Dracula's Finished!!!

So it's closing night and I just finished doing a hair for a couple of people. I ended up getting my money a week before opening so I was sewing like crazy, either staying up till 3 in the morning sewing or staying up till 3 in the morning lying in my bed worrying about costumes. So, if you haven't figured it out, taking pictures of construction was the least of my worries. They did turn out beautifully though.

I'll be posting pictures probably sometime tomorrow or at least in the next week. It could take a bit cause my show Once Upon A Mattress opens on Friday and graduation is on Wednesday (Woohoo!). But I will try to get them up as soon as possible.

Bride One's costume (Traditional) Part 1

I've started!!! Here we go!


I decided to use a pattern instead of making my own, since I already had this and it's exactly what I want.

I decided to use this really awesome fabric I have lying around as a contrast on the front panel. I found out it sucks to sew with this fabric.

This is the bodice. Sort of. I still need to do boning, lining, and grommets. I decided not to do side lacings.

Me attempting to put the zipper foot on my sewing machine. I had never done it before. It was extremely confusing as you can see by the expression on my face.

This is the awesome fabric. I have tons of it and I'm thinking I'm going to use some of it for the skirt. As I was taking this picture, I realized what the fabric reminds me of. The lining in coffins. Kind of cool how I'm using it to make a costume for a vampire, huh?

Grr!

So the reason I haven't posted anything about Dracula costumes yet is because nothing has really happened. I mean, I've worked on budget and fine tuning the brides' costumes, but it's really boring so I'm not going into it.

You may be thinking, you slacker, get to work! Don't worry, I'm thinking the same thing. There's this slight problem. I have not received any money. Some of the bride's wish to keep their costume after the show, so they will be supplying the money to buy the fabric and what-nots for their costume, but they have yet to give me anything. I know, I know. Why haven't I gotten to work on the rest of the costumes? Well, I'm renting some things from a local high school, but the drama teacher there has yet to return any emails, texts, or phone calls and I really can't do anything until I check out his stuff first.

Now you see my frustration and why I can't do anything.

WICKED!!!

So last night I got the chance to go see Wicked. AMAZING!!! Merideth Kaye Clark was Elphaba, Katie Rose Clarke was Glinda, Lenny Wolpe was the Wizard, and the amazingly gorgeous Richard H. Blake was Fiyero. It was my second time seeing it and I still hyperventilated during Defying Gravity. I so want to go see it again.

My hair looks all stringy cause it was raining, but who cares?! Richard H. Blake put his arm around me!!

Another cool thing was after the show, I waited at the stage door and was able to take pictures with a lot of the cast. Unfortunately, Katie Rose Clarke slipped past unnoticed, which was really dissapointing. I'm absolutely in love with her. She was amazing in Light In The Piazza. I'm still on a high from the show. Man, I want to play Nessarose so bad! Mainly just because of this scene in Act II. I won't say anything about it, but it's awesome!

Research for Dracula

Right-o. So I have not done anything construction-wise with costumes. However I have done a lot of research. I went and got a butt load of books from the library about men's costumes. It is impossible to find out what kind of tie men wore in the year 1885 on the internet. Or at least I couldn't find it. I also went to Taylorsville High School and looked at costumes that I may be renting so that I could get ideas on what exactly I want. Then I went to DI where I found a perfect velvet robe for Mina. It was 6 bucks and plan on buying it from the director when the show is over. I'll post a picture later.

Other exciting news is I'm starting to decide on colors. You have to understand though, this is what I want, not necessarily what I'll end up with. I have a very limited budget. (Donations are always welcome!)

Mina-Blue! I found a gorgeous light blue, almost periwinkle, skirt. I'm going to construct a darker blue overskirt with a matching bodice for Mina's first dress. Her second dress, which will be worn in Act II will be navy. Haven't gotten much farther than that.

Lucy-Yellow and Orange! I want her to be over the top. She's going to have bows and ruffles all over the place. I found an orange underskirt and will construct a yellow bodice and overskirt. She only gets one bustle dress. The rest of the time she will be in a nightgown and then her burial dress. (Which I need to do research on what women were burried in during the victorian age.)

Renfield-Green! In this production, our Renfield is played by a woman and we are keeping her a woman. In the beginning and the end she will be in a forest green gown. Every other time (when she's the mental patient) she will be in a mint green hospital gown.

For the men, well, I haven't exactly decided yet. If I can't get green for Renfield, then Seward will be in green. And I know that I want Van Helsing to be more from mid-Victorian. I want him to be out of style.

Well, that's all that I have. Didn't get too much done during Spring Break, I was up in Logan playing with friends.


P.S. The director is going to have a conniption when he hears about this. He wanted Mina in dark greens, browns, you know, earth colors. But he wants everybody in greens, and browns. But the deal was, he gets free reign on Dracula's costumes if I get free reign on everybody elses costumes. So put that in your pipe and smoke it Jonathan!!! You don't get everything you want!!! (Insert evil laugh here.)

Happy Easter and Once Upon A Mattress

Yah, it's Easter. But I have more important things to discuss. So on Saturday I auditioned for Once Upon A Mattress that will be performed at Draper Historic Theatre. I auditioned for the part of Princess Winnifred the Woebegone, which is the lead. I picked the perfect song, Johnny One Note from Babes in Arms, I executed it perfectly, and then I did a fabulously funny cold read. Well, I got the part of 2nd Lady-in-Waiting Merril. Yup, I did not even get 1st Lady-in-Waiting.

And you know, it's not the fact that I didn't get the lead in this show, I'm honestly happy with Lady Merril. My thing is, how come I can't get a lead?!?!?! Is everybody lying to me when they say I have talent? Grr, it makes me so frustrated!!

Aztec Bride- muslin mock-up

While watching General Conference on TV on Sunday, I decided, why not start on costuming so that I'll actually stay awake and half listen to conference? (I still ended up falling asleep for part of a talk.) So here we go! My muslin mock-up of the top of the Aztec bride.

If you don't remember, this is what it's going to look like:



I started off cutting out a large band that will go around the bust. I added darts so that it would lie flat. I didn't even think about taking pictures until later. So there are none of the band. Just use your imagination for that part.


For the next part, I cut out a wide band and gathered one end. I then started at the top left side, pinned it, then pinned it diagonally across the chest. I then looped it and pinned it at the bottom left side making a figure-eight! I gathered and pinned while looping it around.

Here it is! I didn't do the straps. I was mainly concerned about getting the shape I wanted. The fabric is then going to wrap around the back. I don't know how I'm going to get the girl who's wearing this in and out of it yet. Zipper would be logical, but they're a pain. I think that's my only choice though. Any ideas? (If anybody even reads this.)