And the work rear its ugly head....
After a full day at home, Elizabeth and I ventured out into the world yesterday. We went to the doctor's office, and then had sushi for lunch (bliss!) and then dropped by Spectral to drop off a piece of the dress form they've been using.
The boys were teching for the next Double Feature, but all paused to make a big fuss over Elizabeth. I snuck backstage to take a look at the costumes Paul's been making.
The first gown Paul built was finished before I went to have the baby, and is gorgeous, and looks exactly like the drawing, which is so cool, I can't even tell you.
The second gown is.... not.
I bought a bolt of pink Chinese silk for the ingenue's party dress. I bought a bolt of burgundy and gold printed velvet for the seductress' gown. I did my homework and did my design sketches. I had a meeting with Paul, where we went over every detail of every sketch, so he knew exactly what I wanted.
Then Paul went to work. He decided to put the seductress in the pink silk. Instead of a split skirt with ivory lace ruffles on the underskirt, he made two tiers of gathered pink overskirt over an underskirt of more pink. Instead of the laced-over stomacher, he bought a large, triangular applique with cut-work corners in bright white and sewed it over the bodice. Instead of fitted 3/4 length sleeves, it has short, puffed sleeves. It looks like Little Bo Peep. For the seductress.
There are two directors on the show. Blake, who wrote it, and Des. Blake is very soft-spoken and mild. He's a Christian, a vegetarian, an environmentalist, a painter. His day job is working as a set painter at the bigger theatres in town. Des is a bit stronger, more outgoing. He's out of town visiting his daughter in the prairies for a few weeks.
Paul asked Blake about the design changes and Blake said, "Sure, I guess." instead of "Any design decisions need to go through Naomi." as he should have. Paul told him my designs were more French than English (not true!). Blake told me he doesn't know the difference, himself, and believed Paul. I don't expect Blake to be familiar with the minutae of fashion history. I _do_ expect him to know who the designer is.
Now, Paul is working very hard, very long hours, for an honorarium (which is actually more than anyone else associated with the show is getting). He's busting his ass on someone else's designs. I get that. I actually invited him to design one of the gowns himself, because that sucks. I did not invite him to redesign the show.
On the other hand, we can't afford to lose him. At this point, Spectral can afford to offend me more than Paul. Because I can't do the work, and probably can't even find someone else to come in and do it at this point.
On the other, other hand, all the equipment is mine, and Paul can't do the work without my machines.
So, either way, Spectral is fucked.
The Bo Peep dress can be salvaged. Simon's offered to go in and mediate and talk to Paul about this. Which is probably best, since I'm still a bit hormonal. It's kind of lame, though, since Simon, while a founding member of the company, and part of the administration, is only an actor in the show, and shouldn't have to come in as a producer. The producers are Des (who's out of town) and Blake (who's being a pussy in the worst possible way. I hate guys who try and avoid confrontation to the point where they'll make a situation infinitely worse). But, I appreciate Simon's support.
And, I could kick Blake in the nads.
The boys were teching for the next Double Feature, but all paused to make a big fuss over Elizabeth. I snuck backstage to take a look at the costumes Paul's been making.
The first gown Paul built was finished before I went to have the baby, and is gorgeous, and looks exactly like the drawing, which is so cool, I can't even tell you.
The second gown is.... not.
I bought a bolt of pink Chinese silk for the ingenue's party dress. I bought a bolt of burgundy and gold printed velvet for the seductress' gown. I did my homework and did my design sketches. I had a meeting with Paul, where we went over every detail of every sketch, so he knew exactly what I wanted.
Then Paul went to work. He decided to put the seductress in the pink silk. Instead of a split skirt with ivory lace ruffles on the underskirt, he made two tiers of gathered pink overskirt over an underskirt of more pink. Instead of the laced-over stomacher, he bought a large, triangular applique with cut-work corners in bright white and sewed it over the bodice. Instead of fitted 3/4 length sleeves, it has short, puffed sleeves. It looks like Little Bo Peep. For the seductress.
There are two directors on the show. Blake, who wrote it, and Des. Blake is very soft-spoken and mild. He's a Christian, a vegetarian, an environmentalist, a painter. His day job is working as a set painter at the bigger theatres in town. Des is a bit stronger, more outgoing. He's out of town visiting his daughter in the prairies for a few weeks.
Paul asked Blake about the design changes and Blake said, "Sure, I guess." instead of "Any design decisions need to go through Naomi." as he should have. Paul told him my designs were more French than English (not true!). Blake told me he doesn't know the difference, himself, and believed Paul. I don't expect Blake to be familiar with the minutae of fashion history. I _do_ expect him to know who the designer is.
Now, Paul is working very hard, very long hours, for an honorarium (which is actually more than anyone else associated with the show is getting). He's busting his ass on someone else's designs. I get that. I actually invited him to design one of the gowns himself, because that sucks. I did not invite him to redesign the show.
On the other hand, we can't afford to lose him. At this point, Spectral can afford to offend me more than Paul. Because I can't do the work, and probably can't even find someone else to come in and do it at this point.
On the other, other hand, all the equipment is mine, and Paul can't do the work without my machines.
So, either way, Spectral is fucked.
The Bo Peep dress can be salvaged. Simon's offered to go in and mediate and talk to Paul about this. Which is probably best, since I'm still a bit hormonal. It's kind of lame, though, since Simon, while a founding member of the company, and part of the administration, is only an actor in the show, and shouldn't have to come in as a producer. The producers are Des (who's out of town) and Blake (who's being a pussy in the worst possible way. I hate guys who try and avoid confrontation to the point where they'll make a situation infinitely worse). But, I appreciate Simon's support.
And, I could kick Blake in the nads.