actors who were overly concerned about how they saw themselves in a costume. The actors did not consider how the costume connected to the character in the play, nor how historical costumes fit differently than modern dress. It took more patience for each fitting, and eventually each actor felt more comfortable in costume.

One of my bigger challenges came from footwear. It was a good idea to have the fairies and the lovers wear ballet flats when they were in their underwear. Ballet flats in skin tones made them look barefoot in the forest. Surprisingly, running and other movements made holes and rips in the ballet flats when they were onstage in the theatre.

One actor had worked with ballet flats for weeks in the rehearsal space with no issues;

however, once the actors moved onstage, the stage floor began to destroy the shoes.

Moving from the rehearsal space to the production stage is when the issues started with the ballet flats. After two days of working on the stage and having the ballet flats torn up, my belief was the stage floor being a major contributing factor to the need of replacement shoes. Although this became an apparent unseen cost, there was money available in the budget to purchase replacement shoes. I learned for future productions that diligence in keeping an eye out on the construction of the stage floor when actors are in dance footwear is necessary.

Another challenge was the basic construction of the Ass’ head. Finding the correct framework materials took some experimentation. Turk suggested a change in materials to buckram, and the project worked. The final, basic construction produced a mask the actor could wear comfortably. It also made possible the addition of a long, flowing mane. Collaboration is a keyword in design for a good reason.

Another notable challenge was the number of costumes needed for the play. For this production the following multiple roles were cast. Theseus and Oberon were played by Jacob Athyal. Rina Hajra played Hippolyta and Titania. Philostrate and First Fairy was played by Dane Morey. Lior Livshits played Snug, Lion and Oberon’s Fairy. Snout,

Wall, and Oberon’s Fairy was played by Mylo Johnson. Ben Teitelbaum played Flute,

Thisbe, and Oberon’s Fairy. Starveling, Moonshine and Oberon’s Fairy were played by

Tony White. L’Nia Blevins played Mustardseed and an Amazon. Peaseblossom and an

Amazon was played by Ashley Linville. Rachael Staley played Cobweb and an Amazon.

To address the challenge of actors playing multiple roles, I created an action chart to track the entrances and exits of the actors. When I noticed an actor was onstage at the same time for both of their roles, I reached out to stage management to confirm. If it was confirmed, I discussed with McClatchy my concerns, and we were able to resolve any issues.

I am a firm believer in spreadsheets and organization. Technology in many forms is an integral part of the theatre and in turn costuming. Computer technology, like spreadsheets, is useful for the organization of costumes, actor information and budget.

Communication with others through cloud sharing services is useful when communicating what an actor is to wear and when they wear it, design ideas, presentations and costume renderings. With technological advancements, the ability to immediately communicate with others has become more readily available.

Regardless of the costume design do-over-and-try-again situations, I think the costume designs were successful for this production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

The costumes supported the themes of the play and its characters. The actors were free to safely make necessary movements, and there were no costume mishaps. Design color schemes made a connection between character groups and followed the clothing styles of the 1920s to be an artistic success. This success was possible with attention to detail and collaboration of everyone working together to make it a great experience and play production.

Bibliography

1920s Fashions from B. Altman & Company. Dover Publications, Inc., 1999.

“A Midsummer Night's Dream: Happening @ Michigan.” Arb Ambassadors Pres. A

Midsummer Night's Dream, University of Michigan, Sept. 2015,

events.umich.edu/event/23978.

Alas, Horus. “Review: An Ethereal, Gender-Bent 'Midsummer Night's Dream'.” The

Writer's Bloc, University of Maryland’s Jiménez-Porter Writers' House Magazine,

22 Nov. 2015, umdwritersbloc.com/2015/11/22/review-an-ethereal-gender-bent-

midsummer-nights-dream/.

Blum, Stella, editor. Everyday Fashions of the Twenties: As Pictured in Sears and Other

Catalogs. Dover Publications, Inc., 1981.

Cole, David. Survey of U.S. Army: Uniforms, Weapons and Accoutrements. U.S. Army,

Nov. 2007, https://history.army.mil/html/museums/uniforms/survey_uwa.pdf.

Collins, Neil. “Art Deco.” Art Deco Design Style: Origins, History, Characteristics,

www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/art-deco.htm.

Herald, Jacqueline. Fashions of a Decade: The 1920s. Edited by Valerie Cumming and

Elane Feldman, Facts on File, 1991.

Huaixiang, Tan. Costume Craftwork on a Budget: Clothing, 3-D Makeup, Wigs, Millinery

& Accessories. Elsevier Inc., 2007.

Kendall, Tracy. The Fabric & Yarn Dyer's Handbook. Collins & Brown Limited, 2001.

Laubner, Ellie. Fashions of the Roaring '20s. Schiffer Publishing, 1996.

Millard, Sondra L. Having a Meltdown! Ice Dyeing Artisan Fabrics for Quilting.

Outskirts Press, Inc., 2016.

No Fear Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream. Spark Publishing, 2003.

Nye, Logan. “See the Uniforms and Kit that Armies Took to War in

1914.” Military.com, 19 Nov. 2018,

https://www.military.com/undertheradar/2018/11/19/see-uniforms-and-kit-armies-

took-war-1914.html.

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Olian, JoAnne, editor. Montgomery Ward Fashions of the Twenties. Dover Publications,

Inc., 2010.

“Puck (Folklore).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Mar. 2020,

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puck_(folklore).

Robinson, Michael, and Rosalind Ormiston. Art Deco: The Golden Age of Graphic Art &

Illustration. Flame Tree Publishing Limited, 2008.

Sessions, Debbie. “1920s Evening Gowns by Year.” Vintage Dancer, 9 July 2013,

https://vintagedancer.com/1920s/1920s-evening-dresses-history/.

Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night's Dream. Edited by Mario DiGangi, Barnes

& Noble, 2007.

Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night's Dream. Edited by Barbara A. Mowat and

Paul Werstine, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2009.

Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night's Dream. Edited by Peter Holland, Clarendon

Press, 1994.

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Swain, Marianka. “A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare's Globe.” A Midsummer

Night's Dream, Shakespeare's Globe - 2016 Review, The Arts Desk, 6 May 2016,

theartsdesk.com/theatre/midsummer-nights-dream-shakespeares-globe-0.

Villancourt, Juliette. “1920s Women: Women and the Beginning of World War

1.” Sutori, Aug. 2019, https://www.sutori.com/story/1920s-women-

MeuftjQHf9akmWwDb1mgZ14v.

“World War 1 Uniforms.” History of American Wars, 2014, http://www.history-of-

american-wars.com/world-war-1-uniforms.html.

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Appendix A. Director’s Concept

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Director’s Statement A Midsummer Night’s Dream By William Shakespeare

Kevin McClatchy March 2019

Dialectic Tensions Love/Hate Reality/Fantasy Freedom/Oppression Sanity/Madness Mortal/Supernatural Power/Subjugation Physical/Ethereal Night/Day Magic/Sensible Jealousy/Support Self-Respect/Self-Loathing Empowerment/Denial

(** A Proviso: Unlike other directional documents I’ve generated in the past, this one will have a distinctly loose-limbed, kitchen-sink tenor to it. Due to myriad factors of timing and priorities, the degree of research and textual analysis has not progressed beyond an exploratory phase. I see this as an unexpected opportunity to deepen the collaborative conversation with the production design team.)

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (subsequently referred to as Midsummer) is arguably Shakespeare’s best-known and most beloved comedy. The task facing any director helming a production is finding the balance of invigorating (and trusting) a dauntingly familiar text while avoiding the trap of cleverness for the sake of newness. Above all, though, is the absolute necessity of communicating the beauty, rhythm and clarity of the language with full commitment and intent — and accomplishing this in a way that is enhanced, illuminated and enlivened by the production design. In the end, the single dominant characteristic that makes Shakespeare’s work distinctively Shakespearean is the language. 104

As such, I have entertained a number of possible interpretations that included specific time periods. Each had it’s moments of dazzling possibility but ultimately felt like a shoehorning; a gimmick; a compromise. This may stem, in part, from the last professional production of Midsummer I saw — at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2016. While visually inventive and arresting, it was surprisingly short on magic, laughter, enchantment and emotional resonance. Watching that production, I realized that Midsummer had a few demands that any production must fulfill:

— It must transport the audience vividly to the Athenian court (or its proxy), the Athenian wood (or its proxy), Titania’s bower and the meeting place of the mechanicals, the amateur acting troupe.

— It must compel a contemporary audience to engage and identify with the immediacy of the language and the universality of the specific complications, calamities and reconciliations of the characters.

— It must be funny.

— And a little risky

— And a little dangerous.

Midsummer is commonly perceived as a theatrical confection — a benign romp about fairies wreaking good-natured havoc on mortals and, in the case of Titania, one of their own. Indeed, it is a play about fairies but it is a complex, often satirical take on the vagaries of desire, sex, power and, ultimately, love and freedom. Midsummer has certain elements that contain undercurrents of danger, desperation, violence and oppression. Hippolyta is the conquered queen of the Amazons and betrothed to Theseus as part of the spoils of his victory. Demetrius threatens to leave Helena “to the mercy of the wild beasts” or “do thee mischief in the wood.” Puck, that “merry wanderer of the night” was understood by Elizabethan audiences to be potentially more than simply a mischievous prankster — one who could carry genuine menace and erotic danger.

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There is also jealousy in the forest — the “green-eyed monster” Shakespeare describes in Othello nearly ten years after Midsummer. Each of the four lovers — Hermia, Lysander, Helena and Demetrius — spend time in jealous fits of one kind or another. The “forgeries of jealousy” drive the fierce marital disturbance between Oberon and Titania — a rift that has convulsed the weather and disrupted the seasons, causing relentless rains, massive flooding, pervasive fog, and plague-like disease.

This loads the color green with a potentially interesting double meaning for today’s audiences. From the extreme meteorological chaos in Midsummer to the unprecedented year-long spell of wet weather Elizabethans endured in 1594-95 to the polar vortexes, bomb cyclones and historic flooding we witness today, the issue of the volatility of nature remains an urgent and fascinating one.

Midsummer is generally agreed to have been written in 1595-96, at a time when England was embroiled in an Irish rebellion, a seemingly constant threat from Spain and a growing concern about who would become heir to the throne of the childless Elizabeth I. A significant demographic shift had also been taking place. People were migrating from the country to the city to gain employment following the toll of plague on the work forces of urban populations. Cities expanded, the price of food skyrocketed and life became a different kind of struggle. Forests and dense woodlands became symbols of a purer, “greener” existence — far from the terror of plague and the grime of industry.

In Midsummer, the forest becomes the place where inhibitions evaporate, desires and feelings can turn on a dime, at the whim of forces beyond one’s control. Characters see and feel dreams as “real,” and “reality” seems like a fleeting reverie. The madness of overwhelming and nimbly shifting love infects those who dwell in the forest — from the young mortal lovers to the fairy queen Titania. Indeed, it is left to Bottom, the weaver and amateur actor, to sum up the proceedings while in the amorous crosshairs of Titania and sporting the head of an ass, “And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together now-a-days” (Act III Scene One).

This madness is akin to a chemical imbalance and is a potent theme (some say an obsession, even) for Shakespeare, who would return to it in As You Like It (1599), with Rosalind declaring, “Love is merely a madness and, I tell you, deserves as well a dark

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house and a whip as madmen do” (Act III Scene 2) and again in Twelfth Night (1600) when Olivia describes Malvolio’s obsession with her, “Why, this is very midsummer madness.” (Act III Scene 4).

In Midsummer, however, a satirical bent follows the characters throughout. Things are only righted when magic is used. The love juice applied by Puck to Lysander and Demetrius is ultimately removed from Lysander but not Demetrius. Therefore, Demetrius is still at the mercy of magic when he heads to the palace to wed Helena. One has to wonder what is it that drives Helena to say yes to Demetrius. Is love the real antidote or is it marriage? Or is the ending a dose of satire about marriage? It is an interesting question for us to consider. Shakespeare could not have been more aware that, Elizabeth I, his queen — and at who’s pleasure he and the Chamberlain’s Men performed — steadfastly refused marriage throughout her life and saw herself as wedded only to England.

The mechanicals — the amateur acting troupe — are also a vehicle for Shakespeare’s satire. Midsummer is the only play in which we see the play-within-a-play actually being rehearsed. This allows for a great deal of comedy at the expense of actors and theatrical pursuits and builds momentum toward the final performance the troupe gives of Pyramus and Thisbe.

Seemingly overseeing all of the proceedings is the moon — and all its light, its power, its shadows and its enchantment. The moon is mentioned fifty-three times in Midsummer. The next closest in Shakespeare is The Tempest, with twelve mentions. The moon pervades every encounter — from the opening scene between Theseus and Hippolyta right on through to the performance of Pyramus and Thisbe at the wedding celebration in the castle. Especially in the forest, on this midsummer night, the light of the moon exposes all the madness and whiplash emotion of love as well as the rash and foolish behavior it unleashes.

All of this is to say — admittedly in a patchwork and shorthand way — that Midsummer offers much more opportunity for emotional resonance than is often sought and excavated in production. If unearthed, this emotional resonance will only deepen and carbonate the comedy inherent in the structure of the play.

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So how do we go about doing all that?

Production Thoughts At this stage of the game, I am in an unfamiliar but exciting position. I have yet to do sufficient research or textual analysis to come to many concrete decisions; however, that opens up a vital opportunity, particularly given our academic setting. This situation allows for a level of collaboration and conversation with production design artists that may not have taken place otherwise.

Here is what I think I know to date (and is subject to alteration or outright change):

I had flirted with specific time periods and locations but I don’t know that they are entirely necessary. Shakespeare seemingly had no qualms with mixing Greek legend and mythology with undeniably Elizabethan mechanicals. At the same time, I think considering influences can be very potent while allowing the language and the universal and timeless themes in Midsummer to carry the day.

For example, the 1920s are an intriguing vein to mine for this play. It was a time of global transformation:

— Europe was essentially redrawn after World War I, never to be the same — Women in a number of countries became more educated, emancipated socially and entered the work force with zeal as men were sent off to the front — War itself had changed irrevocably with World War I, becoming mechanized in a way that allowed one to die as if by magic, never seeing who or where that death came from. — The spectre of that new warfare, and the feat of surviving it, brought a deep desire for abandon and excitement. — Prohibition hit the US, giving rise to speakeasies and absinthe dens (interestingly, absinthe was reputed to be a hallucinogen and was known as the “green fairy”) — Jazz — with Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and King Oliver leading the way — exploded — Old money, aristocracy and class divisions persisted — Greece sat poised between the Great War and a civil war, on the brink of dismantling a monarchy 108

— Surrealism emerged to share the world’s canvas with Gustav Klimt, Georgia O’Keeffe and Henri Matisse

This is just one vivid example and not necessarily a prescription. Again, much of this document is driven more by initial impulse than extensive textual analysis and in-depth research. So the opportunity for an exchange of ideas exists in full. Something I am quite certain about — and that carries scenic and costume implications — is that Theseus is a war veteran and Hippolyta is, to one degree or another, a captive bride-to-be. Egeus is also a veteran and a trusted confidant to Theseus. I think Demetrius is a veteran as well. It would explain clearly why Egeus favors him over Lysander, who did not serve in the war. As such, I believe that the framing device for this production just might be Hippolyta’s dream life: in her need to escape the essentially forced marriage she faces — at least to the realm of her dreams—, Hippolyta launches herself, those in her life and the audience into the magical world of the forest where little is as it seems and anything can change at a moment’s notice.

In conjunction with this parallel dream life of Hippolyta, I believe we will be doubling the following roles:

Theseus/Oberon Hippolyta/Titania Philostrate/Puck Egeus/Bottom

In addition, we will cast 6-8 ensemble members who will double as members of the court and magical inhabitants of the forest.

In terms of scenic design, I am very interested to see how vividly and efficiently we can conjure the military opulence and angularity of the court; the rich, moonlit magic, shadows and danger of the forest; the spectacle of Titania’s bower; and the lower-class vibe of the tavern the mechanicals meet in (as opposed to Quince’s house, as the script suggests).

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Again, I have thrown the 1920s into the arena but I also am open to inspirational insights from the design team. Do you feel that classically castle-esque furniture/interior is more evocative? More effectively timeless?

This production will be intensely physical — hopefully a combustible mix of fully realized text, challenging choreography and stage combat, and original and adapted music generated (as much as possible) by the cast. I am interested in the possibility of collaborating with the Department of Dance and the School of music to come up with original content both physically and musically.

And since we are in the Thurber, the use of levels and depth seems particularly exciting. I wonder what the possibilities would be of extending some of our design elements beyond the proscenium boundaries. I admittedly have no idea what that would look like. The notion of it, the immersion of it, sounds interesting to me.

I also am intrigued by the possibility of somehow glimpsing the entrance to — or suggestion of — the magical forest in the opening scenes at court. I envision this production to be a sumptuous, charged and careening romp that must earn its respites. I believe we should try to perform this play without an intermission. Once the machinations of the plot lurch into gear, we need to live by our emotional, textual and comedic wits, so to speak.

In terms of lighting design, a necessity of this production will be a certain quicksilver kind of transition between locales as well as in the feeling and seeing of each scene. The fact that the fairies are referred to as “shadows” multiple times in the text is something I think is interesting to explore. Also interesting are the numerous mentions of moonlight and its effect on the proceedings. Just how does the moon and its light infiltrate, insinuate and orchestrate the events? In the same breath, though — is there room for bursts of unexpected showers of color?

What are the various uses, I wonder, of green, as referenced earlier?

Regarding the costume design, Theseus, Egeus and Demetrius are military combat veterans (or possibly still technically active.) I would like to find an elegant way of 110

clearly communicating that. Hippolyta is a trophy fiancée of the most original and potentially combustible kind. What does the Queen of the Amazons look like in this scenario?

It would be fantastic to have the option of a couple of light layers for the four young lovers — as they could potentially shed some clothing as their inhibitions disappear in the forest. Clearly, this would mean tasteful and appropriate undergarments, should we go that direction. Other than that, I don’t currently have a strong impulse about the style of their clothing.

As for the fairy world — I do see a difference between Oberon’s delegation and Titania’s. There is great strength and magic in both. Oberon and Puck suggest to me a more primal, animal and potentially explosive vibe. Puck’s gender — or, possibly, androgyny — is also entirely up in the air and dependent on casting. Again, I am open to inspiration on that front.

Titania and her train feel like the apex of the mix of the primal and the ethereal — Titania seems utterly formidable and capable of anything, yet I keep seeing a Gustav Klimt painting come to vivid life somehow — with a sleight-of-hand Elizabethan touch somewhere.

The mechanicals — a source of insider satire for Shakespeare — seem to want to lean toward the working-man clothes of theatre tradesmen. Each of their occupations were actually necessary for the execution of a play in Elizabethan theatre. This doesn’t mean their clothes have to be Elizabethan but possibly have some connection to the theatre builders. As for their costumes for Pyramus and Thisbe, we can talk about the possibility of the amateur actors having access to some old costumes from past productions of the play or maybe they fashion the costumes from desperately assembled found objects.

The possibilities of sound design are expansive. What is the sound of the magical forest? How much of it is mischievous enchantment or transformative desire and love or genuine menace, chaos and foreboding? I do think the evidence of climate calamity that Titania details can exist is some way right from the beginning. It would seem odd not to have any aural or lighting references to that which she describes in great length. I welcome a

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conversation about the sound design of the world of the mechanicals and the court as well.

The time period is essentially — and I’m not trying to be opaque or precious about this — timeless. I would like to resist the temptation to set the play in a specific time period. The play, with its Greek mythology and English folklore and Elizabethan surnames, seems to want a degree of interpretation, a degree of specific elusiveness. Of course, the last thing I want is to confuse the audience so how we do that in a way that is unifying and in service of the story is one element I look forward to discovering and clarifying together with the design team.

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Appendix B. Costume Plot

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Appendix C. Research and Preliminary Sketches

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Appendix D. Final Renderings

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Plate 1: Costume Rendering of Hippolyta for Top of Show

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Plate 2: Costume Rendering of Hippolyta for Hunting Scene

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Plate 3: Costume Rendering of Hippolyta in Her Wedding Dress

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Plate 4: Costume Rendering of Amazons 140

Plate 5: Costume Rendering of Theseus for Top of Show

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Plate 6: Costume Rendering of Theseus for Hunting Scene 142

Plate 7: Costume Rendering of Theseus for Wedding Scene

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Plate 8: Costume Rendering of Egeus for Top of Show

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Plate 9: Costume Rendering of Egeus for Hunting Scene

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Plate 10: Costume Rendering of Egeus for Wedding Scene

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Plate 11: Costume Rendering of Philostrate for Top of Show

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Plate 12: Costume Rendering of Philostrate for Hunting Scene

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Plate 13: Costume Rendering of Philostrate for Wedding Scene

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Plate 14: Costume Rendering of Demetrius for Top of Show

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Plate 15: Costume Rendering of Demetrius in Undergarments

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Plate 16: Costume Rendering of Demetrius for Wedding Scene

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Plate 17: Costume Rendering of Lysander for Top of Show

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Plate 18: Costume Rendering of Lysander in Undergarments

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Plate 19: Costume Rendering of Lysander for Wedding Scene

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Plate 20: Costume Rendering of Helena in Day Dress

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Plate 21: Costume Rendering of Helena in Undergarments

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Plate 22: Costume Rendering of Helena for Wedding Scene

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Plate 23: Costume Rendering of Hermia in Day Dress

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Plate 24: Costume Rendering of Hermia in Undergarments

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Plate 25: Costume Rendering of Hermia for Wedding Scene

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Plate 26: Costume Rendering of Quince and Quince as Prologue

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Plate 27: Costume Rendering of Bottom and Bottom as Pyramus

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Plate 28: Costume Rendering of Flute and Flute as Thisbe

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Plate 29: Costume Rendering of Snout and Snout as Wall

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Plate 30: Costume Rendering of Snug and Snug as Lion

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Plate 31: Costume Rendering of Starveling and Starveling as Moonshine

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Plate 32: Costume Rendering of Ass’ Head 168

Plate 33: Costume Rendering of Oberon

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Plate 34: Costume Rendering of Puck

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Plate 35: Costume Rendering of Titania

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Plate 36: Costume Rendering of Peaseblossom

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Plate 37: Costume Rendering of Cobweb

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Plate 38: Costume Rendering of Mustardseed

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Plate 39: Costume Rendering of Moth

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Plate 40: Costume Rendering of First Fairy

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Appendix E: Production Photographs

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Production Photograph 1: Amazons Versus Athenians

Production Photograph 2: Athenians Versus Amazons

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Production Photograph 3: Lysander, Demetrius, Hermia, Helena,

Theseus, Egeus, Hippolyta

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Production Photograph 4: Puck’s Final Speech

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Production Photograph 5: Puck’s Final Speech

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Production Photograph 6: Helena, Puck, Lysander, Demetrius, Oberon, Hermia

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Production Photograph 7: Demetrius, Puck, Hermia, Helena, Lysander

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Production Photograph 8: Bottom and Quince

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Production Photograph 9: Flute, Starveling and Snout

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Production Photograph 10: Quince, Bottom, Snug, Snout, Flute, and Starveling

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Production Photograph 11: Flute, Quince, Puck, Bottom with Ass’ Head, Snug, and Snout

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Production Photograph 12: Flute, Bottom with Ass’ Head, Puck, Snug, Snout

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Production Photograph 13: Lysander, Hermia, Helena, Demetrius, Moonshine, Thisbe,

Wall, Pyramus, Lion, Prologue, Egeus, Philostrate, Theseus, Hippolyta

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Production Photograph 14: Moonshine, Thisbe, Wall, Pyramus, Lion, Prologue

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Production Photograph 15: Moth, Cobweb, Titania, Peaseblossom, Mustardseed, First Fairy

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Production Photograph 16: Titania and Bottom in Ass’ Head

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Production Photograph 17: Moth, Cobweb, Titania, First Fairy, Mustardseed, Peaseblossom

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Production Photograph 18: Moth, Cobweb, Titania, Peaseblossom, Mustardseed

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Production Photograph 19: Puck and First Fairy

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Production Photograph 20: Oberon and Puck

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Production Photograph 21: Puck

Production Photograph 22: Oberon and His Fairies, Titania and Her Fairies

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Production Photograph 23: Oberon and His Fairies, Titania and Her Fairies

Production Photograph 24: Oberon and His Fairies, Titania and Her Fairies

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Production Photograph 25: Oberon and Titania

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