While audiences saw chaos unfold onstage during “Disaster!,” a different kind of challenge was happening behind the curtain. The costume crew took on a challenging and demanding job, balancing creativity and problem solving. Although Frisco ISD faced its own disaster and the bulk of the performances were canceled due to weather conditions, the amount of work and thought put into this production should be celebrated.
“Disaster!” is a high-energy parody set in the 1970s, filled with fast scene changes and exaggerated disasters. Because of its campy style and constant movement, the show required more costumes and quicker changes than a typical production. This made costuming an especially intense responsibility for the crew.
“Discovering how complex the costumes were for this show felt very daunting,” Head of Costume Crew, Claire Rozewicz, 12, said. “I knew I was going to have to learn new skills and work efficiently in order to complete them well and on time.”
One of the most alluring aspects of the show, and its namesake, is the comical amount of catastrophes that take place. Although this is a selling point for the audience, it was a unique obstacle for the crew. A job normally characterized with bright colors and pretty dresses soon became a science experiment filled with sharp tools and weird liquids! Additionally, destroying the costumes was just one part of creating the illusion of natural destruction. Since the costumes would have to be spick and span for the top of Act One, many of the costumes had to be duplicated.
“We had to duplicate around ten costumes for the show,” Rozewicz said. “To make the clothes look destroyed for Act Two, we first tore them up with scissors, a needle brush and just tore them. Then we dirtied the clothes with charcoal powder, fake blood and sometimes coffee or oil.”
Dressing the actors is just one part of the costuming process, especially in such a chaotic show. The costume crew had to master bruising makeup, then taught the cast how to replicate the effect on themselves for efficiency during shows and dress rehearsals. The crew gained experience in leadership and collaborating with large groups to make this possible. This proved to be a fruitful endeavor, as the cast seemed confident in their skills in time for curtain call!
“We had to teach the actors how to do their makeup for this show. It was a new experience teaching our own peers and navigating that. By the end, they all got a hang of it,” Rozewicz said.
Ironically, the costume crew experienced its own disaster; despite careful planning, some costumes didn’t arrive in time for performance night. With missing pieces and short notice, the costume crew and Technical Director Benjamin Loub had to pull and assemble replacements. Thanks to quick improvisation and teamwork, the show still went on smoothly.
“We were missing a handful of costumes that never came in from Amazon and we had to pull together last minute costumes before the show,” Rozewicz said.
Through the challenges of “Disaster!,” the costume crew gained valuable new skills, including costume distressing and makeup techniques. More importantly, they learned how to efficiently and flexibly support one another through unexpected obstacles. Although the show couldn’t be fully enjoyed by audiences due to weather concerns, the costume crew still accomplished an incredible feat and took important steps as theatre artists.
