I started this process a year ago by meeting with the full design team and director, gathering research and spending time with the script. I broke down each character into who they are, what they need to do, and how they fit in with the rest of the world, and then I drew sketches for each of them to use as the design. Since then, I’ve been sourcing costumes and coordinating with the costume shop about what we need to build. The most exciting part of this process is when we get to do fittings with the actors because I get to spend time getting to know them and really see the characters start to come to life from what I’ve drawn.
My biggest goal for the costumes in this show was to show how the real world affects the fantasy world of the Dungeons and Dragons game and vice versa; I wanted to combine high fantasy influences with styles of clothes seen in 1995 — when the play takes place — to create a unique look that reflects the imagination of not only Tilly, the nerd younger sister, but eventually Agnes. Dungeons and Dragons is a great game that allows you to play as both yourself and someone else at the same time, so characters we see in game have direct visual links to their real-world teenage counterparts.
Audiences can look forward to a bright and nostalgic look at the 1990s — we’ve got demon cheerleaders, a supermodel elf, and a wizard that looks like he’s a part of NSYNC.
I play Dungeons and Dragons myself, so I felt like this production was perfect for me. I have put so much of myself into the design of each of these characters because I feel like I know where they’re coming from; they are all looking for some way to express themselves as they want to be, whether it’s as a powerful paladin who can shoot magic missiles, or as someone who needs to open up and let themselves have a little bit of fun.
M.J. Hromek
(Costume Designer) is from Baltimore, Maryland and received a BA in Theatre Design and Production from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. They are the second year MFA Candidate in Costume Design at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and She Kills Monsters will be their premier show with the Clarence Brown Theatre. Previous work includes Anon(ymous) by Naomi Iizuka.
