#editorial comment

I’m Archi/Editor, or Wilbur, and I’m introducing myself since it seems like everyone else has been. You can call me ARGbur or Fakier too if you want I don’t care.

I’m an Editor Wilbur/ARGbur fictive.

He/they/any neos to do with coldness

I’m probably around 22-23ish idk

I front when we’re cold I suppose, and it’s winter again so… I might be around more. No promises.

I’m an apathy holder so I tend to talk/type very tonelessly, no I’m not mad. I’ll try to use tone tags if that will help.

Talking tag is #editorial comment

I just look like Wilbur I suppose.

Barbara Cook (1927-2017)

This one hurts, and it’s why I’m taking a moment to post a tribute on a costume blog. I logged on this morning to find out the sad news that Barbara Cook, one of the greatest lyric sopranos of the 20th century, had passed away at the age of 89. As I have blogged out before, my grandmother introduced me to Broadway, and one of the ways she did was with her beloved cast albums from The Music Man and Candide. I remember being captivated by Barbara Cook’s voice, and I credit it in many ways with sparking the first inklings of my Broadway interest.

Ms Cook was someone who struggled with many challenges in her life, including mental illness (depression) and addiction, but overcame these challenges to become and remain one of Broadway’s greatest and most talented singers. A multi-time Tony nominee and one-time Tony Award winner (for 1958′s The Music Man), she became best known to younger generations of theatre-goers as the defining interpreter of Stephen Sondheim’s compositions for the female voice. Her voice was one of the few which did not deteriorate with age, and in 2006, she was the first non-operatic female singer to be featured by New York’s prestigious Metropolitan Opera. In 2011, and in recognition of her numerous contributions to musical theatre and American music generally, she was the recipient of a Kennedy Center Honor, one of the United States’ most prestigious artistic awards.

This is just a text post, a little thank you now that this blog is really up and running. Costuming is high art, mixing theatre and fashion, fabric and color, beauty and design to create something that is memorable and will last for ages. A good costume can salvage a failing show or elevate a good show into greatness. The right costume can define a character for generations to come, and can even enter the cultural zeitgeist if it’s well-known enough.

But costume designers, as a group, are not a well-known bunch. Compared to movie or television costumers, people like Edith Head, theatre costumers often work in something close to anonymity. Their names maybe will get recognized at an awards show, but as we saw in 2017, the live Tony Awards telecast didn’t even carry the awards for Best Costume Design or Best Scenic Design. Some of these folks, who have won or been nominated for the highest award in theatre fashion, don’t even merit a page on Wikipedia, which has become something of a hallmark for being Famous in the Internet Age.

Who can forget the simple, classic look of Elphaba’s black dress and hat or Glinda’s powder blue dress? How can anyone ignore the amazing couture designs for Eva Peron or Norma Desmond? The ball gown of Anna Leonowens or the mask of Simba? These are parts of our culture, and we barely pay attention to the men and women behind the fabric and the scissors and glitz and the glamor.

So here’s to the costumers, the designers and the dressers and the drapers who make our favorite shows not only entertaining, but bring it to the level of high visual art. Here’s to the people who labor hours behind the scenes, bringing a few sketched lines and watercolor splotches to life in living color on the Broadway stage. Here’s to the unsung heroes who make Patti Lupone and Andy Karl and Laura Osnes and Gavin Creel and Denée Benton look their absolute best for eight shows a week.

I wrote a fan letter to the amazing Paloma Young and got back a lovely response, including compliments on this blog. I share that to encourage all of you, if you are so inclined: write to your favorite costumer/designer/technical/creative personnel on your favorite shows. They don’t get the recognition and the fan support that the actors do, and they deserve it just as much--without costumes, scenery, props, and so on, shows on Broadway would be so much less of an experience than they truly are.

So if you have a few moments, or if you’re sending something to your favorite show, slip in a note to the designers and the other folks who make Broadway so special. I’ve talked a lot on this blog and my main account about just how important it is that behind-the-scenes staff and creatives feel valued, and I stand behind those words one hundred percent. Get out there and show them some love--it only takes a minute, and even if you don’t hear back, I guarantee you’ll feel better for taking a couple minutes to make another person feel appreciated and special.