Costume Specifics - Spanish Fork Community Theater

Costume Specifics
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Spanish Fork Community Theater
Costume Designer: Larisa Hicken, [email protected], 971-570-9313
As you know, our director’s vision for this musical shows the story of Joseph told “through the ages.” Each
scene of the show progresses the story forward through centuries or decades. This is a unique and exciting
vision for Joseph, but it does mean a lot of costumes for every cast member!
As a cast member, you are ultimately responsible for providing costumes for yourself. SFCT has a lot of
costumes which we have created, rented, or borrowed for this show. It is very likely that you will be able to
find many of your costume pieces among our collection. However, there will be items which you will be
required to sew, borrow, or rent in order to complete your costume collection.
As the costumer, my job is to tell the story of Joseph visually. To me, the colors of Joseph’s coat represent his
gift of “vision.” The other people in the story will mostly be in black and white with a splash of color or muted
earth tones because they don’t “see” like Joseph does. As Joseph shares his vision and dreams, the colors will
spread throughout the stage.
Each time period will feature an “icon” (or several) to help establish the decade for the audience members.
This will be a fun chance for ensemble members to be featured!
To help you with planning your costumes for each number, here is a basic rundown of the decades and what
we would like to see for costumes in each scene.
Prologue - Heaven
This takes place in heaven (or the preexistence) with Joseph, the narrators and the children’s choir. Girls will
be in simple and flowing white dresses without a lot of embellishment. White dress shirts or plain white
cotton shirts and pants for boys. We have several teen sized basic white dresses which will work for this
scene, so start there if you can. Narrators will probably be in choir or graduation gowns which will cover their
regular costumes.
Bible Transition Scenes - Bible
Ape into Man, Adam and Eve, Moses with his 10 commandments and parting waters, and Noah with his wife
and animals. These parts will be decided and assigned by the director. This moves our story forward quickly.
Jacob & Sons - Bible
This takes place in Biblical times and includes the entire cast. We already have costumes for the brothers.
We’d like the wives to coordinate if possible. This should be fairly easy to make if you can’t borrow from
someone. Please keep colors neutral earth tones - nothing too bright just yet.
Joseph’s Dreams - Bible
Continuation of Biblical, but transitions into 1700s when listing colors during the song. I will need some
featured “icons” for this scene: Mary (mother of Jesus), Martin Luther, Robin Hood and Maid Marion, King
Arthur and Guinevere, Queen Elizabeth, Shakespeare, Marie Antoinette, and Mozart. If you have access to
these costumes, please let me know!
Poor Joseph - 1700s/Colonial
Think Scarlet Pimpernel for this scene. We are covering a large time period for clothing, but as long as it’s
generally 1700s colonial style, we are going to use it. Please do not spend a lot of money on this outfit! It
would be very easy to do. Again, please keep colors muted slightly if possible. We want Joseph to stand out in
his bright colors!
One More Angel in Heaven - 1800s/Pioneer
We move into pioneer times in this scene. Think late 1800s day clothing - not regency era ball gowns. I will
need a Joseph Smith in this scene. Borrow from friends who have been on trek for this one! Try to find muted
colors for this scene, too.
Potiphar - 20s/Flapper
Potiphar is the ultimate gangster in his zuit suit. Everyone will be in black and white with one splash of red.
Men will have black shirts, white suspenders, and a hat. We have spats for the shoes. Most women will be in
flapper dresses. We do have several black and white gowns which will work in this scene, so try one on
before you look elsewhere.
Close Every Door - 30s
This scene is only Joseph, Narrators, and the children. Several children will be little orphans with one girl
playing “Annie.” I will also need a few ensemble women to be in poses in the back as a nod to the musical
“Chicago.” This will be mainly beige, grey, and browns.
Go Go Go Joseph - 40s
This is our big spectacular scene right before intermission. Imagine big band and swing music. Narrators will
be dressed as the Andrew Sisters in their military style uniforms (think Xanadu). Men will either be in military
jackets or “Newsies” style shirts with suspenders. Women should be in dresses that will look great while
swing dancing. Colors are starting to come back with Joseph’s hope so you can start to get brighter.
Pharaoh’s Story - 50s
This scene is only Pharaoh and the Narrators. Pharaoh will be dressed like Elvis from Jailhouse Rock. The
narrators will likely be the pink ladies from “Grease.”
Song of the King - 50s
This is the moment when the rest of the cast joins “Elvis” on stage. Women should find
a poodle skirt and saddle shoes. Men, think T-birds from Grease. A handful of
ensemble people will exit early to be my 60s people for the next couple of scenes. At
the end of this song, the “king” will rip off his T-shirt and jeans and end up in a dazzling
full-on Elvis suit with the bellbottoms and everything. For the most part this scene is
black and white with splashes of color for the skirts and lots of GOLD.
Pharaoh’s Dream Explained - 60s
This song is mainly Pharaoh and Joseph. A few ensemble members will be in their
miniskirts and go go boots or bell bottoms and platform shoes. Think Austin Powers.
Colors are very bright now in those lovely 60s colors of orange, mustard yellow, and
pea green, etc.
Stone the Crows - 60s
Continuation of 60s.
Those Canaan Days - 70s
Imagine the beatnik look for this scene. Black panthers had just the right look. Black turtle necks, long
necklaces, berets. This scene is only the brothers and wives. There should be only black costumes in this
scene because the brothers are without Joseph and his “vision.”
The Brother’s Come to Egypt - 80s
Think parachute pants/Hammer pants, bold baggy sweaters, big hair. For this scene I would like every single
person to be an “icon” of some kind. You can choose your own, but I would love to see Madonna, Marty &
Doc (Back to the Future), Saved by the Bell people, Jane Fonda, Debbie Gibson, Miami Vice, etc. Please pass
off your choice with me so that we don’t have duplicates! Joseph will probably be the “king of pop,” Michael
Jackson. Of course, the colors are vivid here because Joseph is ruling in Egypt.
Who’s the Thief - 80s
Continuation of the 80s.
Benjamin Calypso - 90s and Tropical
For this scene, our soloists will add a crazy big fruit hat or maracas. Everyone else will be dressed in the 90s.
Think Clueless (preppy dresses with some kind of plaid) for the women and baggy pants with the boxer shorts
hanging out the top for the men. I need a Brittany Spears for this scene and maybe a Fox and Scully (X-Files).
This scene will be very bright - even neons if you want - because Joseph and brothers are reunited.
Joseph All the Time - 90s
Continuation of the 90s.
Jacob in Egypt - 90s
Continuation of the 90s.
Any Dream Will Do - Modern Day
All cast members will be in their Joseph cast T-shirt of various rainbow colors. On the bottom, you should all
wear white. You can choose skinny jeans, capris, shorts, skirts, leggings, etc, but they MUST be WHITE. Wear
whatever shoes you like. You also may accessorize however you like. Please note that ball caps make it
difficult to see your face, but you can add earrings, necklaces, bandanas, etc to make your costume your own.
Mega-Mix (Reprise) - TBD
We may stay in the cast T-shirts, but we also might feature a few people from each era as we reprise that
song. Either way there is no additional costume for this scene. We will let you know once we do.
Final Pass Off Date: June 24th. Please be sure to pass off all of your costumes with the costume designer by
June 24th. It is recommended that you begin bringing costumes much earlier than this date!
It will be helpful to practice your dancing and singing in your costumes, especially your shoes or certain
headpieces. We also need to practice the quick changes as much as possible. We want to keep the costumes
fresh and in excellent condition for performance, so please take great care with them and discuss laundering
or mending issues with a member of the costume committee.
Please visit our Pinterest page to see more costume ideas! https://www.pinterest.com/spanishforkcomm/
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to text, call, or email me. I’m here to help!