Interview: ‘Thingamajig’ Costume Designer Adrienne Youthful Conjures the 1940s

The Thingamajig Theatre delightful generation of ‘Miracle in 34th Street’ — a musical re-working of the basic 1947 movie starring Natalie Wooden, Maureen O’Hara, and John Payne — plays its remaining four performances tonight, Monday (December 20) by means of Thursday (December 23) at 7pm at the Pagosa Springs Centre for the Arts.

Interview: ‘Thingamajig’ Costume Designer Adrienne Youthful Conjures the 1940s

‘Miracle’ actors, from still left, Simone Haas, Herb Grover, and Kristi Contreary. At the piano: Dylan Fuselier.

This adaptation — by Lance Arthur Smith, with first tracks by Jon Lorenz — first took the stage in 2016, courtesy of San Diego Musical Theatre, and is set in a radio studio (in our case, the KWUF radio studio) and arrives replete with clever radio-design and style industrial jingles (Tupperware, Macy’s Division Shop, RCA, Camel cigarettes…) expertly executed in five-section harmony.

The Thingamajig actors show up in ’40s-type costumes created by Pagosa Springs artist Adrienne Young, who has been planning for Thingamajig for a variety of a long time now. Our job interview took area a couple of times in advance of Opening Night, in the costume shop at PSCA, surrounded by shelves and racks of satisfies, dresses, hats, shoes and several other parts of regalia from 10 decades of Thingamajig productions.

Adrienne experienced a extra fat binder open on 1 of the sewing tables.

“This is just one of my 5 binders that I have from my ‘costume history’ system and my theater costume software, and they go from ‘period’ to ‘period’… from the ancient Egyptians to the 1990s.

“My trainer made me put these together…”

Adrienne grew up in Pagosa Springs and attended Pagosa Springs Large School — and subsequently ran off to Hollywood to show up at the Trend Institute of Structure & Merchandising, improved known in the field as FIDM (pronounced “Fit ’em).

“So I did the manner style and design system there, and understood that they desired me to colour within the bins of the trend design application — which I loved, but I did not want to color within the boxes. When I observed the theater design and style program, I understood that was the spot for me, where I could be ‘over the top’. Undertaking what I like to do, which is a person-of-a-form theatrical parts.

“Their theater method was a full calendar year, with only six of us who had been picked out. And each individual of these binders goes as a result of a sure period of time, beginning off with your primary silhouette… and the crucial design features…”

“Just on the lookout at the silhouette, from afar, you can convey to what each and every time period appeared like. What did the 1980s appear like? What did the 1940s glimpse like? And all those two are actually seriously very similar,” she laughed.

“But capturing the fundamental silhouette is the most essential detail, when you are creating for a particular interval. So for the 1940s, for example — this was during World War II, and every little thing is rationed. Material goes to the troops…

“So style and design targeted on: ‘How am I going to make this dress exciting, if I have minimal selections, due to the fact of rationing?’

‘Miracle’ actors Aaron Catano-Saez, and Halley Daigle-Saez.

“And also, simply because of World War II, the guys are away at war, and women of all ages were taking on men’s work opportunities. So we noticed a large amount of pants coming in, and overalls. Also, the silhouette will become far more masculine. You have shoulder pads. Broad shoulders. Far more of a man’s functions. A-line.

“There’s no petticoats, or anything at all entire, mainly because of the rationing.

“After the war ended, Dior, in Paris, produces the new search for the 1950s. The troops occur again from war, and the females are again into their family roles. So it is like ‘over-the-top’ materials and a hyper-feminine silhouette. The glance was now, ‘I am woman… to be your spouse, to have your children… I’m so sizzling, but you have to place a ring on it.’ That was the 1950s.

“Compared to the 1940s, seeing how girls took on men’s roles… and then, again into the house…

“So the 1940s is 1 of my favorite time intervals, and it is been a aspiration to do a ’40s clearly show. And I actually have time, with this clearly show — there’s only a handful of actors, just about every putting on just 1 costume. A large amount of the reveals I do, with a big solid and a number of costume improvements, I barely have time to even think, what are their footwear likely to be? What jewellery would they have on? To even ‘finish’ the look…

Costume designer Adrienne Younger.

“But with this display, I’m really ready to make the costumes — recycling some more mature costumes I uncovered in the Theatre stock and employing their previous fabrics. And generating my have ’40s styles, which has been actually enjoyable — I experience like they are very easily coming through me, since of my obsession with costume heritage, and knowing about time intervals.

“And also from advertising vintage…”

Adrienne has been, for several a long time, the proprietor of an on the internet apparel outlet ‘Ghost Rabbits Vintage’ that includes classic and initial clothing for women and gentlemen.

‘Miracle on 34th Street’ felt “effortless” to Adrienne, she reported. “I’m truly enjoying it, a good deal..”

To absolutely respect Adrienne’s costume work — and the over-all, uplifting energy of Thingamajig’s ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ musical creation — you can reserve your seat for one of the show’s remaining 4 performances at https://pagosacenter.org or by calling 970-731-7469. Tickets are $35, and curtain time is 7pm.

Notice: Owing to an everlasting staffing shortage at Thingamajig, it is constantly a lot more economical to get your tickets on line alternatively than calling the Box Business.

Proof of vaccinations — or evidence of a damaging COVID examination — and masks are needed for the audience, adhering to Broadway’s COVID protocols.

Bill Hudson

Monthly bill Hudson

Monthly bill Hudson started sharing his views in the Pagosa Everyday Write-up in 2004 and can’t seem to crack the routine. He promises that, in Pagosa Springs, viewpoints are like pickup vehicles: everyone has just one.

Katheleen Knopf

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