Costume Design for Twelfth Night

The Cary News - June 5, 2003

Twelfth Night Review

by Lisa Coston

Nobody who writes theater reviews ever mentions the costumes --at least, hardly ever.

That's what David Serxner, who designed the costumes for the Cary Players' current production of "Twelfth Night," told me.

Instead of writing an actual review, which I feel sorely inadequate to do in the case of Shakespeare (though I highly recommend that you go see this show, so there's my review), I decided to write about costumes, or more specifically about costuming a show for a new community theater group.

Earlier this year, Cary Players presented its first production, the technically simplistic and early 20th-century "Our Town," primarily borrowing costumes from other theater groups and members.

Enter the Elizabethan era, which requires a little more clothing.

There must be tunics and doublets and long skirts and tights and headpieces and hats and veils and snoods. There must be lush fabrics -- brocades and velvets.

Serxner, aided by five or six others, including Ramona Traynor (who plays the role of Valentine in the show and sat at coffee shops taking quick notes as Serxner spouted ideas), built 12 costumes in about two and a half weeks, pulling the rest from other collections as rentals and loans.

A library employee at N.C. State and a graduate student, Serxner has worked on costumes for a variety of shows for a variety of theater companies. His mother and the staff at Raleigh Creative Costumes, where he has worked off and on for years, taught him to sew and he's turned it into a part-time vocation.

He got this particular gig through assistant director Kurt Benrud, who also plays Feste; the two worked on a production of "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" several years ago.

"At first I told Kurt no, because it's a non-paying gig, but it actually is leading to something else that will pay," Serxner said. "Anyway, I think community theater is just great -- a diverse group of people with different skills united by a common love of theater."

This happens to be Serxner's favorite Shakespeare play -- "I would crawl miles to see it, I love it so much" -- so he figured it offered a great chance to get back into full-fledged costume design for the first time in about half a dozen years.

Costume design for a show usually begins with sketches and patterns, and selection of colors. After briefly discussing things with director and producer Herman LeVern Jones -- who basically said, "I trust you" -- and meeting and chatting briefly with the cast, Serxner was off and running.

He consulted his own reference library as well as those at Raleigh Creative Costumes and UNC-Chapel Hill to find pictures and drawings of clothing typical for the play's period (1601). He took basic measurements of actors, though the costumes were made large and altered to fit, so in the future they can be taken in to varying degrees. He asked about allergies and found out the (limited) budget before heading to the fabric store.

Fortunately, the costumers were able to find several commercial patterns for "Twelfth Night," instead of having to draft all from scratch, a time-consuming process.

A show's color scheme can be crucial and symbolic of themes, Serxner said. In this production, for example, he dressed Duke Orsino (David Bland) in red to connote power and love. Viola (Lynne Guglielmi) and Sebastian (Brian Graves) wear blue because they emerged from the sea after being shipwrecked.

"The one thing I won't listen to is 'I don't wear that color,'" Serxner said. "I don't care. Your character is wearing it."

He gave a botanical, garden theme to the costumes, fitting for the show's outdoor setting and several characters.

"Olivia, I think she's about rebirth, regrowth after a year of mourning," Serxner said. "She starts out dressed all in black, then you see a yellow underskirt. Then you start to see blue, green. She's flowering."

Costumes for "Twelfth Night" -- finished with several sewing machines whirring away in Serxner's living room, lamps blazing and pizza nearby --give the Cary Players a building block for a future collection.

"That's important if this [company] is going to be a lasting thing," Serxner said. "You can't beg, borrow and steal forever. If you have a stock of costumes, you can alter things and you can trade with other companies."

Finally, at the last couple of rehearsals last week, Serxner got to see everyone wearing the costumes, and how they fit with Neil Williamson's set design and other touches such as hair and makeup. There wasn't much time for actors to wear their costumes, feel them, move in them, and realize how they reflect their characters -- how one might need a maid to lace one up, or might be forced by poverty to wear an unlined, cast-off cape.

Then, of course, tweaks were made, and Serxner offered lessons that went something like, "Your costume is your friend, and your mama don't work here, so hang up your clothes unless you think we're here to do readers' theater."

As Cary Players continues to evolve, Serxner said, a few things in terms of organization, process and timeline likely will change to make things run more smoothly. Perhaps in the future there will be lists of willing technical volunteers available. Right now, a few people are doing most of the work.

"It has been so much fun working with these people, and also working with Herman is a real privilege," Serxner said. "I love the energy people are bringing to this. I hope the community will support this group.

"Revel in it, support it, enjoy it, go see the level of professionalism on that stage. The Town of Cary is giving great support. You couldn't ask for more there."

If reviewers don't mention the costumes, for the most part it's a good thing. It means they blend seamlessly into a play, rather than drawing attention to themselves.

So, David Serxner, consider your work on "Twelfth Night" unmentioned.

Cary players

William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night or What You Will," presented by the Cary Players, co-sponsored by the Town of Cary and directed by Herman LeVern Jones, will be presented at Sertoma Amphitheatre in Bond Park as follows: Thursday, June 5-Saturday, June 7, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, June 7, at 2 p.m.; and Sunday, June 8, 3 p.m. Tickets are $12, with discounts for students, seniors and groups. Call the Cary Players box office at 836-0866, e-mail tickets@caryplayers.org or see www.caryplayers.org.