SIDE SHOW
Costume Design.
University of Iowa: Spring 2025
A VISUAL STORY OF GROWTH AND HISTORY USING COLOR, SILHOUETTE, AND FIRST-PERSON RESEARCH.
Written By: Bill Russel
Directed By: Paul Kalina
Scenic: Jason Simms
Costume: Bella Fortunato
Lights: Jeffrey Oakley
Music Direction: Mark Bruckner
SM: Savannah Moore
Renderings& Research
First Person Research vs. Production Photos
Rendering Gallery
In the early 1930’s conjoined twins, Daisy and Violet Hilton, long for a life outside of the Freakshow filled with fame, fortune, and above all love. One day two strangers appear in their lives and whisk them away to a career they always wanted, but through each phase of their stardom they still can’t seem to escape from the familiar veil of exploitation and otherness. This narrative begs the audience to ask the question; can you ever truly find love without abandoning who you are in pursuit of the approval of others?
Figurative Research Collage
Renderings completed with Pen/Ink + Crayons and meant to evoke the unsettling feeling of 1930s cartoons and old circus posters.
Rough Sketches
First Person Research vs. Renderings
paperwork
Tracking for the show. Over 100 costumes tracked amongst cast of 25 performers.