Crafts overview for The Importance of Being Earnest, PlayMakers Repertory, Chapel Hill NC
The Importance of Being Earnest is in its final week at PlayMakers Repertory Company; i just had some time this morning to sit down with the photo call disk and go through the crafts items, nearly all of which were made for the characters of Gwendolen and Lady Bracknell.
Julia Coffey as Gwendolen, Jeremy Webb as Jack
The character of Gwendolen had two bespoke crafts items for her first act costume: an aigrette (the feather spray in her hair) and a reticule (her handbag).
The aigrette is made from stripped hackle feathers dyed a baby pink and mounted on a beaded and rhinestoned base.
The reticule is made on an antique silver frame, from lavender silk jacquard overlayed with two types of antique lace tatted from metal thread, and ornamented with antique trims: brass sequins, bouillion fringe, and monkey's-fist knots of decorative silk cord.
Ray Dooley as Lady Bracknell
Lady Bracknell enters in the derby-Eugenie, the making of the willow brim block for which i wrote about in a prior post. It is done in bottle green velour felt, trimmed in macaw feathers and organza ribbon. We also custom made these gloves, to accommodate a male handsize.
Julia Coffey as Gwendolen, Ray Dooley as Lady Bracknell
See that parasol? It's on for about 30 seconds. The frame is antique, restored by PRC scenic artisan Neil Williamson, with a silver floral club handle engraved with initials. The parasol was entirely recovered by crafts assistant Candy McClernan, using a four-color silk jacquard fabric.
The interior of the frame has split stretchers to create a flower medallion around the shaft, thus:
Crafts assistant Candy McClernan adjusts the lining fabric.
Julie Fishell as Miss Prism
This tiny vintage straw boater was completely restored, reblocked, and retrimmed by assistant milliner Liz Morrison.
Ray Dooley as Lady Bracknell, John Brummer as Algernon
Lady Bracknell's second act costume features a fabulous bespoke hat whose tilted brim is full of coq, pheasant, hackle, and egret feathers, silk flowers, and antique dotted net. Unfortunately, it's on the wrong way in this photo. I'll make a hat-specific post at some point about the details of constructing this hat--it was a fun process!
Lady B also carries a bespoke reticule composed of an antique frame, brown antique lace over black and gold crossweave taffeta, with a unique Deco frog ornament of silk floss and bouillion cord. These gloves were handmade as well.
Julia Coffey as Gwendolen
Gwendolen's second act costume is my favorite, i have to say, with its sweet cupcake hat, parasol, and reticule all in that brilliant shade of baby blue. The hat and parasol are made from matching tone-on-tone striped silk taffeta. The hat is trimmed in rayon velvet dyed to match, and vintage silk veiling edged with tiny lace teardrops.
Julia Coffey as Gwendolen, Marianne Miller as Cecily
The parasol features an insertion of two-toned eyelet with a grey rayon ribbon running through it. The handle is faux mother-of-pearl.
Gwendolen's second reticule is of antique embroidered lace over the same silk stripe, ornamented with tiny wool felt pompons, bouillion fringe, and a modern frame.
Crafts assistant Candy McClernan works on inserting
the eyelet stripe in parasol canopy panels.
John Brummer as Algernon, Marianne Miller as Cecily,
Julia Coffey as Gwendolen, Jeremy Webb as Jack
I put this last photo in because it's a view of the gowns you almost never get to see: look at the great center back pleat in that little bolero of Gwendolen's! And, the back of her hat looks cute, too.
So, those were the bespoke crafts for Earnest, basically. (I didn't cite all the little things like rigging jewelry or custom-dyed trims for the dresses, etc.) Lots of lovely work from my team, if i do say so myself, and bravo to all the drapers who made these lovely costumes, too!
Julia Coffey as Gwendolen, Jeremy Webb as Jack
The character of Gwendolen had two bespoke crafts items for her first act costume: an aigrette (the feather spray in her hair) and a reticule (her handbag).
The aigrette is made from stripped hackle feathers dyed a baby pink and mounted on a beaded and rhinestoned base.
The reticule is made on an antique silver frame, from lavender silk jacquard overlayed with two types of antique lace tatted from metal thread, and ornamented with antique trims: brass sequins, bouillion fringe, and monkey's-fist knots of decorative silk cord.
Ray Dooley as Lady Bracknell
Lady Bracknell enters in the derby-Eugenie, the making of the willow brim block for which i wrote about in a prior post. It is done in bottle green velour felt, trimmed in macaw feathers and organza ribbon. We also custom made these gloves, to accommodate a male handsize.
Julia Coffey as Gwendolen, Ray Dooley as Lady Bracknell
See that parasol? It's on for about 30 seconds. The frame is antique, restored by PRC scenic artisan Neil Williamson, with a silver floral club handle engraved with initials. The parasol was entirely recovered by crafts assistant Candy McClernan, using a four-color silk jacquard fabric.
The interior of the frame has split stretchers to create a flower medallion around the shaft, thus:
Crafts assistant Candy McClernan adjusts the lining fabric.
Julie Fishell as Miss Prism
This tiny vintage straw boater was completely restored, reblocked, and retrimmed by assistant milliner Liz Morrison.
Ray Dooley as Lady Bracknell, John Brummer as Algernon
Lady Bracknell's second act costume features a fabulous bespoke hat whose tilted brim is full of coq, pheasant, hackle, and egret feathers, silk flowers, and antique dotted net. Unfortunately, it's on the wrong way in this photo. I'll make a hat-specific post at some point about the details of constructing this hat--it was a fun process!
Lady B also carries a bespoke reticule composed of an antique frame, brown antique lace over black and gold crossweave taffeta, with a unique Deco frog ornament of silk floss and bouillion cord. These gloves were handmade as well.
Julia Coffey as Gwendolen
Gwendolen's second act costume is my favorite, i have to say, with its sweet cupcake hat, parasol, and reticule all in that brilliant shade of baby blue. The hat and parasol are made from matching tone-on-tone striped silk taffeta. The hat is trimmed in rayon velvet dyed to match, and vintage silk veiling edged with tiny lace teardrops.
Julia Coffey as Gwendolen, Marianne Miller as Cecily
The parasol features an insertion of two-toned eyelet with a grey rayon ribbon running through it. The handle is faux mother-of-pearl.
Gwendolen's second reticule is of antique embroidered lace over the same silk stripe, ornamented with tiny wool felt pompons, bouillion fringe, and a modern frame.
Crafts assistant Candy McClernan works on inserting
the eyelet stripe in parasol canopy panels.
John Brummer as Algernon, Marianne Miller as Cecily,
Julia Coffey as Gwendolen, Jeremy Webb as Jack
I put this last photo in because it's a view of the gowns you almost never get to see: look at the great center back pleat in that little bolero of Gwendolen's! And, the back of her hat looks cute, too.
So, those were the bespoke crafts for Earnest, basically. (I didn't cite all the little things like rigging jewelry or custom-dyed trims for the dresses, etc.) Lots of lovely work from my team, if i do say so myself, and bravo to all the drapers who made these lovely costumes, too!