We spoke with Hayley O’Brien, our Costume Designer, bringing her skills to the Dock Street Theatre once again in our production of CLUE: ON STAGE. Get your tickets to the show here, and read on to learn more about her artistic process in designing the costumes for this madcap stage adaptation!
1) What attracted you to the project CLUE: ON STAGE, and what aspects of the play’s characters and setting did you find most exciting from a costume design perspective?
Growing up I was a huge fan of playing the board game, CLUE, and I always played it with my friends! I first saw the film CLUE when I was in fifth or sixth grade and it quickly became one of my favorite movies. I have seen the film probably a hundred times and still quote it to this day! So needless to say, I was VERY excited to design the costumes for CLUE: ON STAGE! Everyone knows CLUE and its iconic characters so I was really excited to help make these characters come to life and work with the production team to incorporate elements of the board game while paying homage to the film.
2) CLUE: ON STAGE features a variety of distinct characters, each with their own personalities and quirks. How did you approach designing these costumes which reflect and enhance these iconic characters?
From the beginning, I knew we as a production team wanted to allude to the game board of CLUE. Therefore, I looked at many publications of CLUE, specifically the character cards, to see what image people really think of when they think of these iconic characters. For instance, when we think of Colonel Mustard we think of him dressed as a colonel but there are many depictions where we see him dressed as more of a safari explorer. So I really wanted to play with the memories people have of these characters. Since the script of the play is based off of the 1985 film, I also sought to reference the silhouettes of the film to connect the two inspirations.
The great thing about a show like CLUE: ON STAGE is that the characters are so different from each other! In the script, each character’s description is very distinct, almost archetypal, that it leaves an impression on you as a designer to the point where you have an image already painted in your head. I really wanted to play up each character’s uniqueness through the difference in silhouettes and fabric textures. For example, Miss Scarlet is described as being dressed in “Hollywood” glamor so I wanted her to be dressed in silky fabrics that drape with lots of sparkling details. Whereas Mrs. White is described as being very morbid and dressed in funeral clothes so I wanted her to be very structured and angular to further emphasize her stoic and dark behavior. Throughout all the costumes, each character contrasts one another but comes together in a cohesive way that I think audience members will really enjoy!
Photos by Reese Moore Photography
3) What research and preparation do you typically undertake when designing costumes for a production like CLUE: ON STAGE? How do you ensure that your designs are authentic and appropriate for the time period and characters?
When a production centers on such an iconic subject from our culture, I focus on what elements people register with. Everyone has an idea of what CLUE looks like, whether they think of the game or the film. Therefore, I feel it is important to take memorable aspects of the original while putting my own spin on it. A lot of my research for this production involved looking at many versions of the game CLUE while also researching the time period and setting. To make sure the designs are appropriate, I try to find images of actual garments, vintage patterns, photographs and magazines from the actual time period so that silhouettes and design details help establish the setting. In this production, you have specific costume pieces that require more extensive research. In particular, the production has characters like Colonel Mustard and Wadsworth that are dressed in uniforms that have a specific and vast history. To respectfully design these costumes, I feel it is important to deep dive into every aspect and detail in order to be as authentic as possible!
4) Were there any specific challenges you anticipated when designing costumes for this production, such as any special effects or quick changes that needed to be accommodated?
In this show, a LOT happens as the plot unfolds. We have actors that play multiple characters with some fast quick changes! Spoiler alert, but we also had to consider portraying the murder of a few characters, such as attaching weapons to costumes or putting on fake blood. The characters also have to hide evidence and weapons on their bodies or in their purse, which was a major factor when approaching some of the costumes. The actors are also very physical in the show, so I really took into consideration giving them enough mobility in their costumes.
5) CLUE: ON STAGE is known for its humor and farcical elements. How did you plan to incorporate comedic elements into the costume designs to enhance the overall hilarity of this play?
I think the bright colors and vibrancy of the costumes really adds to the overall comedy of the show! The production approaches a murder mystery in a humorous way so while the show has very serious and dark moments the characters themselves look and act very lively and saturated!
6) Collaboration with the rest of the production team is crucial in theater. How did you approach working with the director, set designer, and lighting designer to ensure that the costumes seamlessly integrated into the overall vision of the production?
For the initial design, our Director Colin Waters presented his concept for the show and expressed certain elements he wanted for the production. The overall concept was to incorporate elements of the board game into the whole production, which everyone was excited about and on board with! Before each department did their own research, we sat down and presented general images that evoked the general mood, feeling, and vibrancy of what we thought of the show. From then on we were all very in sync with each other in the collaboration process. We thought about how each design element would work with one another. We talked about how the saturation of the costumes would pop against the rich earth tones of the set and how dramatically lit certain scenes would be.
During the design process, Colin and I were in agreement on the importance of having each character dressed in the colors their name represents so the characters felt like the game pieces people would play as in a game of CLUE. I feel this design choice works extremely well since Adam Jehle, Scenic Designer, did such a great job making the set really reference the game board of CLUE and Aline Toloto, Props Master, integrated elements such as CLUE playing cards and the weapons looking like the actual metal pieces you would put in each room. Overall, I think all the design elements work well together in creating the murder mystery game we all know and love!
7) Finally, what excites you the most about our audiences experiencing CLUE: ON STAGE and seeing your costume designs?
I am really excited for the audience to see the whole production come together! I think everyone involved in this production worked so hard and passionately. I am so excited for the audience to see the characters come to life in their costumes and see all the fun and unique design elements!
Get your tickets to see CLUE: ON STAGE, running October 26th – November 5th, at CharlestonStage.com.
Hayley O’Brien is very excited and proud to be working at Charleston Stage! Originally from South Florida, Hayley graduated from Florida State University with a Master of Fine Arts in Costume Design and a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. Her recent credits at Charleston Stage include Native Gardens, JFK and Inga Binga and The Addams Family- A New Musical. Other credits include Kinky Boots, Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach, and Blithe Spirit. She looks forward to future productions ahead at Charleston Stage and is thankful to be involved in the TheatreWings program. Hayley would like to thank her family and friends for all their love and support!