Mainstage
Creating The Looks of Sense and Sensibility
An Interview With Costume Designer Danielle Nieves and Wig Designer Kaleena Jordan
Tell us about your relationship with Jane Austen’s novels: are you a fan? Either way, how did you prepare to begin this show? Did you read or watch anything in particular?
Danielle Nieves (DN): My first exposure to Jane Austen was the 2005 Pride and Prejudice film (Keira Knightley). I know I’ll be publicly shamed forever more for this comment but I like it more than the BBC miniseries. Yes, I will see myself out. Since then I have read and enjoyed many Austen novels and films in my own time. There’s something wonderfully escapist about her stories and the pastoral genre has always been close to my heart having lived in Vermont for a time. To prepare for this production I watched the 2008 BBC Sense and Sensibility mini-series and the enchanting 2020 Emma film. But the 1995 Sense and Sensibility will always hold first place for me in the adaptation canon. Who doesn’t adore Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon?
Kaleena Jordan (KJ): I grew up reading Jane Austen’s classic Pride & Prejudice then eventually fell in love with the hairstyles, costumes, and filming locations of the movies. Currently living in the countryside of the UK, I have fallen in love with Bath, United Kingdom (Austen’s once-upon-a-time home) and have taken advantage of many weekend trips there for inspiration in creating my designs for our production of Sense and Sensibility. I have also spent many hours visiting museums, looking at their paintings and statues in both London and Paris to further gain inspiration and research for my designs.
Sense and Sensibility is a “classic-modern mashup.” How did you decide which elements to keep classic, and which to give a modern twist?
DN: I had worked on Kate Hamill’s Pride and Prejudice and Little Women so I was familiar with her modern script adaptations. There’s a lot of humor in the pacing, people acting as dogs, and general absurdities that lend themselves well to modern elements. I also took cues from period-modern mash up shows such as The Great and Bridgerton which have both helped to popularize the blended genre. [Director Jes Spencer] immediately knew she wanted props such as cellphones and other anachronistic details so I took that prompt and embraced the combination. Jes and I spoke about wanting the “gossip” characters to have the most contemporary features and the named characters to live in a period-esque world. I started with period-based silhouettes and from there incorporated modern fabrics such as sequins and accessories like sunglasses.
“The goal was to achieve looks that were both comical and beautiful!”
-Danielle Nieves, Costume Designer
KJ: I started period hairstyling at the age of 15 under the mentorship of veteran Wig Master Doug Decker who instilled the hair shapes, features and specifics of every period. With this strong background and understanding, I was able to maintain elements of this late 18th century shape while also branching out with modern elements as desired. Some modern twists are seen with Marianne’s pull through braid and its accented colored hairbands, or in the pearl bobby pins in Elinor’s very period hairstyle. Our director Jes had visions and characteristics in mind for each character such as glamorous, strict, carefree, creative, hopeless romantic (just to name a few) which helped inspire me on who to make tidier and more in line with a traditional period, and who to have more modern takes on them.
How much did you work together (costumes and wigs) to create a cohesive look, and how does that process work?
DN: Typically the process for wigs begins a little later than costumes but the wig designer, Kaleena, and I both started together at the beginning of design discussions. The early conversations ensured that our designs would complement each other and we were able to flag challenges that might arise for either department. Kaleena was proactive about checking in and incorporating details that enhanced the overall design with elements such as pink hair streaks to match a pink gown, or harmonizing colored gems with costume hues. Communication is key and I will take a note from Kaleena’s book on her incredible diligence to connection and collaboration.
KJ: Every job and team handle the process of creating cohesive looks differently, but Danielle and I individually created mood boards then shared and vocalized elements of each look and emphasized what stood out for each character to us. We utilized our brilliant Costume and Wig teams to bring our visions to life and then would check in throughout the process about adding or removing things such as texture, color, patterns, and accessories!
“If we ever had an element that would affect the other, it was always discussed and resolved with the utmost support of one another, often agreeing that more sparkle was a great answer!”
-Kaleena Jordan, Wig Designer
Once the designs have been created, how much are you involved in the rehearsal process? What about once the show opens?
DN: As a costume designer I am usually present for meetings, costume fittings, and tech, but not typically rehearsal. If I happen to be available I love dropping in on rehearsal to see how things are developing! It is important to keep updated with the rehearsal reports and checking in with the director. It helps to be proactive about adapting designs to changes that happen during the rehearsal process. For example – maybe an actor plays a new background character or has to assist with a transition which makes their previous costume change too difficult. By keeping up with notes and communicating we can address various needs early on so that the final costumes support the evolving production. When a show opens I am off contract and typically off to the next show! Opening is a bittersweet celebration as I have to leave a close knit team that just spent about 14 days together morning till night. However, I look forward to collaborating with the same folks on different productions and I take the finished show’s joy and experiences with me onto the next.
KJ: After designs are finalized, remote weekly communication with Village’s Resident Wig Designer and his team are had to allow them to build every wig custom to our actors’ heads. I give directions on specific hair colors, hair texture, density, parting locations, and how I want the hair to lay or move and so forth. The wig shop builds all the wigs in around 3 weeks, wet roller set the hair and style them to the designs in preparation for a fitting with the performer. I begin becoming more heavily involved in person once our wigs are built, styled and ready for their fittings. Throughout these weeks, the Stage Management team, director and I are in communication via video calls and emails about various choreography or blocking that may affect our wigs and styles. The final three weeks before we open I am involved every day giving final input, adjustments and practicality of the design lasting through daily shows with all the elements of costume changes, choreography, accessories, and quick changes.
What is your favorite look in the show?
DN: This is a tricky one! It’s certainly an easy escape to say “all of them” but I’d have to say Lady Middleton. This costume is worn by three different people and Jes’s directive was for the look to “take up as much space as possible”. In my research I had come across fashion plates with Michelin Man-like sleeve rolls and so I took that to an extreme for this costume. I live for comedy and every time an actor wore this in a fitting room they found the most hilarious ways to manipulate the costume and their bodies in a muppet-like way. My next favorite is the alligator stole that is worn by Mrs. Ferrars.
KJ: This is a hard one! There are definitely elements of every wig that that bit is my favorite color, or favorite style, or fit. Overall though it’s an equal toss up between Marianne’s thick beautiful soft braid or Elinor’s timeless and elegant blonde updo with pearls in it.
