flute4peace
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Jul 3, 2014 14:38:35 GMT
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Post by flute4peace on Sept 12, 2016 21:51:48 GMT
My daughter is playing Adelaide in Guys & Dolls, and I'm going to do costumes for her and probably the hotbox girls. We don't have much of a budget so I'm thinking cutoff jeans & plaid shirts for "Bushel", but want to do a little something more for "Mink". Does anyone have simple, modest suggestions? AngieJoy melissa
I'll take any Adelaide suggestions too. I haven't seen the script yet so not sure what all she's going to need. I do have a wedding dress, robe & costumes for both hotbox scenes on my list. What else?
I found a costume plot, very helpful |
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melissa
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Post by melissa on Sept 13, 2016 20:15:57 GMT
I was actually in this show in high school and college! Saw it on Broadway too.
I don't see how you can go modest for Take Back Your Mink. It is a strip tease! I have never seen it choreographed any other way. In college, we we had Mink stoles, the long cigarette holders, long gloves, feather head pieces, a tear away dress (think Velcro) and corsets underneath. I have seenit done with leotards.
I actually have photos at home (out of town at the moment). We wore cute yellow gingham dresses for Bushel. I do think plaid shirts tied at the waist and denim shorts could be cute. I would want to know the choreography to know how much they need to move. You may be better off with something very stretchy.
You might want to look at rental costs for the Salvation Army types. If there is a shop in your area, it might be reasonable.
In general, think 1940s for everything. Louder suits with personality for the gamblers. Sky is usually in white. You also have the scene in Havana with the dancer. Some do several dancers.
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melissa
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Post by melissa on Sept 13, 2016 20:19:24 GMT
All the hotbox dancers need a normal dress as well. You need another robe for Mitzy. These would both be short robes.
The opening scene has lots of people in normal period clothing. They may toss in a policeman or two, street vendors, etc. It is just instrumental music, a slice of life in NYC.
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melissa
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Post by melissa on Sept 13, 2016 20:22:49 GMT
Ok
Reread your post and see you are just doing the hot box dancers. I would have them in black leotards with fishnets underneath a long dress or skirt with a slit. The dress or skirt would need to be removed. You really do need to speak to the choreographer before planning costumes for characters that dance though.
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Grom Pea
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Post by Grom Pea on Sept 14, 2016 5:47:55 GMT
Ah memories, I remember doing this show in high school and I was the box girl, no, not the hot box girls, I was in that salvation army and I carried the box that the main character stands on to give the talks off of, ha ha.
I remember auditioning for Adelaide and getting a call back and having a Dr's appointment that day so I missed the call back, my one chance at high school fame. Although my friend who got the part was amazing, I am just good at doing funny voices :-)
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flute4peace
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Jul 3, 2014 14:38:35 GMT
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Post by flute4peace on Sept 14, 2016 17:15:40 GMT
Ok Reread your post and see you are just doing the hot box dancers. I would have them in black leotards with fishnets underneath a long dress or skirt with a slit. The dress or skirt would need to be removed. You really do need to speak to the choreographer before planning costumes for characters that dance though. Thank you!! This is all fantastic information!! I'll probably be back to pick your brain for more suggestions. And I do appreciate all of the ideas for the rest of the cast. I'm sure there will be kids who will need help so already having some ideas will be good. I'm going on a little road trip in a couple weeks so will hit thrift stores for suits, hats etc.
I was thinking about just a simple tear-away skirt for Mink, too, with black shorts underneath (maybe glamming them up with sequin border around the bottom). This is a small-town high school so we have little-to-no budget, so anything we can DIY is great.
Choreography won't be a problem. My kid is the only trained dancer in the cast, so she & I & the director will probably be the only ones doing it & it'll be pretty simple. Thank goodness.
I've collected a few things for Adelaide already. I have a dress that can be used as a wedding dress (actually 2 of them), with a white "fur" cape/stole thing that I thought would go with the story. I also have a really cool hat that almost looks like tapestry (I think it's called a pillbox style?) in muted brown, burgundy, etc. I though I could add some netting to make it part of the wedding ensemble. I also have some shoes perfect to match the dress, if she has time to change out of character shoes.
I have a couple of dresses from the costume closet at school that can pass for 40s, if she doesn't like them they'll be available for other cast members. She also has a friend who has a really cute white with large blue polka-dots that I have another pillbox hat and gloves that match (we were going to use it for senior pictures). It's almost pushing the 50s, but I still think it could work. I also have a long wool coat that would coordinate. I thought maybe for scene 1?
For "Bushel", we have a prairie dress that was made for her for Oklahoma last year. It's light blue with white lace trim. I was thinking of cutting down the skirt on that - presto free costume.
The other thing I have is a black w/white pin-strip suit that my son wore for 8th grade graduation. There's one young man in the show who's pretty small so I'm thinking he might be able to wear it. Also found 3 fedoras.
Maybe I can take some pictures to show you for some opinion/guidance.
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peaclare
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Post by peaclare on Sept 14, 2016 17:22:24 GMT
When my daughter was in this play a few years ago, the hot box dances wore jeans shorts, cowboy boots, white button-down shirts tied at the waist, red bandanas and hair in braids. Then for the nightclub they all wore black spandex shorts with tank tops or halters (some sequined) and the dress over it was a simple black wrap dress (sleeveless) cut from a bolt of fabric and black boas. They looked fabulous!
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flute4peace
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Jul 3, 2014 14:38:35 GMT
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Post by flute4peace on Sept 14, 2016 19:23:31 GMT
When my daughter was in this play a few years ago, the hot box dances wore jeans shorts, cowboy boots, white button-down shirts tied at the waist, red bandanas and hair in braids. Then for the nightclub they all wore black spandex shorts with tank tops or halters (some sequined) and the dress over it was a simple black wrap dress (sleeveless) cut from a bolt of fabric and black boas. They looked fabulous! Thanks - this is exactly where I was going in my mind, although perhaps color for the over-dresses. I'm glad to hear it went over well! |
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Sept 14, 2016 22:51:25 GMT
When my daughter was in this play a few years ago, the hot box dances wore jeans shorts, cowboy boots, white button-down shirts tied at the waist, red bandanas and hair in braids. Then for the nightclub they all wore black spandex shorts with tank tops or halters (some sequined) and the dress over it was a simple black wrap dress (sleeveless) cut from a bolt of fabric and black boas. They looked fabulous! My daughter was in the show last year and that is similar to what the Hot Box girls wore. She was Nicely Nicely Johnson... so no cute outfits for her... but she loved her suit! They got all the suits at the Good Will.. they bought them large so they sorted of looked like 30's gangster suits. It's a fun show.. I have an amazing picture of her standing on a few guys shoulders singing Sit Down... |
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melissa
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Post by melissa on Sept 14, 2016 23:30:24 GMT
She was Nicely Nicely! Love that gender blind casting! How fun!
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flute4peace
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Post by flute4peace on Sept 15, 2016 17:32:58 GMT
When my daughter was in this play a few years ago, the hot box dances wore jeans shorts, cowboy boots, white button-down shirts tied at the waist, red bandanas and hair in braids. Then for the nightclub they all wore black spandex shorts with tank tops or halters (some sequined) and the dress over it was a simple black wrap dress (sleeveless) cut from a bolt of fabric and black boas. They looked fabulous! My daughter was in the show last year and that is similar to what the Hot Box girls wore. She was Nicely Nicely Johnson... so no cute outfits for her... but she loved her suit! They got all the suits at the Good Will.. they bought them large so they sorted of looked like 30's gangster suits. It's a fun show.. I have an amazing picture of her standing on a few guys shoulders singing Sit Down... How fun!! |
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flute4peace
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Jul 3, 2014 14:38:35 GMT
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Post by flute4peace on Sept 15, 2016 17:34:07 GMT
I knew I had done a couple of the numbers in a Broadway Camp one summer when I was in HS, but after reading through the scenes I realized we did the whole show, not just a review. Now I'm singing along with all the songs  . |
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AmeliaBloomer
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Post by AmeliaBloomer on Sept 16, 2016 2:27:43 GMT
I've actually never worked this show, but I have ideas: Take Back Your Mink:-Always, always, always, ALWAYS check with the choreographer, no matter how simple the steps. Even going down on one knee can be problematic with many skirts. Also, the damn choreographer will change the damn choreography AFTER your conversation and forget to tell you and you won't realize it until First Dress and then you're up all night making longer slits in skirts. Ask me how I know. -For this song, it's very important to communicate with the director. It's literally a costume-driven song. The lyrics (dress, pearls, gloves, hats, I forget what else) are very specific, as is the rhythm. The director will have very specific ideas about what/how many items should be removed and on what beats. The costume timing could even affect music tempo. -Adelaide needs a mink coat or stole. Somebody will have a stole in their attic. Maybe you could make the other ones from fun fur (no sew) or use JoAnn's coupons to get boas. -If you do the pearls: Ugh. Removing them over the head is fraught. Increases chance of breaking and/or getting stuck. And looks awkward. Replace clasps with very large open necklace hooks or even Velcro on ribbon and remove from behind the neck. Better yet, talk the director into just Adelaide doing it! Broken necklaces on stage is not something you want to live through. ASK ME HOW I KNOW!!!!! -Fishnets are a great idea. Try to get the ones with the seams in back. (In fact, for street-clothes scenes, you can actually draw seams on bare-legged girls.) -I'd set up a costume prop table just for the items used for this song. Tape off a section for each girl so you know who to pester when something is missing. Bushel and a Peck:-If you're thrifting the jeans to cut off, pay attention to how low-rise they are. You won't be able to thrift high waisted ones, but you might want to veer away from the pubic-bone-skimming look. Not period authentic and with the bare midriff, it won't be kind to many figures, even high schoolers. -The suggested cowboy boots would be cute, but you could instead just keep the girls in the shoes they wear for their other scenes (hopefully, characters shoes). They're chorus girls, so the two-inch heels would work with the cut-offs. -Bandannas tied around their heads - tied on top a la Rosie the Riveter. Or cheapo straw cowboy hates...or those fringed straw farmer hats. Adelaide's "Cold" song:-Sew shoulder pads in the robe. -She can also do a scarf tied high on the head a la Rosie the Riviter. Polka dots always work. -You can make fluffy "mules" with thrifted shoes and fluffy trim. More "Ask Me How I Know"s:-Never give a high-waisted skirt or trousers to high school kids and tell them to try it on without explicit directions/supervision. They will invariably report that it was MUCH too small - because they tried to wear it low-waisted and and it wouldn't zip. This has happened to me a hundred zillion times. -Be prepared for sincere alarm if a high school girls sees the size inside a garment that was not built in the 21st century. She will insist she always wears Size 0. (It gets worse the older the clothes are; for instance, I know that a size 6 in 2010 was a size 16 in the 1930s...so today's 0 was a 10.) -Never let high school kids actors of any age be responsible for jewelry, especially vintage jewelry with old string inside. I can not repeat this enough.   |
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flute4peace
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Post by flute4peace on Sept 16, 2016 14:09:09 GMT
Wow thank Amelia! Lots of good information here, I appreciate all of your advice.
Since this is a small-school performance, most of the kids are responsible for finding their own costumes, with the exception of the Mink scene. They liked the idea of cut-offs and plaid shirts for Bushel, most likely having all in red shirts and Adelaide in blue, or vice versa. They'll be responsible for those (most will already own them). Very good point about low-rise, I'll make sure and mention that to them. I also thought about black tanks under the shirts to prevent too much skin (that they would also wear for Mink).
Good thinking about the choreography for Mink. I'm not sure yet who will be doing it. Usually it's a combination of the director & cast, I helped with last year's and my daughter did a couple of last year's numbers, too. There's only one actual trained dancer in the cast (Adelaide), so it'll be pretty simple, but definitely worth keeping in mind. I was thinking of making skirts that Velcro in the back, but now I'm wondering if maybe a more straight wrap-style skirt would be easier. Not quite as period (which nobody will know anyway), easier movement and easier to shed. Hmm. Leaning toward black tank with boas (or if I can find some cheap fur-ish fabric) for the top and black shorts under the skirts. There is one fur stole in the costume closet, and I have a couple of other options here, for Adelaide.
Very good point about the jewelry, too! I have several strands of cheap plastic "pearls" that I had bought for props for something else, and I think they're the kind that are glued (?) together and not strung. Definitely don't want beads running around on the stage. I'll get them out and check them. If they are strung, I'll get some on a spool at the fabric store up in the city.
I like your ideas for the dressing gown scene too. Today's an early out so I'm planning to pin Adelaide down and go through the dress, suit etc options I've already gathered up. If she refuses I'll ground her  .
I may even take some pictures of options, we'll see. Last night she said she wanted to keep it as simple as possible. I'll be working hard to change her mind lol.
Thank you again, great ideas!
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Sept 16, 2016 15:04:54 GMT
Consider having all the girls wear either a nude cami style leotard or black under all their costumes. Makes costume changes especially the quick ones much easier and it saves you having modesty issues.
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Post by Basket1lady on Sept 16, 2016 15:12:58 GMT
DD did Guys and Dolls when she was in 8th grade. It was probably a junior version, but I don't remember. You have received some great suggestions here, but I want to say don't go too crazy with authentic costuming. Bigger schools (like our HS) put a lot of money into costumes. But for a smaller, non performing arts school, you kind of have to go with what you can get. And that's ok. It all works in the end, especially if your audience is used to it. If yours is a conservative community, Take Back Your Mink can be done modestly--a lot of ours was done behind a screen.
I made the mission outfits--it was just a cape with some red soutache trim and elastic waist skirt, with a white collar sewn onto the cape. The girls wore white blouses under the capes. I love what you have planned for Bushel and a Peck and you could easily find high rise jeans at our thrift store.
Go online and look for the silhouette for 40s styles. You will find more than you think at thrift stores. DD did the costumes for A Streetcar Named Desire last year. She got almost all the pieces at thrift stores and she got an award for her costumes. It can be done!
Good luck!
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flute4peace
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Jul 3, 2014 14:38:35 GMT
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Post by flute4peace on Sept 16, 2016 18:52:17 GMT
DD did Guys and Dolls when she was in 8th grade. It was probably a junior version, but I don't remember. You have received some great suggestions here, but I want to say don't go too crazy with authentic costuming. Bigger schools (like our HS) put a lot of money into costumes. But for a smaller, non performing arts school, you kind of have to go with what you can get. And that's ok. It all works in the end, especially if your audience is used to it. If yours is a conservative community, Take Back Your Mink can be done modestly--a lot of ours was done behind a screen. I made the mission outfits--it was just a cape with some red soutache trim and elastic waist skirt, with a white collar sewn onto the cape. The girls wore white blouses under the capes. I love what you have planned for Bushel and a Peck and you could easily find high rise jeans at our thrift store. Go online and look for the silhouette for 40s styles. You will find more than you think at thrift stores. DD did the costumes for A Streetcar Named Desire last year. She got almost all the pieces at thrift stores and she got an award for her costumes. It can be done! Good luck! This is exactly the way it's done here, too. I wish we were in a community like where I grew up (liberal arts college), but it's just not going to happen at our small school. We are incredibly fortunate to have the director/vocal teacher we do, he's fantastic!! They hadn't even done a musical in years before he came here.
I like the screen idea! Definitely something to consider.
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flute4peace
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Post by flute4peace on Sept 16, 2016 23:23:44 GMT
Success! Finally pinned down Adelaide and we ended up with the wedding dress and two other dresses. Yahoo! She wants to help pick out a suit (which I think is fair), we know what she's going to wear for Bushel she just has to decide on a color of shirt, then we'll need a dressing gown (I bought a couple pairs of slip-in shoes that can pass for slippers - that have a lot of bling - for $1), at least one suit, a couple of hats, gloves, props and she's done!
Bushel is a done deal - girls liked the idea so yay - that's one more thing crossed off my list (they'll provide their own shorts & shirt).
Going to work on a mock-up for Mink ideas over the weekend.
And he added the salvation army to my list - outstanding lol. There's a lot already in the costume closet that's potential for that, though.
I love the idea of fishnets, but all I can think about is painful grooves in my heels |
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AmeliaBloomer
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Post by AmeliaBloomer on Sept 17, 2016 2:37:31 GMT
I was thinking of making skirts that Velcro in the back, but now I'm wondering if maybe a more straight wrap-style skirt would be easier. Not quite as period (which nobody will know anyway), easier movement and easier to shed.
A tear away skirt that velcros in the front (but toward the side) would allow for more movement than a back closure. Plus, it'll allow for a peekaboo leg when the girls are just posing around Adelaide - which is all they'll probably do for the first half of that song. (Good thing they have all that valuable Facebook experience of posing with one leg cocked, eh?) You don't have to build the skirts. Just thrift same-color skirts (black?); styles can even vary, but length should be similar. Bring waist and hip measurements and a tape measure. Buy the skirts too big (do the waste - not waist - math first). Split the whole length of the skirt halfway between side seam and center-front, finish the new edges on the machine, and velcro the waistband. Depending on how much leg you want showing, either abut the new edges at the waist or wrap over a few inches. If you want to glam it up, you can add trim down one new skirt edge or add a glitzy poof at the tear away juncture. You could also trim or poof the neckline of the tanks. Fascinator hats would be easy to make, especially if you use headbands as the base (cover with hot-glued felt) and add some poofie netting and maybe feathers or flowers. And OF COURSE you are now doing the Salvation Army people. Wait...aren't there Cuban dancers, too? (Thrift stores are bursting with hippie skirts now...  ) |
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flute4peace
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Jul 3, 2014 14:38:35 GMT
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Post by flute4peace on Sept 17, 2016 15:02:47 GMT
I was thinking of making skirts that Velcro in the back, but now I'm wondering if maybe a more straight wrap-style skirt would be easier. Not quite as period (which nobody will know anyway), easier movement and easier to shed.
A tear away skirt that velcros in the front (but toward the side) would allow for more movement than a back closure. Plus, it'll allow for a peekaboo leg when the girls are just posing around Adelaide - which is all they'll probably do for the first half of that song. (Good thing they have all that valuable Facebook experience of posing with one leg cocked, eh?) You don't have to build the skirts. Just thrift same-color skirts (black?); styles can even vary, but length should be similar. Bring waist and hip measurements and a tape measure. Buy the skirts too big (do the waste - not waist - math first). Split the whole length of the skirt halfway between side seam and center-front, finish the new edges on the machine, and velcro the waistband. Depending on how much leg you want showing, either abut the new edges at the waist or wrap over a few inches. If you want to glam it up, you can add trim down one new skirt edge or add a glitzy poof at the tear away juncture. You could also trim or poof the neckline of the tanks. Fascinator hats would be easy to make, especially if you use headbands as the base (cover with hot-glued felt) and add some poofie netting and maybe feathers or flowers. And OF COURSE you are now doing the Salvation Army people. Wait...aren't there Cuban dancers, too? (Thrift stores are bursting with hippie skirts now... ) Great ideas! I'll be in touch, I'm sure. Heehee. |
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Post by Basket1lady on Sept 17, 2016 15:38:30 GMT
I'd look for the black skirts on Amazon. They are a great source of cheap costumes and accessories. But to get the really good deals, you need about a month's lead time, as a lot of it comes from China. We did a steampunk version of Taming of the Shrew last year and we got corsets, belts, hats, goggles, etc for a fraction of what it would cost to make. I know our costumer did 180 costumes for under $1,000. She is a miracle worker!
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flute4peace
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Post by flute4peace on Sept 18, 2016 17:35:01 GMT
Update:
I was at the school yesterday for a VB tournament, and sweet-talked the custodian into unlocking the costume closet for me. Jackpot!!
I found plenty for the mission band and etc., several (somewhat ugly but will work if they can't find their own) period-or-close dresses, a whole tote of ladies hats, several gambler hats, some great big strands of silver beads for Mink, hats for Adelaide for the wedding dress and one of the other dresses she picked out, 6 red plaid shirts for Bushel (although I think there are 7 so we'll have to figure out if we can match them - the girls can decide that on their own), a big dark red feather boa & a couple of fur pieces.
Off to the city for a job tomorrow, hoping to hit Goodwill while I'm there. |
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flute4peace
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Jul 3, 2014 14:38:35 GMT
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Post by flute4peace on Sept 18, 2016 17:35:34 GMT
I'd look for the black skirts on Amazon. They are a great source of cheap costumes and accessories. But to get the really good deals, you need about a month's lead time, as a lot of it comes from China. We did a steampunk version of Taming of the Shrew last year and we got corsets, belts, hats, goggles, etc for a fraction of what it would cost to make. I know our costumer did 180 costumes for under $1,000. She is a miracle worker! Hmm. This is a good idea! |
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AmeliaBloomer
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Post by AmeliaBloomer on Sept 19, 2016 0:31:57 GMT
Off to the city for a job tomorrow, hoping to hit Goodwill while I'm there. Things you might already know: -Goodwill does 50% off one color tag on Mondays (and Sundays). -They've changed their return policy from 14 days to 10 days. -For the the past few years, they save a lot of donated vintage stuff and put it out in the Halloween costume section. P.S. Sounds like you found a nice haul in the costume closet! |
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flute4peace
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Post by flute4peace on Sept 19, 2016 1:31:33 GMT
Off to the city for a job tomorrow, hoping to hit Goodwill while I'm there. Things you might already know: -Goodwill does 50% off one color tag on Mondays (and Sundays). -They've changed their return policy from 14 days to 10 days. -For the the past few years, they save a lot of donated vintage stuff and put it out in the Halloween costume section. P.S. Sounds like you found a nice haul in the costume closet! Actually here they always have a 50% off color. And I didn't even know you could return things, I'll make sure I keep track, thanks for that info!
Good timing for finding vintage stuff, isn't it. Maybe I'll get lucky!
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