The Costume Supervisor’s Toolkit

Rebecca Pride is Course Leader for the award-winning BA (Hons) Costume and Performance Design course at the Arts University Bournemouth. She spent 15 years prior to her career as an academic, working as a costume and set designer in the professional theatre. Her work at the Arts University has included producing numerous costume-led film projects, including Wimbledon Championships 1936-1937, Storytelling from an original point of view, Glass slippers, La Passarella, Reverie, Vampyr and Moulin Rouge.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations

Foreword by Carol Lingwood

Acknowledgements

List of contributors:

Introduction

The Costume Supervisor as Facilitator

Structure of the Book

Chapter 1 What does a Costume Supervisor do?

The Theatre Team Structure

Defining the Role

Chapter 2 Different Types and Genres of Production

Large Scale Production of a Classic Twentieth Century Play

Challenges Presented to the Costume Supervisor

Modern British Musical Pantomime in a Large Provincial Theatre

Challenges Presented to the Costume Supervisor

Student Faculty Production of a Restoration Comedy in a Site Responsive Venue

Challenges Presented to the Costume Supervisor

Chapter 3 Developing Good Communication Skills

Getting Hired

First Design Meeting with Director, Designer and Production manager

Listening

Chapter 4 Setting Up Your Team

Leadership

Costume Roles and Responsibilities

Setting up the Finance and Cash Flow for Your Production

Chapter 5 Budgeting

Creating a Costing Sheet

Estimating Fabric Quantities

Accessing Cash for Shopping Expeditions

Receipt Management

Purchase Orders

Chapter 6 First Rehearsal and creating the Costume Bible

First Rehearsal

Taking Accurate Measurements and Etiquette Rules to be Observed When Measuring Actors

Recording Information in the Costume Bible

Chapter 7 Sourcing: Construct, Hire or Buy?

Costume Hire Stores

Shopping

Chapter 8 Managing the Rehearsal Process

Fittings

Creating a Calm Fitting Space

Chapter 9 Pre- tech rehearsal

Tech Week

Working with the Running Wardrobe Team

Epilogue: Final Thoughts

Appendices

Appendix 1 Fabric Identification Guide

Appendix 2 The Costume Supervisor’s Contract

Appendix 3 Gender Specific Measurement Forms

Table Appendix.3.1 [Male Measurement Form]

Table Appendix.3.2 [Female Measurement Form]

Appendix 4 Sizing Guides

Table Appendix.4.1 [Male Suit Size Guide]

Table Appendix.4.2 [Female Size Guide]

Table Appendix.4.3[Shoe size Guide]

Table Appendix.4.4 [Glove size Guide]

Appendix 5 Basic Excel Instructions

Bibliography:

Notes:

Production Credits:

Glossary of Terms:

Useful Addresses:

Index:

List of Illustrations with Figure Captions, Cases, Illustrations, or Tables

Authors Biography