COURSE DESCRIPTION

An introduction to the theory and practice of theatrical costume including construction techniques organization and maintenance.  Also included will be patterning, dyeing and costume history.  Students will participate in costume studio activities.

COURSE GOALS/OBJECTIVES

To teach an appreciation, understanding and proficiency, of the construction and handling of costumes and fabrics.

The student will be expected to complete a costume construction project for an assigned production, to run a costume crew and to learn basic patterning skills.

They will compile a sample notebook to use for future reference.

Students will be expected to recognize individual historical periods with reference to costume silhouettes and theindividual costume piece.

He/She will be able to recognize costumes with a basic understanding of the culture in which the costumes were developed.

The class will be lecture in form with strong emphasis on laboratory participation.

CLASS REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING

• Production Construction Projects will be graded on:
•  meeting specified deadline
•  neatness of work; seams, closures, finishes, etc..
• effort involved.
• final effect achieved

• Costume Sample Notebook
• Neatness of samples and notebooks
• Organization of notebooks:
• Samples should be labeled with regard to the following information:
• Name of sample.
• When such an application might be necessary.
• The completion of the following samples:
• Seams: plain, french lapped, flat fell, serged.
• Seam Finishes: pinked, zig-zag, overcast by hand, turned and edge stitched, bias bound, serged.
• Joining Techniques:  trimming corners, grading, clipping, notching.
• Shaping Devices: darts, gathers:heavy and light.
• Handstitches and Hemming Stitches:  backstitch, prickstitch, catchstitch, blindstitch, running stitch, whipstitch, locked hemming stitch.
• Closures: buttons and buttonholes, snaps, zippers, hooks & eyes.

• Costume Running Crew will be graded as follows:
• Responsibilities will be discussed.   Everyone will be assigned to a crew.
• A handout will be distributed with a list of responsibilities.
• Someone will be designated costume crew head for each production.
• Grades will be awarded according to punctuality, attitude and effectiveness.
• This is a very serious responsibility!!!

• Costume Construction/Techniques Exam:
• Will consist of 100 pts.
• Will be comprehensive with emphasis given to lecture, textbook material and laboratory methods taught.
• The test will include recall from construction projects, sample notebooks and lecture materials.

 
• Costume history exam will include:
• 50 questions  (2 pts. each)
• One representative slide from each period needing to be identified.
• Costume terminology needing to be defined according to item and period of identification.

 
ALL PROJECTS WILL BE GRADED EQUALLY AS THEY ARE ALL EQUALLY IMPORTANT!

ATTENDANCE:
                You may have three unexcused absences in this course.  After three absences your grade will be dropped one third of a letter
                grade for each absence.

LATE PROJECTS:

Will not be accepted.


REQUIRED TEXT

Ingham, Rosemary and  Covey, Elizabeth .  The Costume Technician's Handbook.
     New Hampshire:  Heinemann Educational Books, Inc.  1992.

    Handouts provided

SUPPLEMENTAL TEXTS

• Dryden, Deborah M.   Fabric Painting & Dyeing For The Theatre.  New York: Drama Book Specialists, 1981.
• Emery Joy Spanabel.  Stage Costume Techniques.   New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1981.
• Holkeboer, Katherine Strand.  Costume Construction.  New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.,  1989.
• *Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing.  Reader's Digest Association, Inc., Pleasantville,  NY.  1978.
• Russell, Douglas.  Stage Costume Design: Theory, Technique, and Style.  New Jersey: Englewood Cliffs:  Prentice-Hall, Inc.,  1973.
• Thomas, Beverly.  A Practical Approach to Costume Design and Construction,vol. 2.,  Boston:  Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1982.
• *NOTE:  These texts will be available in the costume studio for in-room
use only.