Merrilee Allred and Professor Richard Hull, Visual Arts
What seems to ever plague humanity throughout the ages is the plight of man – the classic search of self and truth. It seems that every one of us must go through this individually, manifest in several different ways and at different times. What remains the same in all of us, however, is that we are all looking for acceptance from others and self as well as answers to why life is difficult and why there is pain. As members of the gospel we have answers to many of these questions but this does not stop us from hurting nor does it eliminate the struggle of self, nor does the Lord intend it to.
Among the many sufferers, male and female alike, there is a special group who are especially sensitive and look to others to define themselves. The performance art piece/play Plea (which I am currently working on costumes for as an ORCA scholarship recipient) is intended to address this battle. It is set in modern times and introduces a young girl brought up within a moral environment yet as her search extends itself to others, particularly a young man, she forgets to look within and to the Lord for strength. It isn’t until the end of the piece that she finally does this and receives rejuvenation, but not until after a great deal of self-degradation and loss.
This performance piece uses dance, movement, music, dialogue and costumes to portray the personal journey of self vs. another. As the designer of the costumes I consider it a great responsibility to reveal just what the characters are going through at specific points along the way. I have designed six costumes for the female lead, which categorize the six varying stages as defined in the play. All of the costumes have been influenced by late fifties, early sixties domestic wear. This is done to reinstate the feeling of worldly innocence mixed with the need for proper social etiquette and appearance.
The fist stage is a carefree, wanting to be loved, wanting another’s attention, stage. For this period of I have designed a more childlike dress with no waistline. Its loose, non-formfitting triangular lines accent the actor/dancer’s fresh naïve curiosity with life.
The second stage involves an actual action of searching. The female is reaching out to her male counterpart, willingly giving pieces of herself to him. This dress is a little more mature with a drop waistline and a sheer pleated shirt. This style is a little more formfitting and suggests a more graceful style of dance as opposed to the earlier more loose, tumbling actions.
The third stage is the most dramatic, the climax of the play, where the two leads are completely, willingly united – the female giving all of her self-will to the male. This costume is red, suggesting intensity, and is long, formfitting and is adorned with belts that buckle around her, pulling her arms to her body, suggesting entrapment. The female lead, at this point, is not in control of her self-direction any longer.
The fourth stage is one of resignation. She feels as though she cannot escape. She has chosen this path and now must accept it. There is little if any hope left for a different life. This costume is incomplete as she kneels, forsaken, in torn, rag-like attire. She begins to look away from her male counterpart, not wanted acceptance any longer, but not leaving for fear of being alone in her numbing pain.
The fifth stage is utter despair. No longer is the female concerned with the male, but only wants to be rid of herself and this life she has chosen. She is destitute and feels immense pain. She stumbles and falls. She is completely unable to pick herself up again. Her costume in this painful aftermath is minimal and is made of sheer wraps binding her ankles and arms together (there will be a full length leotard under this costume as well as many others to ensure modesty).
Finally, being left completely alone the female remembers her God. In turning to him she is lifted up, taking on a new strength which she was previously unable to access by herself. In this final stage of rebirth I have her in a long white double-breasted coat, with a sheer pleated skirt underneath. Other actors who represent spirituality place this coat upon her. Here she is much more mature but still fragile. There is hope in her eyes and a feeling of positivism in looking towards the future. There is no doubt now, as to where she must turn for strength, acceptance and self-presence.
We are still looking for a female lead actress so I have not actually made the costumes but have them all designed and illustrated. I am currently working on the designs for the male lead, which will correlate with the six stages of the female. As far as the background actors/dancers their costumes will be fairly simple and symbolic and they will be used to represent different forces at various parts of the play. The play will be performed at BYU sometime this next year (either fall or winter semester). Details of its showing are still being worked out within the drama department. A collection of the final costumes and illustrations is still scheduled to appear in the Brimhall after the play has been run.