"The Wind in the Willows" is about a group of four friends, Mole, Badger, Ratty, and Toad, struggling to balance their human tendencies with their inherent animal natures. Steampunk was the basis for the design concept because it is an aesthetic that puts a unique twist on the time and place of the original story, and it translated well to the juxtaposition of nature and industrialism in the play. The four main characters were firmly rooted in Steampunk fashion, and their costumes both implied the type of animal they were and their deviance from nature. The remaining cast members formed a chorus of Wild Wooders, a group of woodland animals who demonstrated the dangers industrialism poses when it goes unchecked. Tribal influences such as beaded accessories and body art were applied to their costumes and showed their closeness to nature. Although the two major costume influences were very different, a color palette of deep and earthy colors brought them together visually.
Costume Illustration
Hat – Left Side
Steampunk elements such as gears were made by filling a mold with hot glue and then painting the dried pieces with metallic paint. Wires and other parts from old appliances and electronics such as coffee machines and hard drives were also repurposed.
Hat - Right Side
Production photo courtesy of the Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theater
Costume Illustration
Hat - Front
Hat - Side
Production photo courtesy of the Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theater
Costume Illustration
Hat - Front
The googles on the hat shown above as well as all of the other Steampunk goggle for the show were made by the very talented
Jenny Crannel, Props Mistress.
Hat - Side
Production photo courtesy of the Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theater
Costume Illustration
Hat - Side 1
The directors and I decided that Toad's hat should be based on Napoleonic naval styles rather than Victorian men's fashion because it would be more comical and appropriate to the character. The base was created by using poster board and the crown of an existing hat, and was then covered with green velvet. A feather boa was added to the inside edge and rosettes were made from gold satin and green brocade. Some Steampunk details like gears were made by pouring hot glue into a gear mold and then painting the gears with metallic paint. Other details were achieved by painting and repurposing old jewelry.
Hat - Side 2
Toad’s costume included a dyed light green button down shirt, an altered jacket, and custom made pants and leather vest. Other accessories included dark green tights and a dark green Victorian-inspired drape that was put on like a belt. Steampunk embellishments on the jacket and vest were achieved by repurposing and painting old jewelry.
Production photo courtesy of the Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theater
Production photo courtesy of the Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theater
Costume Illustration
Costume Illustration
Thirteen "Wild Wooders" served as the show's chorus and minor characters, and the directors wanted to differentiate them from the principles by costuming them in tribal-inspired pieces.
Production photo courtesy of the Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theater
Tribal tattoos and body painting were simulated by custom dying and hand painting matching sets of dance leotards and leggings. I dyed all of the garments and drew the designs on them, and then the students in the show's tech class painted them.
Production photo courtesy of the Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theater
Tribal accessories such as beaded collars and chest pieces were simulated by making a base piece out of sturdy, textured fabric and
then painting and gluing pasta onto it. Although numerous fabrics were used to make some of the Wild Wooders' tops and bottoms, each costume also incorporated a piece made out of over-dyed tie-dyed fabric to help create a visual baseline.
Production photo courtesy of the Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theater
