The Orlando Shakes will present Intimate Apparel by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage from October 27 to November 20, 2021.
Set during the turn of the twentieth century, the drama, deftly weaves together a story that explores the complexities of identity, vulnerability, and human resilience. Sewing exquisite lingerie gives Esther, an African American seamstress, an intimate look at the love lives of her diverse clientele, but leaves her yearning for a romance of her own. When a letter arrives from a stranger, she embarks on a journey to build the life she’s longed for.
In my first sketch for the show poster, I identified with the seamstress as a creator. She had a family heirloom which was an intricate quilt. In the Disney animated short John Henry a quilt was used to introduce the characters and begin to tell the story so my thoughts wandered in that direction. I fell in love with painting her at her turn of the century sewing machine.
The cursive type I chose was a bit hard to read from a distance and though the seamstress was intimately involved in her craft the image was somber.
My second sketch was more on the mark being an intimate portrait of the creator fitting her clientele. This image had the added benefit of having some sex appeal. These two woman would talk during the fittings and the friendship became one they both relied on.
The cursive type remained the same so I turned my attention to refining that on the next pass. I tried variations with a needle and bobbin. The type became more delicate and also more bold so it could be read from a distance. I also needed to make the author’s name bigger which would require a few adjustments. I was getting close. Though everyone seemed happy with the staging of the scene, I felt the need to tinker. There had to be a way of posing the tow characters to expose the fact that they were close but also a bit separate. They could be friends, but not close friends. The client could not invite her seamstress out to the theater for instance.
I decided to turn the client from the audience a bit to show the laces on the back of the corset. This made more sense with the position of the character to the mirror but it detracted from an intimacy with the viewer. I went back to the frontal view for the final image and worked on reposing the seamstress’s reflection in the mirror. Pam and her niece posed to help me figure out what the pose would look like reversed in a mirror.
Jean-Édouard Vuillard is a french artist that I love. He lived from 1868 to 1940. His painting inspired what I tried to do in painting the parlor interior. He used subtle greyed colors with bright notes of color in the lights.
Anyway, I identified with the creative journey of this seamstress as she embraced hopes of a future only to find those hopes were hung on an illusion. Despite this she could return to her creative endeavors which offered meaning when love was elusive.
Director: Shonn McCloud
Scenic and Lighting Designer: Stephen Jones
Costume Designer: Dana Rebecca Woods
Sound Designer: Britt Sandusky
Intimacy Coordinator: KJ Gilmer
Dialect Coach: Vivian Majkowski
AEA Stage Manager: George Hamrah
Production Assistant: Nahaira Morales
The cast includes, Lilian Oben as Esther, Trenell Mooring as Mrs. Dickson, Laurel Hatfield as Mrs. Van Buren, Adam T. Biner as Mr. Marks, Martine Fleurisma as Mayme, and Chris Lindsay as George.
The Shakes requires all patrons to bring a vaccination card or proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test for admission. Masks are required for all audience members. All Shakes actors and staff are fully vaccinated. The theater provides a special section in the upper mezzanine for patrons who wish to be distanced from other parties due to COVID-19. When purchasing, seats for this section is indicated in bright red. I vastly appreciate their consideration, and it is there in the Phantom’s upper section that I sit to sketch.