Speakeasy

Boxcar Theatre, San Francisco CA, January 2014

Imagine if you could actually visit a prohibition-era speakeasy. Well, Boxcar Theatre did, and decided to make it a reality with Speakeasy, an immersive theatrical experience. Consisting of a sprawling compound of a false front clock shop, a main bar/salon, a betting parlor, and vaudeville stage, all populated with actors playing out numerous individual stories that interweave throughout the night. The audience roams freely throughout, following whatever stories they find most interesting. It was a very big show, and I was brought on as a co-designer. I designed all the costumes to be worn by the bar employees and entertainers, and the other designer handled all the street clothes worn by the planted actors. It was a fantastic chance to learn a lot about the period, both in style and construction methods. Unfortunately I didn't have time to take pics during rehearsals, but I did get shots of the dresses I made on the form.