I often get asked about how I got started in costume design, and I giggle. There are 2 stories that make this up. When I was a child my grammy (my maternal Grandmother) sewed all the time. She would take our long pants and cut them into shorts, take our long sleeved shirts and cut them into short sleeves. Clothes were expensive back then, and we didn't have lots of money to spend on clothing, so you made clothes last as long as you could.
For those of you that are too young to know, there was a time when it was cheaper to make your own clothes, than to buy them at a store. Clothing Patterns were much cheaper, now a pattern starts at almost $15.00, and the fabric is more expensive than it should be.
Anyway, Grammy had read an article in the mid 1970's that said if you taught young boys to cook, clean, and sew, and if you allowed them to play with dolls, that they boy would grow up to be a better husband and father. Grammy was a woman ahead of her times. I learned to sew at her knee. I started by helping her Iron hems and pinning. One time a button popped off my shorts. I threaded the needle and she had me sew it on. Over the years I would help her do small repairs. In the late 80's I was bored and i started sewing to keep my mind occupied. I then didn't touch a sewing machine again until I was a senior in High school. I had to make a shirt and shorts for my home ec class.
When I started college in the fall of 1991, my work study job was to reshelve books in the library for 20 hours a week. 5 days a week, 4 hours a day, I walked around the library, in silence (those of you who know me well, know how hard it is for me to be quiet.)
I was a theater major, I was cast in the fall show "The Comedy of Errors"
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| Comedy of Errors, Huntingdon College, October 1991
After about 3 weeks of my hating the Library job, I heard that the costume shop was looking for someone to sew. I talked to Fiona Macleod, the head of the Theatre Dept, she had me sew something, and I was in. Beth Atkins, was the Designer my freshman year. She Designed the costumes for Comedy. It was set in the 1920's during Prohibition. The Idea was that we were all silent movie actors. The costumes were all Black, White, or shades of Grey, By act 5 we all had a punch of color.
The next year Beth, decided not to design any shows, I was still working in the shop. Fiona saw something in me and encouraged me to grow.
I designed and acted in alot of shows at Huntingdon, I was in and designed "Buried Child",and I was not having a good time in the show, thats when I decided to stop acting for a while, It was a long time before I stepped on stage again.
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| Shakespeare in Hollywood, Weathervane Playhouse 2011 |
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| Medea, Case Western Reserve University 2008 |
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| Dancing at Lughnasa, Weathervane Playhouse 2012 |
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| Tartuffe, Huntingdon College. 1999 |
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| Much Ado About Nothing. Case Western Reserve University |
This summer I have an intern. She just finished her freshman year of college and wants to be a Costume Designer. Jamie has been with me 2 weeks. She is so full of energy and a desire to learn. I see so much of myself in her. I can't wait to see her 10 years from know.
You have heard the old adage "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime." I have been taught to fish. I have taken a simple every day task and with some natural talents have carved out a career. I know how precious that is. When ever I have the oppurtunity to teach someone to work in the costume shop with me, I know that this may be the seed to something wonderful for them.
I have been blessed with many awesome people in my life. Fiona Macleod, Danny Davidson, Dale Di Bernardo. You are heros to me and give me inspiration.
If anyone is interested in learning about Weathervane Playhouse or "The Drowsy Chaperone" you can click below for more info.
Jasen
Weathervane
The Drowsy Chaperone:
It's such a joy to be able to make a living doing what you're passionate about!
ReplyDeleteHi Jasen! I'm so sloooow about getting round to people's blogs, but here I am and I look forward to following your posts! This past weekend, I listened to the Godspell soundtrack and couldn't help but think of you! Such good ol' memories. "Pre-e-e-pare ye the way of the Lord!" xoxo
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