Introduction

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS THE OLIVE WONG PROJECT PERFORMANCE COSTUME DESIGN RESEARCH GUIDE INTRODUCTION COSTUME DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE WRITTEN AND EDITED BY AILEEN ABERCROMBIE The New York Public Library for the Perform- newspapers, sketches, lithographs, poster art ing Arts, located in Lincoln Center Plaza, is and photographs. In this introduction, I will nestled between four of the most infuential share with you some of Olive’s selections from performing arts buildings in New York City: the NYPL collection. Avery Fisher Hall, Te Metropolitan Opera, the Vivian Beaumont Teater (home to the Lincoln There are typically two ways to discuss cos- Center Teater), and David H. Koch Teater. tume design: “manner of dress” and “the history Te library matches its illustrious location with of costume design”. “Manner of dress” contextu- one of the largest collections of material per- alizes the way people dress in their time period taining to the performing arts in the world. due to environment, gender, position, economic constraints and attitude. Tis is essentially the The library catalogs the history of the perform- anthropological approach to costume design. ing arts through collections acquired by notable Others study “the history of costume design”, photographers, directors, designers, perform- examining the way costume designers interpret ers, composers, and patrons. Here in NYC the the manner of dress in their time period: where so many artists live and work we have the history of the profession and the profession- an opportunity, through the library, to hear als. Tis discussion also talks about costume sound recording of early flms, to see shows designers’ backstory, their process, their that closed on Broadway years ago, and get to relationships and their work. know the work of artists who dominated their eras long before ours. Te library has material In the subsequent chapters, I introduce a dis- dating back as far as the 16th century. For more course that focuses on specifc costume de- than a decade the library has been working tire- signers to give insight into and context for the lessly to make never-before-seen photographs designer’s work and how this discussion afects and documents available on its website. the feld of costume design. New York Public Library’s costume collections include collections that represent the lifelong accumulations The Library frst contacted me to write and of the designs and papers of esteemed design- curate the “Performance Costume Design ers. Tese collections show the intimate process Research Guide,” originally envisaged by Olive of life as an artist, the relationships that afect Wong. Olive was an esteemed member of the their work, and the process of worldbuilding library staf who had started the guide several and storytelling that is the work of a designer. years ago. Her dream was to create an online In the research guide, I will focus on the history guide for costume designers that utilized the of costume design as a profession, which will library’s vast resources for research and allow us to delve into the technical aspects of education about the feld. Unfortunately, her costume design, focusing on process and pro- project was cut short by her death in 2012. fessionals. Her colleagues and supporters rallied around her dream and generously donated the funds to continue Wong’s work post mortem. Olive collected various images of costumes and traditional dress used in performances from around the world. She included clippings from Costume Designers collaborate with an unusu- mon to start a job and meet all new people, but ally diverse array of professionals from other it is just as common for collaborators to work disciplines during any given project. Depend- together again and again. Some directors and ing on the source material, a costume designer costume designers form lasting working re- may interview or shadow police ofcers or lationships and in doing so create some truly religious leaders to learn customs and “the memorable silver screen and stage moments: manner of dress” of that group in that demo- Edith Head and Alfred Hitchcock for “Vertigo” graphic. Other designers will do extensive and “Notorious;” Milena Canonero with Stan- research, looking at paintings, photographs, ley Kubrick for “Clockwork Orange,” “Barry newsreels, coins, period clothing, art, architec- Lyndon” and “Te Shining” and Wes Anderson ture, and reading historical non-fction to learn for “Te Life Aquatic of Steve Zissou” and “Te the subject matter and the material. Grand Budapest Hotel;’ Ann Roth and Mike Nichols for two dozen collaborations including “Death of a Salesman”; Irene Sharaf and Walter But beyond all the people a costume designer Lang for “Call Me Madam” and “King and I.” will meet during the research and development When putting together a show, the success of phase, there are two main creative groups that layering the language of the project is ofen a a costume designer works closely with for the refection of the core relationships that a de- duration of the technical and creative process. signer has with the director and creative teams. Te external group consists of the director, the Tese successes make the shows and flms we actors, the production designer (set designer in the audience can immerse ourselves in, relate to theater), the director of photography (lighting and love, visual stories that become our stories designer in theater), and the visual efects de- because they speak to human truth and our signer, all of whom are leading their own teams imaginations. toward the language of the project. Te inter- nal group is led by the costume designer and usually made up of: costume design assistants This guide uses the vast collections of the who research the period of the narrative, source New York Public Library for the Performing garments, accessories and raw materials as well Arts to introduce illustrious designers who as manage the budget; the drapers, tailors and have impacted the hundred-year history of the dressmakers who create garments; milliners, profession of costume design, and to show the jewelry designers and shoe makers who build interconnected relationships of mentors, collab- the shoes and accessories, agers and dyers who orators, and students who have infuenced their distress and age the costumes for a precise work. fnish and the wardrobe team that dresses and tracks the continuity of the project. Ten there is the hair and makeup designers (wig designer in theater) who lead their own teams but work closely with the costume designer to complete the look with the appropriate hair and make-up for the character and costume. Because the entertainment business is made of a network of freelance contractors, it is com- CLIPPINGS CARTOONS SCRAPBOOKS ADVERTISEMENTS POSTERS FROM TOP: HIRSCHFELD © AL HIRSCHFELD FOUNDATION OF “MY FAIR LADY.” MANNING HALL CARICATURE OF THE CAST OF “TOO MANY GIRLS” IN NEW YORK DAILY MIRROR 11/22/1939. HAR- RY HANDCUFF HOUDINI: THE JAIL BREAKER. 1900-1906. HELEN FORD IN THE MUSICAL COMEDY “PEGGY ANN” 1928. BILLIE BURKE SCRAPBOOK COMPILED BY ROBINSON LOCKE, 1870-1920. PHOTOGRAPHS FROM TOP THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY COLLECTION: MARY MARTIN “LUTE SONG”, 1968. VASLAV NIJINSKY WITH LEON BAKST, SERGE DIAGHILEV AND TWO LADY FRIENDS. BILLY ROSE PORTRAIT 1935-1940. NICHOLAS BROTHERS. ISADORA DUNCAN AND HER PUPILS, IN THEBES, GREECE, 1920. ALVIN AILEY, NATHANIEL HORNE AND MINNIE MARSHALL IN THIS DANCE FROM ALVIN AILEY’S BLUES SUITE, 1958. “ANDROCLES AND THE LION”, 1929. BEN ASTAR AND ELAINE STRITCH IN “ON YOUR TOES”, 1954. LITHOGRAPHS & ENGRAVINGS FROM TOP: AUGUSTE LAMY DRAWING OF A PRODUCTION OG “CARMEN”, 1875 PRODUCTION. CARLO BLASIS, 1850-1860. MARIE ANNE DE CUPIS DE CAMARGO, 1710-1770. THE NEW YORK PUB- LIC LIBRARY COLLECTION. DRAWINGS CONTEMPORARY DRAWINGS OF PREMIERE OF GILBERT AND SULLIVAN’S PATIENCE IN 1881. THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY COLLECTION. COSTUME RENDERINGS FROM TOP THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY COLLECTION: BORIS ANISFELD COSTUME DESIGN FOR “CARNIVAL”, 1926. JAMES REYNOLDS COSTUME DESIGN FOR “MANCHU MARCHIONESS” 1922. LEON BAKST COSTUM DESIGN FOR “AFTERNOON OF A FAUN”, 1925. MATTHIAS TRENTSENSKY, 1790-1868, COSTUME DESIGNS FOR “WINTER’S TALE.” SET RENDERINGS FROM TOP THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY COLLECTION: “THE ICEMAN COMETH”, FLOORPLANS, SECTIONS AND SET DESIGNS, 1973. DESIGNER HOWARD BAY SET DESIGN FOR “PAL JOEY” 1963 AT N.Y. CITY CENTER. SCORES & MANUSCRIPTS FROM TOP THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY COLLECTION: “BABES IN TOYLAND” ISSUED IN 1903. ILLUSTRATOR JUNIUS CRAVENS “DRIFITNG ALONG WITH THE TIDE” SHEET MUSIC 1921. ILLUS- TRATOR SOL WOHLMAN “THE SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK” 1894-1921. “THE STAR SPANGLED BAN- NER” ISSUED 1814, PUBLISHED BY THOMAS CARR. COMPILER BY STEPHEN JENKS “DELIGHTS OF HARMONY” 1804. THEATRE ON FILM AND TAPE ARCHIVE ANGELA LANSBURY & GEORGE HEARN IN A SCENE FR. THE REPLACE- MENT CAST OF THE BROADWAY MUSICAL “SWEENEY TODD.” ANGE- LA LANSBURY & LEN CARIOU IN A SCENE FR. THE BROADWAY MUSI- CAL “SWEENEY TODD.” The New York Public Library holds a vast catalog of flms, taped performances, taped interviews, and flmed commentary discussing productions. One of the library’s most unique collections is the Teatre on Film and Tape Archive (TOFT) which documents live productions on Broadway, Of-Broadway, and even regional theater giving users the opportunity to watch iconic stage performances as if they were in the front row. ORAL HISTORIES In the Dance Oral History Project the NYPL has collected over 400 interviews of performers, critics, choreographers, composers, actors, their families and friends about the history of dance. Such noteable people to learn about through these archives are Alicia Alonso, Samuel Barber, Clive Barnes, Lucia Chase, Frederic Franklin, David Gordon, Melissa Hayden, Barbara Karinska and many many more. In the Women in Teatre ongoing series, Te League of Professional Teatre Women and the NYPL spent fve years interviewing notable women in theatre including Patti LuPone, Lynne Meadow, Cherry Jones, Willa Kim, Audra McDonald, Angela Lansbury, Jane Greenwood, and countless others, discussing their work and experience in the theatre.

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