By Latika Lee
Contributing Writer
It’s ‘tech week’ and behind the scenes at a typical theatre production is harried. Actors are rehearsing their lines, sets are being installed, and lights and music are being tested. But Maura Cravey is also busy as a bee, putting the final touches on wardrobe and accessories for characters in the play. Currently, she is the costume designer for the African American Repertory Theatre’s latest production of “Fences” which is now showing through Nov. 20 at Pine Camp Cultural Arts Center in Richmond.
Cravey worked 14 years at Blessed Sacrament Huguenot Catholic School. While there, she decided to go to graduate school and earned a Master of Fine Art in Costume Design and Technology from Virginia Commonwealth University. Today, she teaches in VCU’s Theatre Department.
Set in the 1950s, Fences is the sixth in August Wilson’s monumental, 10-play cycle exploring African American life in the twentieth century. Each play is set in a different decade beginning in 1904 and ending in 1997, with Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as the backdrop.
The time period for the production is 1957- 1965. So that’s been more than 50 years ago. What are some of the challenges of finding costuming for that era?
One problem is finding clothing that fits modern bodies. It’s very difficult to find anything that’s really an actual period garment that will fit a contemporary person because our bodies have changed shape so much over the years.
Another challenge is finding pieces that look correct for the period on a small budget. It’s not a Broadway show where we have $100,000 to spend on costumes, so you have to find a creative ways to make it work.
Where do you find the garments that you may need?
I was very fortunate for this show, I was able to borrow costumes from Sycamore Rouge (Petersburg), and Dogwood Dell. I also sewed a couple of dresses from authentic 1950s patterns.
What is your education and background?
I have an art education background. I was originally an art teacher. I took a job in Powhatan teaching at Huguenot Academy. They were advertising for a tutor. When I was interviewing for the job, the headmaster asked me if I’d be interested in sponsoring the drama club. Since I‘d had one drama class in college, I foolishly said yes.
What’s your process for creating the costumes?
The first thing I do is shop for fabric. That sort of speaks to you and lets you know what you can do with the pattern. Then I pick out several patterns to see which one is going to work best with the fabric. Sometimes I get the ideas from the patterns … a show like this one, normally you would be drawing the designs out because this is a “pulled show”, which means you pull things from someone’s stock.
Where do you find the fabric?
I buy fabric locally and I also go online very often to get vintage patterns. Frequently, I get vintage existing patterns – they’re not reprints. Then I have to alter them for a modern body. If I’m able to buy a reproduction pattern, like from Vogue, then they’ve already restructured it for modern body types. Otherwise for vintage patterns, I have to update it.
What does the costuming bring to a production?
It’s the first thing that people see during the production. Even before the actor speaks, people get an impression of what the period is; who the character is - rich or poor, happy or sad. The minute they see a costume it gives the audience the perception of what is going on in the production.
