Costumes! Costumes! Everywhere!

Hi LCT Blog-o-sphere!  My name is Eric Abele and I'm the new Resident Designer/Costume Director at Lexington Children's Theatre.  Many of you may remember that I served several years in the Education Department here, teaching young people from ages four to sixteen.  But, now I'm down on the second floor, loving every minute of being a full-time production artist at my favorite theatre.

Working diligently with my current costume intern, Joscelyne Oktabetz (soon to be costume journeyman), we have spent the past few weeks reorganizing and re-imagining the costume shop.  We couldn't be happier with the results!  Hopefully from the photo, any of you familiar with our shop will see some new uses of our space.

The costume shop is busy with wonderful artists working hard to accomplish the design, production, maintenance, and storage for LCT's eleven show season, as well as our Education Programming.  Right now, I have five shows bubbling through my head, all in very different stages of the process.

1. Snow White: We're well in to full production mode!  Our new draper, Theresa Bush has been cranking out patterns and cutting fabric, while our wonderful stitchers, Marilyn Cook and Jamie Carter have been sewing them together.  We have our first round of fittings June 7th!

2. Willy Wonka: The design is completed, but we can't move forward without a cast! (although we have made a mock-up for Violet as a blueberry).  Casting is June 5 and 6, so you'd better call and make your audition appointment today  If you'd like a sneak peek at those designs, you can look at my online portfolio.

3. River Rat and Cat: Our fall tour designs are due this Friday!  The director, Larry Snipes, and I have agreed on the "looks" of the characters, so it's a matter of coloring the final sketches and looking at them in conjunction with Jerome Wills's scenic design to make sure it all works together with Larry's vision.

4. If you Give a Mouse a Cookie: Since this design is by Joscelyne, my job is to estimate the cost of production, mentor her in sourcing fabric and materials, and supervise the costume production from start to finish.  It will be the first time I have to make a pair of pants to fit a mom wearing stilts!

5. Isaac Murphy/NeverEnding Story:  I lumped these guys together because they're on the same level.  We're still talking with the directors about the initial ideas regarding the design.  Who are these people?  What are these plays about?  What story are we trying to tell?  What inspires us?  Who knows where we'll be by the time those shows are in final form?

So, that's what's going on in the costume shop.  Feel free to poke around my website if you would like to see sketches from other LCT shows I've done this year: http://www.ericabele.com/.

See you at the theatre!
Eric