Mixed Bag of Good News
Another long 12 hour day, but honestly one of the most satisfying of the summer. No one likes to work a 12 hour day. Especially on your feet, in a barn, on the first beautiful and tolerable days this week. The bubble of heat and humidity finally burst and all in the shop would have much rather been outside. But the show must go on.
First on the docket was a fitting for one of the leading ladies. The character of Vivi. All but a petticoat and skirt were being built for her...essentially all of the items I previously posted. This fitting was the first fabric fitting...we had an initial fitting of all of the clothes we were making using a cheap fabric first, while major changes can still be made. I left the fitting an hour later with only three notes: shorten the corset an inch, add an inch and a half to the waist band of her second skirt and take in the center back of her jacket a smidge (yes, just like cooking, we have our own jargon for small increments of measure. And any draper worth their salt knows what a smidge is..). The rest...marking hems and finishing the linings. Finishing is no small feat. It ususally involves patterning a lining, facings, cuffs and such. In the case of the jacket and a the vest to line it, you are essentially building it all over again in a lighter, slippery fabric. Time consuming. But we don't have pages of adjustments to do first. A fitting like this, with that much clothes built so quickly, with so few notes, is immensely satisfying. Reassuring. It means I did my job right the first time around. Both the designer and the actor were immensely pleased.
The remaining 11 hours of work digressed into a bouncy caffeinated mess by 8pm. I don't think much was accomplished in that last hour, but I love seeing spirits that high thorough the day. Overall this shop has been excellent...supportive, talented, friendly, and young. I'll miss a lot of them when we part ways.
And part ways I will. My plane ticket was booked...departing Chicago on the 29th with a short layover in Phoenix. I have an apartment with roommate secured in addition to a pleasant surprise from my future boss. A small set back at the company worked out in my favor. I'm not sure if I'd call it a raise or a promotion. But it does involve designing the Kabuki show...starting with preliminaries in the next two weeks. I am hitting the ground running, but my boss assured me, because of the snag, the hardest part of the season will be up front. I may kick myself at some point during the process. It is a lot to digest in a short time: new work, new home, new hierarchies and processes at the theatre, a design, setting up shop the way I want with no predecessor to really guide me...at the moment I feel I'm up for the challenge.
Today's been quite a rush.
First on the docket was a fitting for one of the leading ladies. The character of Vivi. All but a petticoat and skirt were being built for her...essentially all of the items I previously posted. This fitting was the first fabric fitting...we had an initial fitting of all of the clothes we were making using a cheap fabric first, while major changes can still be made. I left the fitting an hour later with only three notes: shorten the corset an inch, add an inch and a half to the waist band of her second skirt and take in the center back of her jacket a smidge (yes, just like cooking, we have our own jargon for small increments of measure. And any draper worth their salt knows what a smidge is..). The rest...marking hems and finishing the linings. Finishing is no small feat. It ususally involves patterning a lining, facings, cuffs and such. In the case of the jacket and a the vest to line it, you are essentially building it all over again in a lighter, slippery fabric. Time consuming. But we don't have pages of adjustments to do first. A fitting like this, with that much clothes built so quickly, with so few notes, is immensely satisfying. Reassuring. It means I did my job right the first time around. Both the designer and the actor were immensely pleased.
The remaining 11 hours of work digressed into a bouncy caffeinated mess by 8pm. I don't think much was accomplished in that last hour, but I love seeing spirits that high thorough the day. Overall this shop has been excellent...supportive, talented, friendly, and young. I'll miss a lot of them when we part ways.
And part ways I will. My plane ticket was booked...departing Chicago on the 29th with a short layover in Phoenix. I have an apartment with roommate secured in addition to a pleasant surprise from my future boss. A small set back at the company worked out in my favor. I'm not sure if I'd call it a raise or a promotion. But it does involve designing the Kabuki show...starting with preliminaries in the next two weeks. I am hitting the ground running, but my boss assured me, because of the snag, the hardest part of the season will be up front. I may kick myself at some point during the process. It is a lot to digest in a short time: new work, new home, new hierarchies and processes at the theatre, a design, setting up shop the way I want with no predecessor to really guide me...at the moment I feel I'm up for the challenge.
Today's been quite a rush.
posted by Unknown at
9:28 PM
1 Comments:
GOOD LUCK! Way to go Sam! It sounds challenging but I know you're up to it. I just wish I could actually see one of your shows. Kabuki. that's fabulous! So jealous of people who are actually busy...
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