When it comes to Northwood’s smooth-running theater productions on stage, not all heroes wear capes. In fact, some of Northwood theater’s most valiant heroes are the ones who make the capes—the dedicated and hard-working costume team.
For the upcoming Clue play, running Oct. 29, Oct. 30, Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 at 7 p.m., with an additional time on Nov. 2 at 2 p.m., the costume team has been hard at work to ensure each character’s outfit is executed flawlessly on stage. Each show has a unique style, and costumes play a key role in setting the tone, immersing the audience in the world of the story.
“A highlight about the costumes for Clue is definitely the time period,” costumes co-head junior Kaylee Fernandez said. “I always love time period costumes just because I am able to analyze what people have worn before, and I am able to go into a deep dive on what each character would wear.”
The costume team’s preparation for productions begins with the brainstorming process. For Clue, members focused on researching 1950s styles to ensure each character’s outfit was authentic and fitting for the time period.
“When it comes to creating costumes, we usually create a mood board based on the character and we see what fits the character—color palettes, ideas, aesthetics,” Fernandez said. “Once we confirm how we want to have it, we start planning and designing what we can rent out from Laguna Beach High School.”
The costume team also has to come up with creative ways to portray their characters with the materials they are given. Currently, the heads’ favorite costume is Miss Scarlett.
“Miss Scarlett is supposed to be a government official who is very sensual with her character. And because of her name, we decided to go with a base of a scarlet dress,” Fernandez said. “So the way I decided Scarlett’s character to be was red and black with accents of jewelry. If you look at her dress, it’s going to have a lot of sequins on the red, and the black accent’s going to be a velvet fabric.”
After discussing with the directors and actors, the costume team finalizes their artistic visions and begins to work on acquiring the actual costumes and needed materials. Though most of their costumes are rented, they also thrift or even craft costumes by hand if needed.
“I think our biggest strength is probably flexibility,” costumes co-head senior Areesha Suhail said. “The directors have their own vision, we have a vision. As the actors try on their costumes, they have their own opinions and preferences. And so being able to adapt to those opinions really quickly and find a middle ground—that’s something we do really well.”
After assembling costumes, the team places them in baskets for the actors before each show. But the fun doesn’t stop there—during performances, the costume team remains ready to tackle any quick changes that come their way. This process is driven by the team’s genuine passion, fostering a tight-knit community.
Open to all tech production students, the costume team welcomes members regardless of their fashion or costuming experience, selecting them through interviews.
“Costumes is a place where you will always be supported by our fellow crew members,” Fernandez said. “It’s a space where you’re able to be creative with no judgment.”
