All About Costumes!

Hello Readers! Welcome back! We are now in the final rehearsal week for Chitra.This has been a super busy, busy week for the cast and crew. Tech rehearsals began over the weekend, and the cast went over several rounds of dress rehearsals too. If you are wondering what tech rehearsals are – they are rehearsals focused on the technical aspects of the production - the set, lights, sound etc. It has been wonderful to watch all the elements finally coming together. The set and the props designed by John are sheer perfection. They have elevated Chitra to a visual extravaganza. The cast members have been working through their scenes, working hard at the fights, at the exceptionally choreographed dances. It was a joy watching them work so hard at bringing Chitra together, and to see how enthusiastic they are about bringing this wonderful story to the audiences.

In the midst of all this madness, we decided to talk to our in-house costume designer Mary Eggers. The costumes for Chitra are so vibrant, thanks to Mary and her team of designers. Her attention to detail is amazing! She has brought her own unique take on Chitra, and it was wonderful to watch her work. We spoke at her length about her vision and inspiration for Chitra, and this is what she had to say.

Ritu: What was your understanding of Chitra and how did that help you to design costumes?

Mary : First of all, thank you so much for featuring the Chitra costumes on your blog. Hi everyone! Ok, onto Chitra!

In the initial design discussions with Anita and Sarah Jane, they gave me an overview of the scope of the project, including all of the incredible collaborators involved. Anita helped me better understand the tale of Chitra and the importance it holds in the Indian community. We also talked a lot about the design opportunities in terms of where we could focus the fusion of western theater and Indian dance and where we needed to be more traditional. From there I approached the show like I do with all projects, I researched the story and the characters from a visual point of view and found inspiration through color stories I assign to each character. I was particularly inspired by the idea of a warrior princess and how we as artists chose to show that character to our Portland audience.

Ritu: Chitra is all about fusion. How has that been reflected in the costumes?

Mary: There is a reverence to designing epic, fairy tale-like stories; knowing most of your audience is coming in with a prescribed notion of how the characters are “supposed to” look. I didn’t have a personal connection to Chitra going into my prep so I was able to approach the show as an outsider. It was important to me to fuse together these predetermined ideas of the characters in Chitra with moments of fresh perspective and reinterpretation as a way to include the entire audience in the visual experience. Specifically, there are moments of this with the design of the Army jackets. I did a lot of research of old photographs of all types of soldier uniforms, pulling inspiration from the lines and details that immediately make you think “uniform”. Then, to push the design into a fairy-tale setting. I chose an unexpected fabric, a cotton velveteen which is not commonly used in uniform coats, in a brilliant blue color. These choices immediately say there is no cultural reference or allegiance to an historical army; more, there is a fusion of the idea of a uniform which I think allows the script room to develop the character of the Army for the audience’s interpretation.

Ritu: What was your inspiration while designing the costumes for Chitra?

Mary: I know this will sound vague but I am inspired by Indian fashion in general. There is such a beautiful representation of vibrant color, bold print, embroidery, embellishment and gratuitous sparkle. As a costume designer, you’re only as good as your fabric, so this has been an incredible treat! Anita enlisted her mother and a tailor in India to build the Bharatnatyam costumes for the opening dance as well as the pants worn on the soldiers which were a huge inspiration. Once they arrived I knew everything else we made here in the costume shop had to be at that same level. For the character of Chitra I was inspired by what it means visually when you think of a warrior, layering on top of that the strength and beauty of femininity. The silhouette of her Act 2 outfit isn’t necessarily what I would have put her in outside of this story’s context; but it’s a familiar silhouette in Indian fashion and Alisha was comfortable and more than capable of doing her choreography in it, so we decided to use it. And I’m so glad we did because seeing her fight in that skirt is incredible!! I think it will make a huge impact visually.

Ritu: How different has it been from other projects that you have undertaken?

Mary: Every new play has an element of the “unknown” attached to it. Chitra even more so for me. But unlike a lot of new work, because it’s such an important story in Indian culture, I had a foundation to work from. This was really helpful and also a bit intimidating! Usually I design with (controlled) reckless abandon and push the audience to “get it”. But for Chitra, it was more about preserving the story and fusing traditional silhouettes with theatrical elements, instead of presenting brand new big ideas. Also with this show, more so than others, we had a lot of existing costumes that we chose to use that had nothing to do with my design, garments that already existed from performer’s closets, i.e. the sari worn by Vasant and the Act 2 outfit worn by Chitra. Using existing garments provides a framework for the designed pieces since they need to work symbiotically onstage.

Ritu: If you had any additional thoughts, please feel free to share them with us.

Mary: As a female artist, I’m infatuated with the idea of a female warrior driving the story and feel lucky to be a part of this production. With the world today, it’s never been more important to share stories and fuse cultures as a way to connect with and understand each other. I want to thank Anita Menon for being my cultural advisor on this project and for being such an ally as a female artist. I’d also like to thank Sarah Jane Hardy and NWCT for continuing to put new, innovative work on stage and trusting that young audiences will receive and respond to the art. And to the entire Indian community for donating sarees - we were overwhelmed in the costume shop by the donations! Thank you! I hope everyone reading this finds time to see the show!

Thank you so much Mary for taking out the time to talk to us. It was wonderful talking to you. She is such a powerhouse of talent, and that has been clearly reflected in the costumes she has designed. Chitra is surely a visual treat in every sense of the word. I can’t wait for Chitra to open this weekend, and to experience visually, the months of hard work and perseverance that has gone into making it.