"Grease the musical" From film to stage

“I got chills… They’re multiplying!”

Now the characters of “Grease” are loosing control every night on Broadway.  Slick hair, puffy skirts and shinny tights are gracing the stage after being made and re-made for film. It opened on Broadway in 2007 and is now on tour.

The movie’s history spans over a quarter of a century drawing all ages to the theatre.  Orignally made in 1970 the film starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton.  It tells the story of a group of friends in a 1950’s high school so it captures baby boomers’ since of nostalgia.

Black jackets and red accessaries make the lead characters pop in this musical as they dance and sing among the pastel drenched ensemble.  All of these costumes makes this show a flashback success.

"Wicked The Musical"- From Book to Film to Stage

Everyone has seen the “The Wizard of Oz” at some point in their lives and holds a special connection to the timeless film. The film (1939) was based on a series of books created by Lyman Frank Baum. In 1995, decades after the movie was made, Wicked: The Life and Times of The Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory McGregor was published.

There aren’t any rainbows to fly over in “Wicked the Musical” which has deliciously composed music which leaves its flavors lingering on your tounge for days. I still can’t get those songs out of my head. In this spin off of “The Wizard of Oz,” we learn how society forced Elphaba to become the Wicked Witch of the West.

This show pulled out all the stops as far as costumes were concerned. In an interview, the Costume Designer Susan Hilferty (“Spring Awakening,” “Into the Woods,” “Lestat,” “Jitney”) mentioned that she couldn’t find as many shades of green as she would have liked to use for the production which has over 20 numbers performed by a large cast and with an even larger ensemble.

One of Elphaba’s costumes cost as much as $20,000. Idina Menzel, who won a Tony Award for her portrayel of Elphaba, fell through a trap door during a performance and injured her leg. The costume was so expensive that hospital workers carefully undress her instead of cutting her clothes off as they would have done to anyone else.

In the musical’s most famous numbers “Defying Gravity,” oceans of fabric swing down from lofts and out from the wings, which all seem to connect to The Wicked witch’s dress. Together, it creates the allusion that she is flying! There is no wonder why Hilferty won a Tony Award for her awe inspiring designs.

"Legally Blond" from Film to Stage

A million young blond girls who love to be Pretty in Pink got an ego boost from the hit movie “Legally Blond,” which opened in 2001 when Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) fought to show the world that she wasn’t as stupid as she seemed. The movie, which had a sequel, was so popular that it was turned into a musical and put on Broadway in 2007. Although the show only lasted on the great white way for a year, it’s still touring around the U.S.

Elle Woods’ costumes for the musical had to be even more Pink and Bold to be seen by the entire audience.

Costume Designer Gregg Barnes (“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”, “Drowsy Chaperones,” “Side Shows”) designed a ton of pink outfits for the show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vNgDvdJIXE

"Dreamgirls": From Stage to Film

“Dreamgirls” is a 1980’s musical, somewhat inspired by the story of the Supremes, tells the story of a girl group and the changes it experiences as they make it to the top, leaving one behind.  This show offers a wide spectrum of costumes from poor homemade performance outfits when the group is hoping to be discovered to mod 70s dresses for a variety show performance to glam gowns as they perform in some of the most respectable venues.

“Dreamgirls” dazzled audiences on Broadway between 1980 and 1986.  The most notable song from this musical is when the largest member of the group, Effie White, sings a powerful ballot lyrically shouting “And I’m telling you I’m not going” as Band manager Curtis dismisses her from the group and ends the love affair between the two of them.

An all-star cast was selected to make the film version which was released in 2006. The film features, Beyonce Knowles, Jamie Foxx, Ankia Noni Rose, Eddie Murphy, Sharon Leal, Keith Robinson.  The cast is rounded out by Danny Glover, Lorreta Divine (also in the original Broadway cast) and American Idol finalist Jennifer Hudson.

The first time we meet the girl group, they are dressed in homemade matching peach sleeveless knee length dresses. Although the girls discuss the making of their outfits, they are so well put together, one would assume that they were purchased from a store.

As they make their way to the top and the girls make their debut as the reinvented group, they sing the theme song from the movie, “Dreamgirls.”  In this scene they wear the most gorgeous costumes in the entire movie.  They are dressed in white sequenced mermaid gowns with sky blue trim on to of the bodice and at the bottom of the dresses.  This costume design is what you would expect to see when you here the term Dreamgirls.

The downfall from costume heaven occurs during “And I’m telling you I’m not going.”  The costume mistress dressed Hudson in an elegant beige embroidered suit.  Unfortunately, the three quarter length top fits Hudson appropriately, but unfortunately, the skirt stops at her knees and looks awkward on Hudson’s long legs.  This problem couldv’e easily been averted had the costume designer lengthened the shirt to stop mid way at Hudson’s calves.

But there’s more.  In the final scene, the Dreamgirls give a farewell performance and invites Hudson’s character back to join them.  The dreams wear a sleek coal rhinestone dress.  Somewhere n the creative process, it was decided that Hudson should not wear the same dress.  Instead they put her in an awful billowy dark burgundy dress that made her look worse than the other members in the group.

Though she made a few mistakes, one can forgive the costume designer as the majority of the hundred of costumes in this musical, which covers three decades, are flawless in their design and stay with the time period.

“Dreamgirls” has been reworked in Japan is scheduled to make its American debut in late 2009.

 (photo from dreamgirlsmovie.com)

"Chicago": From Stage to Film

The costumes in this popular, dark, sensational musical are timeless.  “Chicago” opened on Broadway in 1970 and ran for 10 years.  The show tells the story of Roxy Heart, who murders her husband and is thrown in prison where she meets “” who, along with the other inmates, suggests what she should do to get out of prison.  She hires a lawyer who knows how to “Razzle” and “Dazzle” jurors, judges, reporters and everyone else. 

With edgy costumes and choreography by Bob Fosse, this musical is at the top ten all time favorites.  Therefore it was made into a movie in 2000.  The cast featured Rene Zelweger, Richard Geere, Catherine Zeta Jones, Queen Latifa, and many others.

The musical is set in the 1930 and the period costumes are magnifique.

One of the most famous scenes is at the end when Roxy and Catherine are both free and have opened their own vaudeville duet act.  They shimmy across the stage with black sequenced fringe mini skirts.

(photo from Playbill.com)

"Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street": From Stage to Film

Sweeny Todd certainly appears to be Demon Possessed as he goes about a murderous rampage after returning to Fleet Street after being wrongfully imprisoned for about 15 years.  He discovers that his wife is dead and that his daughter has been adopted by the man who imprisoned him.  And so the journey begins.  He ultimately looses everything in search of revenge.

This London Musical opened on Broadway in March of 1979 and was revived in 1989 winning numerous awards with its dark tones. The bloody musical made it way to the silver screen in the summer of 2007.

Johnny Deep lead the cast, which also included Helen Bonhm Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen and Timothy Spall.

The most beautiful part of this nocturnally morbid film is the detail in the costumes.  The mid-19^th century full gowns, with rich fabrics and lace and men’s accessories such as capes and canes sets “Sweeny Todd” apart from other musical movies.  It was fashionable for men to wear top hats and lacy shirt. While the present day parts of the movie are dark, gloomy, and seem to be drained of all color, the flash backs are bright and colorful.  Tones of gray, black, bronze, bronze, green and burgundy fill the screen.

Sweeny Todd (Johnny Depp) has one strip of white hair among his too black hair adding to his madding demeanor.  His face is also whitened with make up to make him look pale He wears white button down shirts neckties and vests.

Mrs. Lovett (Helen Bonhm Carter), the lonely owner of a decrepid bug infested bakery, opens her home and heart to Todd, who she always secretly loved.  Her clothes are ragged although you can see they once were fine from the tule edges and beaded decorations.  Her hair is always in a tussled state of disarray.  In the film, Mrs. Lovett’s costumes are far superior to those worn in the original Broadway production.

Pirelli (Sacha Baron Cohn) is a magician of sorts, who travels tricking people out of their money.  He is the only one who wears bright colors present day.  When we first meet him, he wears a bright indigo short jacket and pants set with bronze embellishments with a billowy  collar and ruffled cuffs.

Sweeny Todd closed on Broadway but is still playing in London and of course can be seen on DVD.

 (photo from idbm.com)

"Rent": From Stage to Film

“Rent” the musical broke social norms with its taboo subject matter and mixed up musical genres (dance pop, R&B, salsa and rock ‘n roll) when it debuted on Broadway in 1996.  The powerful story encompasses artists’ experience with love, friendship, AIDS, drug addiction and death and is loosely based on the opera “La Boheme.”

The movie version was released in November of 2005. Many of the orignal actors from of the broadway production performed in the movie.  The cast included, Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, Rosario Dawson, Jessie L. Martin, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Idina Menzel, Tracie Thomas and Taye Diggs.

“Rent” takes place between the years 1989-1990, when the AIDS epidemic was at its height.  All but two characters, except Joann and Benjamin (Tracie Thomas and Taye Diggs) who are a lawyer and a business manager, are bohemians as indicated by their costumes.

Mimi Marquez (Rosario Dawson) dances at the Pussy Cat Club to pay for her drug addiction.  She is bold, in your face and so are her colorful clothes.  Mimi pairs silver shirts with turquoise tights, purple, red and green skirts, a leopard print coat and an endless parade of mini skirts.  All fabrics that look itchy but fun.  She matches perfectly with her rock star boyfriend Roger Davis (Adam Pascal), who grunges it in jeans, tees, and a leather jacket daily.

The caring, supportive Angel Dumott Schunard (Wilson Jermaine Heredia) is a drag queen who looks attractive as either sex.  His most out landish costumes are a furry mini zebra and red Christmas coat and a pink and black plastic new years eve outfit. You’ll never know what wig she’ll be wearing next.  Her costumes provide a solid contrast against her significant other Tom Collins (Jessie L. Martin), fired MIT professor, who boasts a rough male image with baggy jeans, flannel plaid button down shirts, and courdory vests.

Maureen Johnson (Idina Menzel), is the bisexual flirt who leads everyone on.  Her pleather skin tight pants and studded jacket look inexpensive and are accompanied by her ripped logo t-shirts. Judging from here costume alone, she was too much to handle for ex-boyfriend, Mark Cohen (Anthony Rapp), a quiet Jewish boy who wears coudory pants and sweaters.  Maureen opted for the lawyer JoAnn instead who typically wears suits.

All costumes are very late 80s early 90s and as tacky as these costumes sound, the film versions are better than those worn in the Broadway show.

The original show closed on Broadway in September of 2008, but it continues to tour and can be seen on DVD.

 (www.siteforrent.com/)

"Hairspray": From stage to film

Set in the 1960’s, this musical is filled with poofy skirts, bobby socks and lots and lots and lots of hairspray. The musical starts with Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky), a plump and secure outcast dancing her way through Baltimore, Maryland.  Encouraged by her friend, Penny Pingleton (Amanda Bynes), Tracy auditions for the Corny Collins Show and surprises every one when she makes it.  Tracy defies social norms by befriending black people and performing their dance moves on the show.  The film climaxes as Tracy hides from the cops after an intergration march turns ugly. She sneaks into the Ms. Teenage Hairspray pagent with the help of her black friends and the show is finally intergrated.

Hairspray was movie, turned Broadway musical, which then returned to the silver screen as a musical.  The cast included John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, and Queen Latifah, and was released mid July in 2007.

The costumes for the film were more toned down in color and contrast in comparison to those designed for the stage.  The costumes for the stage seemed tacky up close but were so bold enough to make an impression to audience members seated in the last row of the    theater.

Many of the most memorable costumes appear in the final scene of the film. For the Ms. Teenage Hairspray competition, lead character Tracy Turnblad transitions form dumpy homemade floral and plaid skirt sets and dawns a sequenced checkerboard baby doll dress, which represents racial integration.

Her mother Edna Turnblad, played by John Travolta, sheds a tan trench coat revealing a red and gold sequenced dress which dances around her ankles until she rips it off showing off a fringe mini skirt displaying her chunky but firm thighs.  It is apparent that dancing runs in the family.

Hairspray closed on Broadway on January 4, 2009 but can be seen on tour or on DVD forever.

 (photo from imdb.com)

"The Producer's": From Stage to Film

“The Producers”, which is a slapstick in your face 1959 comedy, dazzled theatre-goers with its costume spectacle during a show with in the show.  The rich fabrics were also displayed in the main character’s clothing.  The exquisite detail in the costumes were replicated when the musical turned film which was released on Christmas day in 2005.  The film cast included Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Uma Therman, Will Ferrell, Gary Beach, Roger Bart, Eileen Essell and many others.

In this bonanza, which opened on Broadway in mid-April of 2001, Broadway producer Max Bialystock and accountant Bloom scheme to profit by creating the worst musical ever which ironically turns into a hit.

Bialystock (Nathan Lane), and Bloom (Matthew Broderick) wear suits daily.  Their costumes may be kept simple because their characters and rhetoric provide the audience more than enough information.

Franz Liebkind (Will Ferrell), who writes the musical “Springtime for Hitler” which Bialystock and Bloom produce, wears lederhosen and a flannel shirt.  He’s a Nazi at heart.

Ulla (Uma Therman), the sexy Swedish woman wears costumes that make it easy for her to dance about.  Her costumes are cut short or have slits which gives her great flexibility.  She is usually dressed in bright colors such as white and turquoise which draw even more attention to her tall slender physique.

The most spectacular part of this movie musical is the doomed musical, based on Hitler, in which gorgeous women parade around in Las Vegas showgirl costumes and are far below “Zigfeld Follies” girls.  A pretzel, a Viking and an Eagle .

“The Producers” will close at the end of April in 2007.  In case you can’t make it to Broadway, you can always rent the DVD.

(Photo from Playbill.com)

Costumes Out Perform Actors at CSC

Anton Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” recently opened at the Classic Stage Company in New York City with Maggie Gyllenhaal, Denis O’Hare and Peter Sarsgaard among the popular cast.  Unfortunately, the show was not complete when it went into previews early February. 

This play, which takes place in turn of the century Russia, was dark and depressing and the actor’s didn’t add many levels.  It was confusing with a foggy plot, characters motives were unclear and blocking seemed to be unmotivated making the production appear to be a rehearsal.

The well known cast, which also included, Cyrilla Baer, Andrew Garman, Mamie Gummer, Delphi Harrington, George Morfogen and Louis Zorich, was practically out shined by the 1900 period costumes they wore.

The floor sweeping dresses for the female characters were more intricate and interesting than the men’s.

Yelena Andreevna (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is the main female character and was the only one who changed costumes during the three act play. Although Yelena is married to Professor Alexander Vladimirovich Serebryakov (George Morfogen), she was also lusted after by Uncle Vanya (Denis O'Hare) and Dr. Mikhail Lvovich Astrov (Peter Sarsgaard) whom she attempts to have an affair with. 

Both of Yelena’s costumes were bright and created an airy feeling about her in opposition to the darker tones worn by other characters who are more grounded than she is.  Her beige and white dresses are also made out of lighter, more delicate fabrics and featured details that were very intricate.

Sofia Alexandrovna or Sonya (Mamie Gummer), who is plain and looks after the country house year round with Uncle Vanya, wears a gray plaid tweed skirt. And a flower decorated cotton button down shirt that is reminiscent of a cowgirl.

Maria Vasilevna Voinitskaya (Delphi Harrington), who also lives at the country house with her son, Uncle Vanya, and Sonya, is glad to have the professor visiting. She is also dressed in brown tweed long skirted suit.  Her tan lace shirt decorated by a golden locket which is very visible to the audience.

Considering the amount of work that went into the costumes, the character development and direction of this production of “Uncle Vanya” have a long way to go.

(photo from Playbill.com)

London Fashions at Syracuse Stage

Although “The Way of the World,” a play written by William Congreve, may not have been a huge success when it was produced in 1700, the costumes may have been as grand as they were then as they are when the show is produced today.

Syracuse University Drama department presented “The Way of the World,” a Restoration Comedy that presents satirical views of aristocratic society, in February as a part of its 2008-2009 season.  

The servants were not shrouded in black and white but in colorful bright colors as their master’s were.  Their place in society was evident by the small bustles and simple head coverings, lack of gloves and make up but all females wore corsets.  Overall they were dressed in a considerable less amount of cloth and accessories.

The higher you were in society the larger the bustle and the higher and more elaborate the headdress and pounds of fabric were. Socialites wore rich silk taffetas with patterns so intricate and detailed that people today would only use them for house dressings such as draperies, bedspreads and pillows.

Makeup was taken very seriously and was worn by both men and women.  Pale faces increased beauty and were accented by fake moles. For added comedic effect and true to their characters, Petulant and Lady Wishfort went overboard with facial powder, paint and large beauty marks.

Petulant goes on overdressed and the mix up of colors is absurd as he is.  Makes a grand entrance in an iridescent purple coat and wearing a gold sash (which no other man wears).  He dares to wear red tights and huge cuffs iridescent cuffs with pink ribbons, and carries a fuschia and gold lace handkerchief. Petulant is not like any other of the male characters.

The most beautifully dressed, perfectly put together character is Mrs. Millamant.  Dressed in Baby Blue and Beige, Mrs. Millamant’s soothing colors and simple beauty set her a part from the other characters in the play.

“The Way of the World” truly offers a fashionable look at London life in 1700. 

Giant Dancing Costumes Threaten to upstage Billy Elliot!

The London smash hit “Billy Elliot” recently made its way to Broadway.  Thousands of people are packed into the tri level Amsterdam Theater excited to see a spectacle. That is most certainly what Billy Elliot is.

Billy Elliot tells the story of a Iceland boy who takes an interest in ballet and achieves more and more while his family suffers during the great mining strike of 1980. 

The warring workforces are easily definable by costumes. The miners have neon vests, orange jumper, grimy jeans and button down shirts.  Throughout the show, they have several altercations with the law, policeman in dark blue uniforms. Only little girls clad in bright colored t-shirts, pink tights and tutus lighten the heavy mood set by the costumes.

As the town is poor, most costumes are raged and torn and worn down making them very realistic.  But the suspension of disbelief is broken several times during this grand Broadway spectacle.

During one scene, Billy catches his friend, Michael, playing dress up in his sister’s clothes.  After Billy questions his friend’s purpose, Michael begins to sing “Be yourself.”  Large 10 foot clothing items dance across the stage.  The rayon  patchwork and neon bright solid fabrics matched the clothes in the sister’s closet.  A mans light blue shirt and dark blue plaid pants tries to sneak in the number and Michael pushes it offstage as he exclaims “Dresses only!”  The audience burst into laughter and applauded throughout the entire number.

Although the story of "Billy Elliot" is heart moving and encouraging, as he battles with his family for a chance to better his future and get out of the town, people may not remember the details or even the message of the story. Though one thing is for sure, they won’t forget the dancing clothes.

Parson's Lights Up the World

Parson's Dance Company is on the move.  It began its 2009 international tour at the Joyce Theatre in New York City in January.  The company presented stock pieces as well as debuted a new show which will be performed in Britain, Greenland and several other countries.

Show A (comprised of the company's classic numbers), featured "My Sweet Lord", "Caught", and "Fill the Woods with Light."  For "My Sweet Lord" the company performed in light blue jeans and purple tops.  Guys leaped onstage in purple t-shirts, as girls performed double pirouettes around them as their halter top baby shirts revealed their abs.  The sheer fabric danced about their bodies complementing the sensuality of the music and choreography.

Parsons kept it simple for "Caught," perhaps in an effort to not distract audiences from the innovative choreography of the company's most famous piece in which a solo dancer performs various jumps and leaps between the flashes of a strobe light.  The dancer, who appeared to be floating mid-air throughout the entire piece, simply wore a lyrical white pants and no shirt.

During the most spectacular performance of the night, “Fill the Woods with Light”, the entire company took turns gracing the stage in all black and jazz shoes.  The girls in shorts and halter tops while the guys sported jazz pants and tees.  Dawned in black, the dancers were consumed by the darkness on stage.  The only lights coming not from the front of house lights above the audience or the cat walk above the stage, but from the dancers themselves. 

To sensual saxophonic tunes, they rand on stage casting lamps with colored gels on one another.  During a particularly memorable number, the dancers hidden in the darkness in a center stage clump, became visible as they turned on their light bulb decorated bodysuits.  The image reflected the name of the song “Fireflies.”

Throughout the entire show, the costumes accurately connected to the music and choreography. Although this company may still be considered a baby in the world of dance, it is certainly holding its ground in choreography, performance and costuming.

Gypsy Boats Expensive Costumes

Gypsy, the famous broadway musical, was revived once again in the summer of 2008.  This musical tells a story of a stage mother obsessed with making her children stars and travels around the county from gig to gig for years. 

From the moment this musical starts, the audience is dazzled with costumes made form gorgeous materials that would be too expensive for a poor gypsy and her struggling family.  The mother Rose wears simple but beautifully designed 1930's dresses and matching purses and hats.  Her coat, a bit shabbier, can't cover up the quality of the costumes.

In act two, when the family winds up working in a burlesque theater, they meet three women whose barley there costumes wowed the audience with light bulb bikinis, and 5 foot wings.

In act three, the costumes go a level up as Gypsy Rose Lee, the mother's older daughter becomes a famous burlesque dancer.  As the burlesque performances get more grandiose, so do the costumes.  More sequences, finer fabrics and sparkling shoes grace the stage scene after scene.

Unfortunately the costumes can no longer be seen as the show closed early, in January of 2009, due to financial hardships on broadway.  Maybe they'll show up at an exhibit in the NYPL Perform Arts library in a few years.

To see more photos, visit the show's website: http://www.gypsybroadway.com/#about

Curtain Call: Honoring Women Designers

The New York Public Library opened a long awaited exhibit at its Lincoln Center of Performing Arts Library Branch.  The exhibit,  "Curtain Call: Celebrating a Century of Women Designing for Live Performance," features renderings of costumes and set replications from over 100 female artists.  

The most spectacular portion of this exhibit is once you enter the hall with actual costumes from Broadway productions.  There is a sea of fabric and beads and hats. Costumes from musicals, historical dramas, ballets and opera overwhelm the large room.  Costume Renderings line the walls and spotlights are focused on certain costumes displayed on a platform in the center.  

Among the most familiar are from "Beauty and the Beast."  Belle's golden full bustle gown is displayed next to candlestick Lumiere's royal blue and gold costume which has candleholders for the arms and legs.

"Curtain Call" was a collaboration with the League of Professional Theatre Women and was made possible by a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts.  The exhibit, which opened in November of 2008, will be up until May 2, 2009.

To learn more about this exhibit, visit:

 http://www.nypl.org/research/calendar/exhib/lpa/lpaexhibdesc.cfm?id=487

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Costumes, Costumes, Costumes!!!