task one part one

The costume designer is

responsible for designing all the

costumes to be worn in a

production. This can involve a mix

of designing from scratch, and

sourcing existing items of clothing.

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What is the job like?

Costume designers work very closely with the director, and often also the other designers on the show, like the set designer. Your aim as a costume designer is to find a look and feel to complement the vision of a play.

Often you might start by finding appropriate reference materials, such as images, fabrics, textures, and period drawings. You would then devise costumes within the budget available.

This might involve: 

• going shopping for clothes and accessories such as hats, gloves or jewellery, either from a theatrical costumier or high street shops and markets
• creating something absolutely new from design to finished product
• adapting some existing pieces of costuming for the purposes of a new show
• Overseeing costume fittings and last-minute changes, ready for the dress rehearsal.

As a designer, you might work with a team of people in the wardrobe department with a wide range of skills. As you move through your design career, you might also work in these roles too. 

What jobs make up a costume design

 department?

Many of the costume team may have had specialist art, fashion design or drama school training. However, in some cases people do work their way into the industry without formal training.

• Wardrobe supervisors handle records of what the wardrobe department already has 'in stock', and help with sourcing new items of costume. 
• Tailors and dressmakers make new garments. They will often have served an apprenticeship in the clothing industry, and adapted these skills to theatre use.
• Cutters are assistants to the dressmakers. They cut out patterns ready to be sewn together into costumes. Specialist pattern cutting courses are often available at places like the London College of Fashion.
• Milliners are hat specialists who design and make headwear. 
• Dyers 'break down' costumes, shoes or boots before they are seen on stage. Breaking down is the process of distressing a costume, to give it a worn and authentic look.
  For example, jacket sleeves can be tied up with string, sprayed with water and left overnight to get authentic creases. Pockets are made to realistically sag by filling with paper or stones.
  Costumes can also be rubbed with sandpaper or soap to make the garment look worn or greasy. Dyers might also regularly cover boots and shoes with specially made ‘mud’.
• Dressers help the artists into their costumes when making quick changes. This is a role that can be undertaken by people without previous experience, although often the jobs are often staffed by by experienced people who may have undertaken relevant theatre training, or people who are hoping to move into more qualified wardrobe work.

The 'front-of-house' of a theatre refers to all areas accessed by the public, including the auditorium. Front of house staff look after the public to make sure their visit is safe and enjoyable.

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What is the job like?

The front-of-house department look after the day-to-day management of the theatre. Usually there is at least one front-of-house manager who employs other front-of-house staff.

The aim of the front-of-house team is to make the theatre a welcoming place for all visitors, staff and volunteers. The front-of-house manager, is often responsible for:

• the safety and security of the public at performance time, and all times that the public are on the premises
• ordering and dealing with the merchandise that is sold at the theatre
• making sure food and drink sold on the premises is up to standard
• managing the box office

There is often an assistant manager who acts as a deputy and helps the house manager to run the theatre. 

The front-of-house manager also employs front-of-house assistants to check the audience's tickets, help them to find their seats, and make sure the theatre is safe during the performance. These assistants are often also called 'ushers' or 'stewards'.

Theatre directors take 

responsibility for the overall

 creative production of plays.

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What is the job like?

The director comes up with the 'vision' for a production, and leads the cast, technical crew and design staff to deliver the finished show.

On larger productions they may also work with choreographers, musical directors and fight arrangers. Different directors have different ways of working, and even the same director might vary their approach from play to play.

At all times, you also have to bear in mind the constraints of production. Your vision needs to be possible in the space it is being shown in, and you need to make sure your project doesn't run out of money. 

Some directors are also writers, and may direct their own authored productions. Most directors are self-employed. They may also be employed as artistic directors or resident directors in particular theatres, or be attached to a particular theatre company. 

In many ways the director is the key figure in a theatrical production, coordinating everything from the casting to the final performance. As a director you are crucially responsible for the artistic interpretation of the play. If it’s a new play, you may also spend a lot of time working with the playwright on the script and the best way to stage it.

The director is the key figure in a theatrical production.

Directors may also spend time working as assistant directors. This means being part of the core creative team on a production, and working closely with the director.

It can mean simply being a sounding board for ideas, or keeping tabs on key moves in rehearsals. On a big production, it can mean directing whole sections of the script.

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