TSF actors getting fitted for production costumes
By LESTER MURRAY news2@kilgorenewsherald.com

News Herald Photo by Lester Murray Sarah Hayes (front) gets fitted by Stephanie Shaw for the upcoming production of 12th Knight. Shaw is just one of the cutter/draper working at the Texas Shakespeare Festival which opens in July.

There are 34 actors this year at the Texas Shakespeare Festival and 30 of those are brand new to the TSF.

These actors will be performing in at least three of the four production, which means playing multiple roles, which means wearing multiple and that translates into multiple fittings.

Sarah Hayes, from Iowa, is at the TSF for her first year and a graduate of the University of Arizona. "I will be playing Viola in the 12th Knight," said Hayes while Stephanie Shaw, a cutter/ draper was sticking pins all over her.

Shaw, in her fifth season with the TSF and hailing from South Jersey, works for the University of Maryland College Park as a costume shop manager. "I only get two fittings with each actor for a particular costume and it is important to get the impute from the director on just how he or she expects the costumes to look on the actor," said Shaw.

Steven Graves, from Columbus, Ga. said this is his eighth season directing for the TSF. "With certain plays the costumes can be very lavish or for example this year Julius Ceaser will have a modern theme which most costumes will be off the rack," said Graves. "But with 12th Knight, the costumes are not lavish, it is more about the material being used to create the costumes."

Bethany Marx, from Thiensville, Wi. assisted Graves during the fitting of Hayes for her costume in 12th Knight.

Hayes says will be going to the Indiana Repertory Theater after TSF.

As with all the actors, each will play multiple roles, Hayes said she will also play Martha Jefferson in "1776" and Inti- coussi in "The Royal Hunt of the Sun".

Graves said in 12th Knight there is a ship wreck, twins that get separated and a three way love triangle, you won't want to miss this one.

Shaw said once this fitting was done with Hayes, the costume goes back to the stitchers and then Hayes will come back for a final fitting.