“For Future Interns” from Elizabeth Banks

A few of my tips and suggestions to an incoming FAIR Costume Intern (or any other intern)

See shows early in the season

Coming to OSF I had the goal to see every show this season, which I almost accomplished. Out of 11 shows I have seen 10. The Bowmer show that closed in July was my downfall. If you want to see a show more than once see it early in the season, because A more tourists come as the season progresses and things won’t comp, B the dreaded smoke will come and mess up your plans to see the Elizabethan shows again.

Process photos

I was terrible at this until about half way through my time here, but I cannot stress enough to take pictures of everything you sew! Every step, every garment, every special process, take all the pictures! These are all great things to put in your portfolio. Also get ahold of the OSF official photos, just make sure to credit the photographer, designers and actors in the pictures if you use them.

Archives

Use the archives! I have had a lot of fun going to the archives to watch old OSF productions. Make good use of this resource because you will probably have a bit of free time as an intern. You can check out understudy DVDs to watch on OSF campus, but beware they are really low quality. Just find some friends and make an appointment to go to the archives. Also have fun finding it in the bowels of the Thomas.

Go to dress rehearsals

Dress rehearsals are a great opportunity to see the things you’ve constructed on stage and to see more of the theatrical process. We are here to learn so they most likely will not turn you away if you ask. Plus, second dress is usually open to company members.

Always listen

This may sound kind of like a creepy suggestion, but I have learned a lot in the shop just by listening to people. A lot of theatre is problem solving so there are a lot of good conversations going on around you. I’ve learned a lot of useful tips like ironing your hymark thread so it doesn’t tangle, or random facts like why cowboy hat brims are shaped the way they are. Ask questions and ask for recommendations as well, I got some great recommendations on sewing construction and dyeing books to read from people in the shop.

I have loved my time here and am sad to be leaving soon. I feel blessed to have had this experience to grow in the theatre.

 

“The Way the Mountain Moved” from Rosalie Olsen

When I arrived here at OSF, I knew relatively little about what my daily life would look like. I knew only that I would be working in a costume shop called “Pioneer” and helping with a show called The Way the Mountain Moved, which, in an oddly appropriate twist, turns out to be a story about pioneers. Now that the show has opened, I have a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that I helped to bring a show to life. Not only that, but I learned from some of the best along the way. It was such a joy to get to work with different people, all with different skills, to create the costumes for this show. Particularly, distressing was an integral part of the build process, or rather the demolition process, since I don’t think using sandpaper on garments counts as “building.” I had the pleasure of working with the painter/dyer, Kris Berg, who taught me many different techniques.

Distressing is a surprisingly logical and practical process that involves observing the effect of wearing a garment for a long period of time, or in a particular circumstance, and trying to recreate that. Along the way I had theories about the people wearing these clothes that finally got answered when I saw the play. Each character in the show undergoes an immense hardship as they are confronted with the harshness of the Wild West. Their journey is reflected in the clothes, many of which have holes, patches, frayed edges, and stains. From a character description and an example of the level of wear and tear I strategically sanded around the garment. This was an exhausting process, but after seeing it onstage, I am really pleased to have been a part of it.

“Positive and Sustainable Life” from Elena Barberia

Over the past month, I’ve been working hard at living a positive and sustainable life. From morning until evening, I make sure that I am taking care of myself so that I can be a source of positivity in the office. Every Sunday, I meal prep for the week, cooking dinner and getting together lunches in reusable containers so that all I have to do during the week is grab the container and put it into a lunch box or microwave it. In the morning, I make sure I wake up and leave enough time to meditate for about 15 minutes, and used to do this outside until it got way too smoky to do so healthily. If I go out to eat, I’ll usually go to Raw, a restaurant downtown that has organic, vegetarian, vegan, and raw food. My favorite thing on the menu is the Barrel bowl with a mixed green base and for some extra protein, I add their “meat” which is made out of a mixture of nuts.  Not only is the food really good, but the restaurant always smells fresh and crisp. It’s basically like being outdoors without being outdoors. They also have other items on the menu such as breakfasts, juices, and other salads or bowls but I’m a creature of habit and since I’ve found something that I love on the menu, I tend to stick with it. Eating well and exercising has been a major part of my newly developed lifestyle, and I go to Snap Fitness every day after or before work, depending on what time allows. It’s been a great journey!