Hotel Cassiopeia (Costume Design Project 2018)

Hotel Cassiopeia is a beautiful play if you ever get a chance to read it. The imagery is intense and full of odd or beautiful items that the main character collects. The play is based on the life of artist Joseph Cornell who made shadow boxes as a way, I believe, to share himself with the world. ( His boxes are on display in the Art Institute of Chicago in the modern wing)

The characters I chose to design were Joseph, Mother, and Ballerina. Joseph is secluded in his mother's house and has a hard time with relationships with outside people. His brother who lies in bed and never speaks is Joseph's closest companion. This made imagine Joseph on his own little island, seperate from the world, who shunned him from being awkward and "creepy". He would not care all too much about his appearance. He would wear 1940s button up in a light blue, with pockets where he could keep trinkets he wanted to add to his artwork. He would wear brown men's trousers, cuffed on the bottom, with some brown leather shoes. Everything is sensible, and more than likely bought by his mother at some point.

Mother is controlling, and condescending. She is proper, and she is stiff. She used to be married and wealthy, but now she is no longer. Her pride is like a lion's. Her dark purple dress is solemn, and made out of a stiff unmoving fabric. She still kept some of her nice jewelry, she wears the simplest pieces around the house, like a string of pearls. she wear a shoe similar to a loafer heel made out of a brown/black leather. Her hair is always combed back in a smaller version of the Gibson girl style, reminiscent of her younger wealthier days.

Ballerina shows up intermittently as a representation of how Joseph views women. She is delicate and light like a feather. Her dress is a base of a white v-neck leotard, the short sleeves were made of gossamer silk, as well as her knee-length skirt. With each twirl leap or jump the fabrics floats and curls around her. Her hair is in a shorter curl 1950s style, she has a headband made of white feathers, matching her white ballet pointe shoes. She is ethereal, and something Joseph never gets to have or touch.