The Importance of Being Earnest
By Oscar Wilde
Tree Trunk Theatre
October 16-19, 2020
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costume design and construction
actor, Gwendolen Fairfax -
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director - Jackson Castello
set design - Lisa Castello
costume design - Vivian Steele
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Following the COVID lockdowns over the summer of 2020, Jackson Castello, director and founder of Tree Trunk Theater, was desperate to return to live performances and engage with his community of student actors. Gathering a company of eight friends, he partnered with Resolute Theatre Project to produce a socially-distanced version of The Importance of Being Earnest.
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It was on this show that I learned the beauty of delegation from experience. I asked Vivian Steele, a prodigious seamstress and designer (who also played Gwendolen in the production), to design and construct the costumes. In addition to creating a beautiful design palette for the show, I believe she only spent about $25 total. She pulled from her own pile of costumes at home, found amazing deals at thrift shops, and even made a dress out of an old curtain like the literal Maria Von Trapp to tie the production together. We did a Zoom interview on her design process to promote the show; you can watch it here.
-Jackson Castello
