Boseman Gallery gets punked by Scapino costumes
Last spring, the actors of “Scapino” had their 15 minutes of fame. Now it’s the costumes’ turn. The costumes used during the play, which was produced by UNCW’s Department of Theatre, are now an exhibit at the Ann Flack Boseman Gallery.
“We wanted those who saw the show to be able to see the costumes up close,” Shane Fernando program coordinator for the Boseman Gallery said. “We also wanted those who didn’t see it to be able to see it and enjoy the costumes.”
Fernando worked with Mark Sorensen, an assistant professor in the theatre department who designed the “Scapino” costumes, to put the exhibit together. Sorensen said they got the idea from the Cameron Art Museum, which had an exhibit of costumes by William Ivy Long. Long has designed costumes for productions such as “The Producers” and “Hairspray.” They even borrowed the mannequins used in the exhibit from the museum.
Fernando said the Boseman Gallery wanted to have an exhibit like the “Scapino” costumes because students have been requesting a textile show. “All of our shows come from student requests,” Fernando said.
Fernando also stated that the “Scapino” costumes were chosen because he enjoyed the show and “the costumes were exceptional.”
Sorensen got inspiration for the costumes when Dr. Paul Castagno, Director of the Theatre Program, told him of his vision for the play. “He [Castagno] said he wanted to update the show, which was written centuries ago and adapted 10-15 years ago for Broadway. The costumes are inspired from the New Romantics, which was a style that happened in the early 80s. That’s where the corseting, puffy shirts, and over-the-top punk look of the costumes comes from.”
Sorensen and his students made the costumes either from scratch, or altered other clothing by cutting, ripping and dying it. The main character’s jacket was made by cutting jeans and other jean jackets.
The exhibit’s opening reception was Sept. 11 and will continue through Oct. 2. Both Fernando and Sorensen were pleased with the reception’s turnout, which included Dr. Castagno, David Cordle, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and many students.
The exhibit includes the actual costumes, sketches of the costumes and pictures of the actors wearing the costumes. The sound designer of the play also made a mix of the ’80s style songs used during the production to play in the gallery.
The next show for the Ann Flack Boseman Gallery opening Oct. 13 will be “Madame’s Gallery,” an exhibition about UNCW’s synergy book, “Never Let Me Go.”
Fernando said he would like to have another textile show in the future. “We won’t know until the end of this year what next year’s shows will be, but I would love to have another show like Costumes of ‘Scapino.'”