Execution of Period Costumes and Accessories for Acting Styles Through Filmed Demonstrations
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The design and execution of period costumes and accessories for acting styles through filmed demonstrations Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Damron, William Nathan, 1944- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 04/10/2021 12:21:56 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/317840 THE DESIGN .AND -EXECUTION OF PERIOD COSTUMES AND ACCESSORIES FOR ACTING STYLES THROUGH FILMED DEMONSTRATIONS by William Nathan Damron, Jr„ A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 19 6 9 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of re quirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his judg ment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholar ship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. APPROVAL BY THESIS.DIRECTOR This thesis has been approved on the date shown below: Helen ¥. Currie' Assistant Professor of Drama ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer wishes to express, his gratitude to Helen W. Currie, Assistant Professor of Drama and Costume Director, for her guidance and encouragement in the preparation of this thesis. Gratitude is also ex pressed to Irene F. Comer, Associate Professor of Drama, for the oppor tunity to design costumes for the films she is directing. And to Rose mary Gipson, Instructor in Drama, for her advice in all of the details on format in a thesis. A note of thanks to Polly Mikkelson for the many hours of hard work spent in the execution of the costumes. TABLE OF CONTENTS . Page J~)TSX OF ILLUSTil.&TIONSe eoooooooooeooeeeeoeeooeeeeeeoeeeeoeeoeeo "X?" ABSTRACT....................................................... -rti 1. COSTUME- AND ACCESSORY REQUIREMENTS FOR FILMS ON PERIOD ' STILE IN AOTUJG TECHNIQUES................................. I 2. COSTUME DESIGNS FOR SERIES I; RESTORATION COMEDY.. 3 General Characteristics of Costume for Men................. 3 General.Charaeteristics of Costume for Women............... 6 C o stume _ -De sr gzi s................o........................... S 3. COSTUME DESIGNS FOR SERIES II: LATE GOTHIC................... 17 General Characteristics of Costume for Men................. 18 General Characteristics of Costume for Women............... 21 Costume Designs.........................e................... 2^# 4. COSTUME DESIGNS FOR SERIES III: ELIZABETHAN................ 32 General Characteristics of Costume for Men................. JZ General Characteristics of Costume for Women............... 35 Costume Designs. 3 7 5. THE PURPOSE OF THE SERIES OF FILMS.................... .... 46 APPENDIX A: PICTURES OF COSTUMES............................. 47 A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY....................................... 54 iv :a LIST OF ILLUSTMTIOETS Figure • Page 10 English Restoration Court Gentleman,11 20 English Restoration Country Gentleman, 12 3, English Restoration Servant to the Country Gentleman,,,,,, 13 4, English Restoration Court Lady,.,.......................... 14 5, English Restoration Country Gentlewoman,15 6, ' English Restoration Servant to the Court L a d y , 16 7, Late Gothic Couirt Gentleman,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, . ^6 S, late Gothic Phddle™Class R h n , 21^ 0, Late Gothic Soldier,, , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2S 10, Late Gothic Court Lady,,,,,,,,,,,,«,,«»,«,SO 11, Late Gothic Middle-Class Gentlewoman,30 12, Late Gothic Camp-Followero,,,,*,,,,,,,,,31 13, Elizabethan Court Gentleman..............................v 40 14, Elizabethan Middle—Class Man..e,,,,,,.,,,,,41 15, Elizabethan Lower-Class M a n . 4^ 16, Eli zabethan Oour u Lady o..,.,,,,.,,.,-,,,.,,.,,,.,,..,,.,,., 43 17, Elizabethan Middle-Class Gentlewoman...................... 44 IS. Elizabethan Lower-Class Woman............................. 45 A-l, English Restoration Court Gentleman (Vernon Statler).....................o.............. 4*S A-2. English Restoration Country Gentleman (Robin L e e 40 A-3. English Restoration Servant to the Country Gentleman (l3i!l Damron, J r . e , ........................ 50 v vi LIST OF ILLUSTRAT IONS— Continued Figure Page A-4« English Restoration Court Lady (Pamela Dudley )eooeeooeoeeeeoeeee'e6eoeeeeeoe»eo6®»o 51 A - 5 o English Restoration Country Gentlewoman (Clatldaa Dee ts )e.o<ioo®»eee0'»eo»eeaeee60oeeeee6eooooo 5^ A-6e English Restoration Servant to the Court Lady (P Oi l y PhldkielS On ^ q. @ e oeeASreeeoee e e o. o e o e "e o 53 ABSTRACT This thesis is concerned with the costume designs for a series of educational films demonstrating period style in acting techniques0 Within it may be found the brief historical background, characteristic features of the mode of dress, description and costume designs for the following periods; Restoration (1660-1700), Late Gothic (1350-1450), and Elizabethan (1550-1625), .CHAPTER I COSTUME AND ACCESSORY REQUIREMENTS FOR FILMS ON PERIOD STYLE IN ACTING TECHNIQUES The project for this thesis was to design costumes and acces sories for three filmed demonstrations on period acting styles„ The director of the series is Miss Irene F. Corner, Associate Professor at the University of Arizona Department of Drama. The films are to be used as a teaching aid to show the manners, customs and movement for period plays. The pertinent eras are; Restoration, Late Gothic and Elizabethan. The accessories were selected and the costumes de signed for each specific period were to present the styles (mode of dress) worn during those eras. Miss Comer requested that each set of designs represent three levels of society. For instance, in the Restoration Comedy film, the following were required: 1. The Court, and/or city bred gentry (male and female). 2. Country-bred gentry (male and female). 3. Servant class (male and female). This format was followed on the other two periods. The requirements of the designs were that the costumes be simple to construct, to allow for a minimum of expense, and that the finished costume allow the actor freedom of movement. The accessories selected by Miss Comer were those most frequently encountered in these particular his torical periods. 2 After many consultations with Miss Comer and Mrs. Helen W. CurrieAssistant Professor and Costume Director at the University of Arizona Department of Drama, the author designed each set of six costumes for the three different periods. The author had to keep in mind, while designing, the practical reproduction of the cos tumes and that film would show the quality of the materials and the details of construction. All of the costumes were designed to illustrate the most outstanding features of the styles worn during each period by all levels of society. Each set of designs is preceded by a short historical back ground, a discussion of the general characteristics of the dress of the period, and a description of the designs. Since the film on Restoration Comedy was the first of the series to be produced an appendix is included. This contains pictures of the costumes as they will appear in the film. CHAPTER 2 COSTUME DESIGNS FOR SERIES Is RESTORATION COMEDY English fashion underwent a radical change when Charles II, in 1660, was restored to the English Throne. He brought with him all of the latest fashions in manners and dress which he had.learned during his stay in France. The English courtiers immediately broke from the drab, unadorned dress of Cromwell’s Puritans and plunged into the extravagant, sparkling world inspired by the French. The nobles of Louis XTF’s court in France and those of Charles I P s court in England were constantly trying to out-do each other with dazzling costumes. However, the French court always seemed to lead the way in the over-abundant use of ribbons, curls, puffs, flounces and feathers. From 1660 to about 1670 the fashion able look was one of studied casualness. For instance, although a fashion able person looked as though he had hurriedly dressed, actually, he had spent hours carefully selecting, puffing, and draping each beribboned article he was wearing. However, this fashion was soon done away with and replaced with a stiffer, more artificial appearance. By the time James II ascended to the English throne this new style had become firmly established and was retained through the reign of William and Mary. General Characteristics df Costume for Men The costume for men in England, from about 1666 to 1690, was one of elegance and formality. The court gentleman always tried to stay in the height.of fashion and all other men, to the lowest servant, followed that fashion. The variations in class were marked by the types or richness of materials used and in the tailoring of the clothes. A gentleman's suit of clothes consisted of a hat, wig, cravat, shirt, vest, coat, breeches,