When Valley Light Opera’s production of “My Fair Lady” opens at Northampton’s Academy of Music Nov. 3, viewers will be treated to characters wearing some vintage costumes from England, circa 1912. That’s the work of Laura Green, a longtime costume designer for VLO and other community theater groups.
Green, of Amherst, is a former biology professor whose day job now is editing college-level biology textbooks for Sinauer Associates in Sunderland. But she’s got a passion for working with fabric and turning it into good-looking costumes. For “My Fair Lady,” she says, “We’ve been making ball gowns, tea dresses, Ascot outfits, servants’ clothes, Cockney costumes, and much, much more. And we’ll have fabulous hats for the Ascot scene, made by our very talented milliners.”
Steve Pfarrer: Talk about the work you’ve been doing for “My Fair Lady.” What has it involved, and what have you been trying to achieve?
Laura Green: I started with research into the clothing styles of that period. I also looked at costumes designed for other productions of “My Fair Lady” and for other shows/movies set at about the same time (“Titanic,” “Downton Abbey”). Then I and the rest of the costuming team (theater is all about collaboration!) met with our stage director to hear his vision for the show and figure out how that might be communicated through the costumes.
After establishing the overall look, it’s time to plunge into production. I source appropriate sewing patterns, draft patterns that I can’t find, and gather fabrics, laces, trims, costume pieces, and accessories to use.
S.P.: What do you draw inspiration from? Do you ever have any “Eureka!” moments?
L.G.: For me, it all starts with the fabrics. For community theater, a big budget for buying fabrics is never part of the deal. I mostly design with the materials I have (thanks, often, to generous donors), rather than buying fabrics to fit my designs. Fortunately, fabrics really inspire me — I can look at something that might seem pretty unpromising and imagine the fabulous thing it could become.
As for “Eureka!” moments: I’m an avid thrift-store shopper and regularly stumble across costuming treasure. I’ve designed entire costumes around a wonderful bit of silk or beaded lace I found somewhere for a pittance.
S.P.: How do you know when your work is finished?
L.G.: When the show opens!
S.P.: Name two artists you admire or who have influenced your work. What about their art appeals to you?
L.G.: Ngila Dickson did fabulous work for “Lord of the Rings,” and I love Jacqueline Durran’s designs (“Anna Karenina,” “Atonement,” “Pride & Prejudice”). Costuming for theater, perhaps especially for community theater, is a team effort, though. The companies I’ve worked with are blessed with a network of amazing, talented, generous folks who have all supported and inspired me.
S.P.: Do you listen to music while you’re working? What kind?
L.G.: I listen to whatever’s on WFCR, to the great annoyance of my husband.
S.P.: What do you do when you’re stuck?
L.G.: I go back to my piles of fabrics or back to my reference materials. If all else fails, I resort to a glass of wine and a crossword puzzle, or a long walk.
Valley Light Opera will stage seven productions of “My Fair Lady” between Nov. 3 through 12 at Northampton’s Academy of Music. For more information and to buy tickets, visit: vlo.org or aomtheatre.com.