Creature Building
I love bringing ideas to life and the more outrageous the better! Driven from an early age, I wanted to learn the practice and theory of conventional dressmaking and tailoring methods so that I could successfully push those boundaries into the avant-garde. My outside-the-box approach combines this drive with the "yes and" concept borrowed from Improv and the "how hard can it be" motto of my own DIY family. A colleague of mine refers to me as a terrier because of my willingness to wrestle with a challenge until it is resolved. I think of problem solving like circuit training where shifting position and perspective helps to see alternative solutions. I enjoy true brainstorming and think alouds within a non-judgemental environment which often lead to unexpected solutions hidden in the far corner of a left field idea.
Animatronic Butterfly
This butterfly was the first time I single handedly built an automated puppet. Furthermore, I was assigned many other projects at the time and it was my skill and time management that allowed me to streamline other projects so I could devote time to developing the mechanism. This production "exposed theater magic" as a comic device. In this scene, the courtesan entered singing an aria and during the musical interlude, lit a cigarette and manually flipped a switch on the nose of the butterfly so the the wings slowly opened and closed for the duration of the song.
Guthrie Theater’s Comedy of Errors (Fall 2002)
Designer: Fabio Toblini
Performer: Christina Baldwin
Bustle Suit: James Harrington
Photo credit: Michal Daniel
Nutcracker Mice
In these mouse costumes there were three problems to plan for: packing for shipping, packing for annual storage between seasons, and fitting a range of body types with minimal alterations. The solution was to utilize a tension and support structure borrowed from a paper lantern in order to achieve the "shmoo" shape. I spent half as much time wearing the prototype as I did making it. An enormous amount of data can be collected about aesthetics, character physicality, character movement, and performer capabilities from literally putting myself in the performers shoes.
Ballet Arizona’s The Nutcracker (Fall 2006)
Designer: Fabio Toblini
Hymen
This project required collaborations with Lighting and Scenery to create a seamless effect. I utilized my knowledge of electricity, wireless lighting and cue to cue to develop the costume designer's idea–– upon her entrance, fireflies would light in Hymen's crown, then down her cape to the hem and finally radiate out over the entire set. I worked as liaison to bridge the gender role divide between the discipline of costumes and the rest of production to ensure the various aspects of the firefly effect were unified, seamless and therefore magical.
Guthrie Theater’s As You Like It (Winter 2019)
Designer: Ilona Somogyi
Performer: Christiana Clark
Photo credit: Dan Norman
Angel Wings
My experience includes navigating time management and budgetary concerns, which informed the methodology used in making 28 pairs of angel wings in two sizes for the ballet corps. Each wing has 22 individual two-sided translucent feathers that were digital printing to avoid hand painting, then assembled onto a welded frame that slots through the costume into a fitted body harness for support. The effect was truly ethereal.
Ballet Arizona’s The Nutcracker (Fall 2006)
Designer: Fabio Toblini
Performers: Unknown
Photo credit: Rosalie O’Connor
Ghost of Hamlet’s Father
Costume making is not only about the artistry and craftspersonship, this project demonstrates range in skill as well as my ability to factor budget into the process without sacrificing the artistry and craftspersonship. My labor estimates to sculpt and mold the individual pieces for this articulated armor proved to be cost prohibitive. The solution was to purchase a suit of vacuum-formed armor, fabricate additional pieces freehand in thermoplastic and finish the suit with hand made spikes and nylon cables to achieve the original design.
The Long Wharf’s Hamlet (Fall 2004)
Designer: Paul Tazewell
Painting/Distressing: Doreen Johnson
Photo credit: DJ Gramann II
Roman Armor
This was a time management project that utilized production style methodology to make twenty-five suits of costume fitted leather armor for the solders and costume fitted molded breastplate suits for the three triumvirs. NOTE: This photo was taken before the armor was painted, aged and distressed.
Guthrie Theater’s Antony and Cleopatra (Winter 2002)
Designer: Jane Greenwood
Photo credit: Michal Daniel
Oberon
Oversized fantastical pheasant feathers, lurex velvet, dyed raffia combined with black "monkey" hair weft to create fringe, molded rubber beadwork, painter/dyer Doreen Johnson, craftsperson Chris Sibilia and firsthand Denee Anderson.
Guthrie Theater’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Winter 1998)
Designer: Paul Tazewell
Performer: Shawn Hamilton
Photo credit: DJ Gramann II
Titania
This project was a treat! It required translating the scale of the dragonfly directly to the scale of a human figure. Fabrication samples incorporating dressmaking details that resembled actual dragonfly parts were created to develop the final aesthetics. The fabrication ultimately ended up in the extraordinary dressmaking hands of collaborator Mary Linda. The dress was then airbrushed by the incomparable dyer/painter Doreen Johnson.
Guthrie Theater’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Winter 2008)
Designer: Paul Tazewell
Performer: Emily Swallow
Photo credit: DJ Gramann II
Titania
Bug-like in a different way, this Titania costume was created using the exoskeleton of beatles combined with inspiration from the work of fashion designer Thierry Mugler. The corset was created with overlapping articulated sections like Medieval armor that moved with the body. Note the duplicate dress; a version was created in warmer tones to illustrate a chameleon effect for the intimate scenes.
Guthrie Theater’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Fall 2015)
Designer: Paul Tazewell
Performer: Emily Swallow
Photo credit: DJ Gramann II
Tracy
This project brought me so much joy. In this example my use of scale, balance and composition combine with intricate garment cutting to create this trompe l'oeil illusion costume and to accommodate the physical acting needs of Mr. Folmar. It is a single jumpsuit to aid the wardrobe crew in making the 60 second quick change.
Guthrie Theater’s The Legend of Georgia McBride (Winter 2018)
Designer: Patrick Holt
Performer: Cameron Folmar
Photo credit: Dan Norman
Rondo & The Cook
Henson style hand puppets with carved scotfoam heads covered in nylon fleece with Martin P. Robinson signature eye blink mechanism.
Jumbo Pictures/Nickelodeon’s Allegra’s Window (Winter 1994)
Designer: Martin P. Robinson
Mrs. Peepers
This striking rod puppet was the first I ever built without the collaboration of an automation mechanic. It has mechanisms to control the mouth, blink and roll the eyes, and swivel the head. The figure finish includes glass eyes, dental acrylic, faux fur, and guinea feathers.
Tremendous Productions’ Once Upon a Tree (Winter 1997)
Designer: Colleen Needles Steward
Photo credit: DJ Gramann II
Billy Bob
These photos show the process of assembling the carved reticulated foam head with glass eyes and the mechanisms for the eye blink and ear twitch for the "Billy Bob" hand puppet. A variety of faux fur styles collaged together and painted to create the figure finish.
Tremendous Productions’ Once Upon a Tree (Winter 1997)
Designer: Colleen Needles Steward
Photo credit: DJ Gramann II
The Moon
English cotton net cocoon based on the dynamics of an umbrella and its ability to invert the concave shape with manipulation.
Guthrie Theater’s Blood Wedding (Winter 2001)
Designer: Paul Tazewell
Photo credit: Michal Daniel
Gold Honker & Dancing Ear of Corn
While building these costume characters for Sesame Street Live, collaborator Jane Epperson taught me some of the tried and true full body costume techniques used at the Henson workshop in New York. Years later, I called on this experience working at VEE Corporation in Minneapolis, MN where the Sesame Street Live shows were produced.
Jim Henson Production’s Sesame Street Live (Winter 1990)
Designer: Peter Brooke
Photo credit: Jim Henson Archive
Earl Sinclair
I've had the immense privilege and pleasure of working alongside lead creature builder Nikki Lyons who engineered this full body costume for Earl Sinclair at the Henson workshop. Her structural concepts were combined with the tried and true full body costume techniques used on Sesame Street Live to create the template from which to build the Dinosaur community.
Jim Henson Productions/ABC Television’s Dinosaurs (Winter 1990)
Designer: Peter Brooke
Performer: Bill Barretta