Why do you think the world has been so fascinated with the legend of Nessie?
I think the world has been so fascinated with the legend of the Loch Ness monster because it gives a kind of hope that something so magical really does exist, making life seem a little less ordinary. I think the legend gives a sense of adventure and childlike wonder. Maybe we have not discovered everything this earth has to offer, but maybe something beyond our human understanding exists.
What is it like to work on a world premiere musical?
As a designer it is very freeing to work on a new musical. This is the first original work that I have had the opportunity to design costumes for. It is daunting because I will be the first to determine what these characters look like and I want to do the script and the director’s vision justice. This also gives me an immense amount of creative freedom. With most productions you have an idea of how it should look based on previous productions. You have a sort of outline. On Loch Ness I did not have to re-create or imitate costumes from previous productions.
What mysteries or legends captivate your imagination?
I have always been fascinated with the mystery of the Russian Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna, and the question [of whether] she did escape execution? And if so, did she forget who she was or live a whole lifetime as someone else?
How do you prepare to work on a project like this?
To work on a project like this the first thing I do to prepare is read the script, trying not to pay any special attention to costume needs, but get invested in the story and the characters. The next thing is meeting with the director. For any other production, I would meet the director and get their thoughts on how they see the characters. However, being that this was a new musical, the director and I did discuss the characters a bit, but decided to let the actors really mold these characters before we decided how they would dress. This was the first opportunity for the director to see how the characters lived off of the page. These are original characters that have never been played before, so the actors had the daunting task to create three dimensional characters with no previous interpretations to pull from. To prepare for my designs, I sat in on more rehearsals to see the progression of the characters. I also had conversations with each actor, discussing their character’s background and personality. I asked them if any specific clothing images came into their mind when playing their character. I took this information and researched clothing based on our conversation, and then started to create concrete designs for the show.
Do you have a favorite moment in the play?
My favorite moment in the play is the scene between Haley and Nessie where they sing their duet. The scene is so touching and hopeful, and the music is so beautiful. The connection between the actors in the scene is theater at its best.
What excites you about this story and why should people come see it?
The dynamic relationships between [the] characters and the music is what excites me most about this story. The struggling relationship between Haley and her father, and the journey they take to come to understand and listen to one another, is something that many audience members can relate to. The relationship between Nessie and Haley is magical and will lift anyone’s spirit. And for comic relief, there is the relationship between Callaghan and her sidekick of sorts, Angus. The actors have been fearless in playing these roles and the dynamic between them is so hilarious. People should come and see Loch Ness because not only is the music beautiful, but the performances are fantastic. Audiences will be touched by this story and humming the tunes long after they have seen it.
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