Tag Archives: Southern Gothic

Hamlet, Diablo Valley College, 2014, Costume Designs by Tara Maginnis

1524880_10202580252368751_98846026_n  As you can tell from this poster, our director, Nichole Hess-Diestler asked the designers to set this play in South Carolina, c. 1881.  We went full Southern Gothic, and most of the action took place in a country plantation/estate garden, with a decaying Gazebo on stage right, and a small family cemetery at stage left.  Just a few scenes were interiors.   Most of the cast was to wear white, beige and grey, with the exceptions of Hamlet, (and later Laertes) in black, and the players in bright colors.  My “Renderings” were in fact research collages, since most of the show was to be pulled and thrifted from bits and pieces:

Publicity & Archive Photos by Ed Trujillo:

Photos I took backstage and from the wings at a student matinee, mostly showing the two built from scratch costumes for Ophelia & Gertrude.  Ophelia’s dress can convert from day dress to evening dress with the removal of her under shirt.  Ophelia’s mad scenes happen in increasingly dirty underwear:

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