A Costume Design for John Caird and Paul Gordon's "Jane Eyre: A Musical Drama"

Abstract

This thesis provides a written analysis of the artistic and academic process of the costume design for University of Maryland Department of Theatre's 2005 production of John Caird and Paul Gordon's Jane Eyre, A Musical Drama. Chapter I provides a brief analysis of Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre and how Caird and Gordon adapted this book into a musical drama. Chapter II describes the visual research, design approach and collaboration with the other designers and the director. Chapter III describes the realization of the design from costume shop, through costume fittings, to technical and dress rehearsals. Chapter IV comments on the self-assessment of the design from research to realization, discussing the successes, the problems and solutions, and the learning experiences that occurred during the production process. The appendices include visual research, costume renderings, production photos, and supporting paperwork.