The Tragic End of Macbeth...

Tragedy takes many forms...some are devastating, some merely discouraging.

The production of Macbeth has had a rather sudden demise...a multitude of factors contributed to it, not the least being that, in this uncertain economic climate, with school funding at critical levels, our director/drama teacher found an opportunity for employment in a well-funded private school and took the opportunity.

Who can blame him? He has a mortgage to pay like everybody else and he didn't have tenure.

But that left Macbeth quite without direction.

So, the magnet coordinator, our tech theater teacher and a young lady who was helping with Macbeth and who has completed her bachelor's in theater teamed up to produce another play; the kids auditioned last night, the cast was set today, and they will rehearse virtually every day this month to stay with the original opening night of April 30.

The new play is Six Characters in Search of an Author...not something I recognized, which I suppose shows my ignorance as I'm told it is a classic piece, written early in the 20th century. It is a bit abstract and cerebral...not the kind of theater that *I* particularly care for, but the kids are excited about doing it.

Which is good, because they're going to be working awfully hard.

I, however, am not going to be doing nearly so much. The costuming for this show is going to be via procurement, not production. It's going to be costumed in contemporary garb, so the kids will likely have a good bit of stuff in their own closets. I'd rather sew than run around looking for things, but, well, you do what you gotta do.

I probably won't post much about it; mostly because I have a distinct feeling of not knowing what in the world I'm doing.

But I might have a chance at getting back on track w/my 12 garments in 12 weeks plan...we'll see...

Gettin' busy...

I've got all but one of the kids measured for the Macbeth cast (or should I say, 'the Scottish play? No, we're performing it...I'm good... ;) ). I'm going to drive up to Sirs on Friday to see if I can buy a large quantity of lightweight black fabric, with a substantial quantity of grey fabric to go along with it. We've got 11 witches in the cast, plus Hecate, who are all going to be in shredded Bible costumes of layered black and grey.

Planning to cut on Monday.

Meantime, I have my next Gorgeous Fabrics project on the cutting board...a Burda Magazine vest from some black cotton/lycra sateen. I've been needing a black vest for ages; and I made this pattern up once before in denim, so I'm pretty confident it will work. I did pinch 1/2" out of the front armsceye and rotate it into the front dart to see if I could reduce the gapishness of the armhole; we'll see if it worked. That'll be the first time I actually put that principle into practice.

But it's a busy, busy week; I'm really going to have to push hard to get that project done...

...and the rest of them...

The Jalie patterns.

The prompt for the Jalies was two fold. I bought some lovely embroidered corduroy last summer in The Flute Players favorite color (orange) without knowing what it would be. We've had some discussions, and I really can't imagine it being anything other than a jeans jacket.

But try and find a classic jeans jacket for a girl's size 14. Jalie has one. I found it on the Jalie site, but it was listed as 'out of stock'. I sent an inquiry to see if it would be back in stock soon, and the very prompt reply was that the pattern is not going to be reprinted (a real shame, IMHO). However, the reply said that it appeared that there were a few left in stock at Pattern Review. So I sent Deepika a note, asking if she had any.

She did. And she had a sale on. And, since I'm a member, if I bought three patterns I'd get free shipping. So three patterns it was.

The first, of course, is the jeans jacket pattern 2321 (hm. There's a note that is says it's discontinued...wonder if it was there before?). Very classic.

I also picked up 2686, the classic pajamas. I know I have a TNT jammies pattern, but it is a unisex sizing and, to be honest, the more I've slept in it this year the more I find that it doesn't quite work; the shoulders are so wide that the arms bind when I roll over and catch the body just right. So I was sort of in the market for a lady-sized PJ pattern anyway. So I'm ready the next time silk charmeuse goes on a fabuloso sale somewhere(I intend to order six yards!!! No more shortages!)

Finally, I got 2909, the 'classic trousers'.

If you consider dropped-waist bootleg pants sized for stretch wovens a classic.

But, the eternal quest for pants for The Flute Player prompted it. I don't know how much more I can alter her size 14 TNT pattern up; time to move to Jalie so I can just keep tracing the next size. And, you never know, I might add pockets to it and make it up for myself.

But...I got the email yesterday. MacBeth has been cast and is going into production. Time to sharpen the costuming skills again. I don't know what the opening date is, and I don't know what the directors vision for the costuming will be (although The Actor has reported that it's going to be a Tim Burton-esque type of production).

I should hit the sewing room soon and hard if I want any new things for any closets here.