Harriet Jacobs - The Kansas City Repertory Theatre

THE PRODUCTION
DESIGN ELEMENTS
COSTUME DESIGN
Jeremy W. Floyd, Costume Designer
Jeremy W. Floyd is making his KC Rep debut as
costume designer for Harriet Jacobs. Jeremy, who
received his MFA from Northwestern University,
recently spoke to us about the design process for this
production.
Where did you draw your inspiration from for your
costume design for Harriet Jacobs?
Though many artists and works were used as visual
inspiration, two artists, John Biggers and Paul Jones,
provided the major starting point for the design. Their
work, though very different visually, speaks on a level
of visual simplicity with elegant line and uniform
color, while expressing the sorrow and beauty of a life
confined by others, whether that be through slavery
or society. These artists were supplemented with
various other works of art from the 19th and 20th
century as well as photography and portraiture of the
time.
What influenced your color palette? How did you use
color, pattern, texture and layers to differentiate
between characters of different races?
The color palette of the world of Harriet Jacobs was
inspired by the natural colors of the environment,
both in a geographical and stage sense. Colors were
heightened on the ensemble base-clothing to allow
the characters to stand out of the world as well as to
feel like they are part of it. The desire was to create a
simple silhouette that was a conglomeration of the
slave clothing from the mid-19th century without
denoting any specific time, giving the cast members
the ability to assume various roles throughout the
many years the story takes place. This simple
silhouette was created using almost entirely linen for
its dense drape, creating the illusion of weight while
still possessing a light, springy quality for the stylized
movement and choreography.
Costume sketches courtesy of Jeremy W. Floyd.
HARRIET JACOBS
LEARNING GUIDE | 2010
Kansas City Repertory Theatre: Harriet Jacobs | 17