Costume Corner

Behind The Scenes Costume Info!

Attention Actors! 

• Congratulations on being a part of the Spamalot cast! 

• Please READ THE INFORMATION BELOW AND COMPLETE this Costume Questionnaire so we can help you look and feel your best on stage! Deadline is Wednesday, Sept 16th.

• There are a lot of characters and costumes for this show and we are looking forward to working with you!

You can also click this link or scroll down to the bottom of this page. https://forms.gle/3oaiJZzHcCgmLHex5

Help Us Keep You Looking and Feeling Your Best! 

• For every show, the CVU Costume Team works hard to transform the actors and bring their characters to life!

• CVU is lucky enough to have a wonderful collection of costumes on site!

• We are also fortunate to be able to borrow costumes from local professional theater companies.

• With the number of actors and costumes that we use for each production, we need EVERYONE'S HELP to keep pieces organized and in good condition. 

Below are some common costume tips and expectations to help us stay organized:

1. RACKS: Each actor will have a designated hanging section on a costume rack/or in the closet for their costume pieces. (Kind of like a locker space.) If you find costume pieces hanging up, please return them to a hanger when you are done with it so it is ready for the next time. 

2. BINS/BOXES: Each actor will also get a bin or box with their name/character name on it. These are like a cubby. They are are kept on the shelves, counters or under the counters in the dressing rooms during performance week. The bins are for keeping smaller personal items like base layers, everyday clothes, costume accessories, make-up supplies, deodorant and sometimes shoes. It is an actors job to make sure all their items stay in the box when they are not in use and are returned after each show. Items should NEVER be left on the floors of the costume rooms or bathrooms. 

3. RIBBONS AND LABELS: Racks, hanging sections, bins and costume pieces will have name labels on them so we can tell which pieces belongs to which person/character. Pieces that are borrowed from the CVU closet collection and other professional theater companies will also be marked with a colored ribbon near the collar or waistband. Typically:

   • CVU costumes have salmon/light orange colored ribbons. 

   • Lyric has purple. 

   • Middlebury has green

   • Williston Central has pink

   • Fusion has red

This helps us know which collection costume pieces came from and where to return them after the show. Do not take them off.

4. SHOES: Actors may be responsible for providing their own shoes. Since this show is not from a current timeperiod, YOU MAY NOT WEAR SNEAKERS for the shows. 

   • The costume team will help recommend shoes that will work best with your costume(s). 

   • Some places to find inexpensive shoes include: ReSource, Plato's, Good Will, ReStore, Walmart, etc. 

   • Shoes may be kept on the floor under the bins during performance week so your base layers and accessories stay clean and fresh

5. BASE LAYERS AND DEODORANT: Base Layers are any personal items of clothing an actor wears under their costume. This extra layer helps an actor stay cool, comfortable, covered during quick changes and protects the costume fabric from sweat stains and body odors. Deodorant is also required since costume pieces are not washed between rehearsals or performances. Appropriate base layer options may be suggested by the costume team. Actors are responsible for bringing in their own base layer items. 

   • Examples include: This may include plain t-shirts, tank tops, camis, bras, leotards, slips, black pants, leggings, shorts, safety shorts, tights, socks, etc. 

6. NO EATING IN COSTUME: This is a BIG theater DON'T. Please eat before you get into costume! We know you need your energy to do your best on stage. Make sure you fuel up before the show and before getting into costume! If you need to eat, even just for a snack, please take your costume off first. 

7. STAY HYDRATED WITH WATER ONLY: When you are on stage, in costume and singing for a long time, you will get thirsty. Stay hydrated and protect your vocal cords by drinking lots of water. Bring a water bottle to each rehearsal, practice and performance. Avoid any colored beverages so your costumes can stay stain free. 

8. DON'T TOUCH IT: This is another BIG theater rule. If it is not yours, don’t touch it. No matter how cool or tempting it may be. Items are assigned to individuals who need them and are often set in places to make it easy for an actor to find them quickly between scenes. So check your own costume and prop pieces, set them out before show and return them after the show. Just please respect and DO NOT touch someone else’s things.

9. MISSING ITEMS: There will be a lot of costume pieces and parts for this show. Sometimes, they may even look the same as someone else's. You are responsible for keeping track and taking care of your own things. Keep them together and in their own sections (either hung on a rack, in a box or bin, in a prop cubby, etc.) when not in use and return them as soon as you can so they stay safe. DO NOT take someone else's costume piece if yours is missing. If something is missing, ask a member of the costume team to help you find it. 

10. BROKEN THINGS: Please treat all costume related items with respect and care. We understand there will be times when things get used and broken. It happens. If you lose a button, pop a zipper, have a piece of your costume rip or break off PLEASE bring it to a costume team member ASAP so they can fix it and get it back to you. If the costume team doesn’t know about it, they can’t fix it. They want you to have what you need and for you to look and feel your best on stage. 

11. STRIKE: ALL costume pieces that are borrowed from the CVU costume closet or other professional companies MUST be returned to the Costume Team at STRIKE! You may only keep the items that you bring in from home (base layers, socks, shoes, make-up, etc.) 

    • It is helpful to bring a bag to the last performance so you can collect all your personal items and get them back home safely. 

Thanks for all your help! 

Sincerely, 

Your Spamalot Costume Team