1st Edition

The Costume Supervisor’s Toolkit Supervising Theatre Costume Production from First Meeting to Final Performance

By Rebecca Pride Copyright 2019
    192 Pages 50 Color & 1 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    192 Pages 50 Color & 1 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    192 Pages 50 Color & 1 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    The Costume Supervisor’s Toolkit explores the responsibilities of a Costume Supervisor within a theatrical, opera or dance production company. Rebecca Pride provides an insight into all manner of processes, beginning with a definition of the role, and offers explanations of the timeline from the first design meetings, leading all the way up to managing fittings and final rehearsals. This how-to guide outlines best working practices, including building a team and creating a Costume Bible, whilst also providing helpful resources such as sizing guides, a list of useful addresses, and case studies from renowned theatrical organizations.

    Table of Contents

    List of Illustrations

    Foreword by Carol Lingwood

    Acknowledgements

    List of contributors:

    Introduction

    The Costume Supervisor as Facilitator

    Structure of the Book

    Chapter 1 What does a Costume Supervisor do?

    The Theatre Team Structure

    Defining the Role

    Chapter 2 Different Types and Genres of Production

    Large Scale Production of a Classic Twentieth Century Play

    Challenges Presented to the Costume Supervisor

    Modern British Musical Pantomime in a Large Provincial Theatre

    Challenges Presented to the Costume Supervisor

    Student Faculty Production of a Restoration Comedy in a Site Responsive Venue

    Challenges Presented to the Costume Supervisor

    Chapter 3 Developing Good Communication Skills

    Getting Hired

    First Design Meeting with Director, Designer and Production manager

    Listening

    Chapter 4 Setting Up Your Team

    Leadership

    Costume Roles and Responsibilities

    Setting up the Finance and Cash Flow for Your Production

    Chapter 5 Budgeting

    Creating a Costing Sheet

    Estimating Fabric Quantities

    Accessing Cash for Shopping Expeditions

    Receipt Management

    Purchase Orders

    Chapter 6 First Rehearsal and creating the Costume Bible

    First Rehearsal

    Taking Accurate Measurements and Etiquette Rules to be Observed When Measuring Actors

    Recording Information in the Costume Bible

    Chapter 7 Sourcing: Construct, Hire or Buy?

    Costume Hire Stores

    Shopping

    Chapter 8 Managing the Rehearsal Process

    Fittings

    Creating a Calm Fitting Space

    Chapter 9 Pre- tech rehearsal

    Tech Week

    Working with the Running Wardrobe Team

    Epilogue: Final Thoughts

    Appendices

    Appendix 1 Fabric Identification Guide

    Appendix 2 The Costume Supervisor’s Contract

    Appendix 3 Gender Specific Measurement Forms

    Table Appendix.3.1 [Male Measurement Form]

    Table Appendix.3.2 [Female Measurement Form]

    Appendix 4 Sizing Guides

    Table Appendix.4.1 [Male Suit Size Guide]

    Table Appendix.4.2 [Female Size Guide]

    Table Appendix.4.3[Shoe size Guide]

    Table Appendix.4.4 [Glove size Guide]

    Appendix 5 Basic Excel Instructions

    Bibliography:

    Notes:

    Production Credits:

    Glossary of Terms:

    Useful Addresses:

    Index:

    List of Illustrations with Figure Captions, Cases, Illustrations, or Tables

    Authors Biography

    Biography

    Rebecca Pride is Course Leader for the award-winning BA (Hons) Costume and Performance Design course at the Arts University Bournemouth. She spent 15 years prior to her career as an academic, working as a costume and set designer in the professional theatre. Her work at the Arts University has included producing numerous costume-led film projects, including Wimbledon Championships 1936-1937, Storytelling from an original point of view, Glass slippers, La Passarella, Reverie, Vampyr and Moulin Rouge.

    Pride’s research and development of the book is not only exceptionally thorough, but accurate and relevant to the role of costume supervisor. As a practical guide, the book takes a detailed, logical approach to exploring and clarifying the role of the costume supervisor in the theatrical costume production process. By using a methodology based on comprehensive interviews with working practitioners, Pride has ensured that the information presented is based on the experiences of working practitioners at the top of their profession.

    -Corinne Heskett, Studies in Costume & Performance, Volume 5 Number 2, 2020