Jessi Cole Jackson

Getting everyone in costumes for the first time is always my favorite part of tech. Always. Whether on the little shows, when I’m the designer, or on the biggest shows when I’m a lowly dresser.

There’s always giddy, happy energy and manageable chaos. I’m quite fond of manageable chaos, when I know what’s going on. Getting dressed for the first time is not nearly as enjoyable if I don’t know what’s happening.

Usually, the stage manager schedules what feels like 10 minutes to get ready (almost always it’s really more like the standard 1/2 hour call). This morning, heeding my advice we got a whole hour set aside for the actors to get into costumes at the top of day. And wouldn’t you know it? Everyone was done in 30 minutes, guaranteeing that this stage manager will never set aside such a large block of time to get ready, ever. (I’m sorry for this cast’s efficiency, future costume designers!)

But, they’re all dressed. And they look freaking awesome. High Schooler Hamlet may be my favorite design that I’ve ever done. I lurves it.