First Year Showcase: Climate of Change

Every fall semester, Appalachian State University hosts a First Year Showcase as the first main stage performance of the year. This performance allows first-year and transfer students to get involved in the theatre department and meet some of the faculty and fellow students.

This year, I was chosen as the Costume Designer for this performance. I was responsible for designing the two theatre pieces and assisting the dance choreographers if needed. The two devised pieces I designed were Johntopia, and Tenebrous Tides.

*Denotes that this photo was taken by Lynn Willis, courtesy of the Appalachian State Department of Theatre and Dance.

Johntopia

A story of forced acclimation and the impact of individual resistance was created and devised by students with faculty mentor Gina Grandi.

High John leads the John followers in their morning rituals.*

Two of the John followers start to express their own creativity together.*

The two Johns that were acting differently than High John allowed are caught red-handed.*

High John kills the two John followers who are not conforming to his vision.*

The High John walks away from his crime scene, preserving uniformity.*

The John followers look at the fallen traitors.*

One final John follower finds the courage to stand up for himself.*

Tenebrous Tides

A devised, site-specific~ theatre piece mentored by faculty member Gina Grandi. A story of water, resources, and greed.

~This piece was intended to be performed at a local river in Durham Park, Boone, NC. Due to Hurricane Helene, there are only official photos from our inside performance location.

Earth tries to ask Light, Fauna, and Water to share the resources but to no avail.*

Earth stands by and watches as the elements waste natural resources.*

Climate Change enters and glares at Earth as the elements carelessly dance.*

Climate Change begins to poison the elements as Earth helplessly watches.*

Climate change continues to poison the elements as Earth loses its greenery and dies.*

Climate Change commands the now under-control elements to continue wasting resources, with a dead Earth in the background.*

Climate Change stares down the camera with poisoned elements wasting natural resources in the background.*

The cast at final bows. Earth (green), Light (orange), Fauna (yellow), Water (blue), Climate Change (red), Air (white) and Flora (purple).*

Creating Climate Change’s poison cape.

When discussing the plots for the devised pieces, the actors were insistent on performing on the river. From there, the faculty mentor said that she wanted to see billowing skirts and fabric. After searching in the costume storage I took inspiration from a small capelet. which I copied and modified the pattern to fit my vision.