Labor
Circus costumes can take years of planning and design, which must be interpreted into patterns and mockup garments for test fittings, developed out of final fabrics and embellished according to the original design. The costumes are worn during extreme physical performances and require constant repair, alteration, or modifications for safety along with daily maintenance and laundering. The Labor vitrine highlights the hands-on work of ideating, creating, and maintaining circus costume.
Labor: Design
The development of circus costume begins with an idea and conversations that turn into a series of sketches. In this display, original costume design sketches by Gail Brassard are paired with costumes from the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, including a garment that is paired directly with its illustration: the Herald. Also featured is a photograph of longtime RBBB costume designer Don Foote, pictured at his desk.
Romeo & Juliette Herald "Spec" Costume
Title: Romeo & Juliette Herald “Spec” Costume
Year: 1994
Designer: Gail Brassard
Show / Intended Use: 124th Edition of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Objects & Materials: Color block leggings with stirrup and side embellishments, gold sequin & ostrich feather plumed hat, short jacket with large bell sleeves & inner fitted sleeve with lace cuff, doublet with cape
Loaned by: Feld Entertainment, Inc.
Original Sketch - Gold Herald Trumpeteers
Title: Original Sketch – Gold Herald Trumpeteers
Year: 1994
Designer: Gail Brassard
Show / Intended Use: 124th Edition of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Trumpeteer Sketch
Objects & Materials: Markers, pencil, & gold metallic paint on paper
Loaned by: Gail Brassard
Mihaly "Michu" Meszaros suit
Title: Mihaly “Michu” Meszaros suit
Year: 1980
Designer: Don Foote
Show / Intended Use: Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Objects & Materials: Jacket with peplum, trousers. Sequin detailing.
Loaned by: The Milner Library Special Collections, Illinois State University
Romeo & Juliette Marionette “Spec” Costume
Title: Romeo & Juliette Marionette “Spec” Costume
Year: 1994
Designer: Gail Brassard
Show / Intended Use: Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus 124th Edition
Objects & Materials: Cone headpiece with side curves, harlequin-style dress with neck ruff & tutu, long gloves with cuff embellishment, knee-height embellished accessories, rhinestoned fishnets
Loaned by: Feld Entertainment, Inc.
Production photograph and color copy of Marionette illustration by Gail Brassard.
Original Sketch - Inspiration Clown
Title: Original Sketch – Inspiration Clown
Year: 1994
Designer: Gail Brassard
Show / Intended Use: 124th Edition of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Clown “Spec” costume sketches
Objects & Materials: Marker & pencil on paper
Loaned by: Gail Brassard
Original sketch of marker on paper by designer Gail Brassard for the 124th edition of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Designer Brassard created four "Inspiration" clown sketches that hung on the wall of her studio during the design process of the show, and were used as featured clown looks for the final production.
Original Sketches: Clowns, Bathing Beauties (Set of 2)
Title: Original Sketch – Clowns, Bathing Beauties (Set of 2)
Year: 1994
Designer: Gail Brassard
Show / Intended Use: 124th Edition of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Clown “Spec” costume sketches
Objects & Materials: Marker & pencil on paper
Loaned by: Gail Brassard
Backdrop: Vintage Circus Poster Curtain
Installation of the Dressing the Circus exhibition took place over a number of days in February 2022. To partially mask the vitrines, circus costume poster replicas were purchased online in the form of shower curtains. The size and style of these curtains allowed for easy hanging on the interior of the glass doors using suction cups, and served a dual purpose of masking the space during installation, advertising with accompanying signage the impending exhibition, and symbolically providing the experience of being able to "peek behind the curtain" to observe glimpses of the installation to come. This evokes comparison to the history of a circus traveling into different towns and the locals being able to watch the tent rise and the equipment and performers load in.
Labor - Costume and Wardrobe Shop
This side of the Labor vitrine is staged as a costume & wardrobe shop. The garments are turned from sketch into reality by talented artisans with years of specialized training and skill sets who ply their trades to bring the ideas to life. From patternmaking to mockups, stitching to craftwork and more, there would be no costumes without the costume shops who build them.
The Wardrobe department of any show is tasked with the maintenance of the costumes, keeping each garment and accessory looking in new condition for as long as possible. The wardrobe attendants, technicians, and wig/makeup personnel keep the show looking its best from alterations to repairs, new builds, laundering, and so much more. The costume & wardrobe shop staging includes props including notions and tools used by these fields and costumes ranging from pristine condition and in active use beyond this exhibition to "dead" costumes that have survived the run of a show and still possess the evidence of wear, tear, and repair.
"Kelp" Unitard
Title: Kelp Unitard
Show / Intended Use: Circus Smirkus Big Top Tour
Objects & Materials: Green jumbo spandex base unitard with shoulder closure, hidden pocket, and fins
Loaned by: Circus Smirkus
"Dragons" Ringmaster Costume Sketch (facsimile)
Title: Costume Illustration – “Dragons” Ringmaster for Johnathan Lee Iverson
Year: 2012
Designer: Gregory Poplyk
Show / Intended Use: The 142nd Edition of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Objects & Materials: Color copy of original illustration
Loaned by: Feld Entertainment, Inc.
Gold feathered "Spec" dress
Title: Gold feathered “Spec” dress
Year: late 1960s
Designer: Max Weldy
Show / Intended Use: The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Objects & Materials: Gold lamé short dress with cotton lining, sequin & bead embellishments, rows of orange and yellow ostrich feather trim, attached yellow & orange crinoline with ruffle trim, rhinestoned shoulder straps
Loaned by: The Milner Library Special Collections at Illinois State University
Aqua Leotard with Stars
Title: Aqua leotard with stars
Year: 1999
Designer: Made by Annette Darr, embellished by Susan Vonderheid
Show / Intended Use: Spanish Web act, Kelly Miller Circus.
Objects & Materials: Tank-strap leotard with star embellishments and beading
Loaned by: Susan Vonderheid
Blue & White Leotard
*Costume can be found in vitrine on hanging rack
Title: Blue & white leotard
Year: 2000 - 2002
Designed & Embellished by: Lupe Perez
Show / Intended Use: Culpepper Merriweather Circus
Objects & Materials: Blue synthetic stretch leotard with white stretch appliqués and sequin embellishment
Loaned by: Susan Vonderheid
Neon & Beige Leotard with Fishnets
*Costume can be found in vitrine on hanging rack
Title: Neon & Beige leotard with embellished fishnets
Year: 2020s
Designer: Izzy Patrowicz
Objects & Materials: Spandex leotard & fishnets with appliquéd embellishments
Loaned by: Izzy Patrowicz