unDRESSED

To work in Regional Theatre can be very challenging for me. I find that often the designer becomes a “producer” of a scenic element, vs. an artist. This is a controversial opinion that I hold, and why I learned the hard way to only work under such a system when I have a relationship of trust with the director (that will advocate with me for my artistry to be taken seriously). This was what made me accept this gig. Besides, there is a lot of beauty in the resources allocated to a designer when working in a traditional theatre (costume/wardrobe shop for instance) that alternative approaches to live performance do not have. I am a big admirer of Caroline’s (head of the wardrobe) work, she was able to combine extensive technical knowledge in the making of costumes with humility - while supporting my process without judging that I was not doing design in the “right way”. The artistic team decided to approach the scenic elements the same as the theme of the show - we wanted to sustainably source them, and reduce the impact of the waste of the entertainment industry. To achieve this, we requested to ATP audiences to donate their used wedding dresses. We received plenty! I had a lot of fun curating them, to ensure they could represent the characters described on the piece. Because of COVID-19 Omicron Wave, the project changed its course, but the built trust the team had created guaranteed that the designs were serving the story and people were working within their own boundaries to exposure. The directors, Jenna & KP held space for wellness, agency, and flexibility with everyone in her team - not only the actors, and designers but also the production team. What lays a foundation for effective communication, and groundedness to happen?