Taking shape
Carolyn Taylor-Smith has led a team of workers to innovate, design and create exquisite costumes for the past three University of Southern Queensland (USQ) Shakespeare in the Park productions.
In 2008 she is busy once more in her world of creativity as she creates the costume and set design for Romeo and Juliet.
'We started in September. We've spent four months on it to get to this point,' Mrs Taylor-Smith said.
'We will have five to six weeks to build this production but we've been planning well before. It's absolutely on track!'
The design process began with discussions on concept and vision with Director Scott Alderdice.
'I give creative input to support his idea of the world of the production. He decides what he wants and then we collaborate on how it will look.
Mrs Taylor-Smith then undertakes a process of research by collecting images.
'I've looked at old Italian architecture, modern Italian architecture, rooftops, streetscapes, cemeteries, feminine arches, and masculine spires. The Capulets are all about opulence and power whereas the Montagues are more streetwise and edgy.'
'The set is a multifunctional world created to give the actors and director opportunities to utilise it in many ways. I've tried to give them a world they can change – it can be dark in places, it can move, it can be light in other areas,' she said.
Costume design follows a similar process to set design, but is constantly refined to account for demands on the actors.
'Scott and I are still collaborating. You have to tweak all the time. A character might be required to do a physical movement and I have to marry that in with their costume. It's about staying open minded,' Mrs Taylor-Smith said.
Carolyn said the production of Romeo and Juliet will present its own unique set of challenges.
'It's different in this production as it is a ‘player' production where all the actors are on stage at all times.
'The ‘players' exist on stage and become characters with simple costumes changes over the ‘player'.
'I've got a fantastic image of how I see this world in costume. I picture it in haute couture and then apply it to our budget.'
Designing for theatre and under a Director also makes the process interesting.
'I love the freedom of designing for theatre. You can put things on stage that aren't what they appear to be.'
'Scott is very innovative with his productions. It gives me boundless creative opportunities. I am creating my own world, but always in line with the director's vision.
'I can already see the marriage between costume and set and I'm so excited!'
Romeo and Juliet will open in Toowoomba on Thursday 28 February 2008 and runs until Saturday 8 March.
Springfield performances at the Education City Mini Oval, USQ Campus run from Thursday 27 March to Saturday 29 March and at Fraser Coast at the Seafront Oval from Thursday 13 March to Saturday 15 March.
More information is available on the website www.usq.edu.au/shakespeare.
Tickets can also be purchased on-site at all venues at the Festival Box Office which opens one hour prior to each performance.
The 2008 Shakespeare in the Park Festival will also include primary and secondary school workshops, a community forum and a tour to Fraser Coast for a season 'on the bay' from 12-15 March and Springfield 27-29 March.
The USQ Shakespeare in the Park Festival gratefully acknowledges the support of its 2008 sponsors: Toowoomba Chronicle, WIN Television, Symphony Hill Wines, Toowoomba City Council, Hervey Bay City Council, the Fraser Coast Chronicle, Queensland Events, the Queensland Times, Dornbusch Partners, Channel 7- Queensland, Ipswich City Council, Bell Dixon Butler Lawyers, Education City, Civil Mining & Construction Pty Ltd, Cardno, La Mer Luxury Apartments, USQ Faculty of Education and the Myer Foundation.
Media Contact: Jo-Ann Sparrow USQ Media +61 7 3470 4119 or 0428 102 979