LUMINOUS FIELDS

I created the costume design for Luminous Fields, an interactive video installation designed by Luftwerk.

  Photos thanks to Peter Tsai

BE A GOOD LITTLE WIDOW

Some production photos from Be A Good Little Widow by Bekah Brunstetter at Collaboraction. 

PROJECT SUBWAY PRESS

In July I designed 8 runway looks made out of Subway materials like sandwich wrappers and cookie bags, and my designs have gotten a lot of press!

Check out the press release that Subway released, and here are a few links:

Subway Sandwich Wrapper Dresses at 'Project Subway' Show in Chicago on Stylelist.com

Recycled Wrapper Dresses on Trendhunter.com


Subway Recycles Its Packaging Into High Fashion on The Consumerist

'1001'

1001, written by Jason Grote, opens at Collaboraction September 12th.

Based on the stories of the Arabian Nights, 1001 is an intriguing mix of ancient storytelling, conflicts in the Middle East, and modern pop culture.

Publicity photos by Saverio Truglia 
Special thanks to my assistant Kristen Ahern!


Updated 9/24/2010:
Reviews are out for 1001!

Scheherazade Conspiracy at Play, by Katy Walsh for TheForthWalsh.com
"Dressing it up, Elsa Hiltner designed costumes to convert time periods by discarding or adding a layer."

Collaboraction Basks in the Glow of 'Arabian Nights,' by Hedy Weiss for The Chicago Sun-Times

'1001' By Collaboraction Theatre: Keep Your Heads, Storytellers, by Chris Jones for The Chicago Tribune

Review: 1001/Collaboraction, by Monica Westin for NewCity 
"It’s also an incredibly hip production, with deconstructive metatheater, a strong Hitchcock influence, and striking stage pictures..."

1001, by Kris Vire for TimeOut Chicago

A Breathtaking Testament to the Power of Storytelling, by Oliver Sava for ChicagoTheaterBlog.com


1001 - Collaboraction, by Beverly Friend for ChicagoCritic.com

1001, by John Dalton for CenterStage

PROJECT SUBWAY

I designed 8 runway looks for Subway's Annual Franchise Meeting all created from Subway materials - sandwich wrappers, branded tote bags, soup cups, cookie bags... and to-go salad plates, like the dress above!

Many thanks to my wonderful assistants - Amy Hilber, Kelly Coll, Kelsey Rhodes, and Stephanie McNair!

AFTER DARK AT THE ART INSTITUTE - KONSTANTIN GRCIC - DECISIVE DESIGN

I've designed costumes for Collaboraction at the Art Institute of Chicago's After Dark at the Art Institute - Konstantin Grcic - Decisive Design coming up on Friday, December 11th.




The event was featured on Time Out Chicago's blog. Check out the photos.

'GIFT'

GIFT, a new devised work by Sam Porretta, opens November 16th at Collaboraction. Previews begin tonight!

Use promo code 130 to get tickets at Collaboraction.org

Photos by Saverio Truglia

AFTER DARK AT THE ART INSTITUTE - MODERN ART WING

I designed costumes for the Art Institute of Chicago's After Dark at the Art Institute with Collaboraction.

The event was on Friday, October 2 - and here's a promo video for the event, featuring the costumes that my assistants and I created.

A very special thanks to Assistants Kelly Coll and Kelsey Rhodes!

NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE FEATURES 'EL GRITO DEL BRONX'

Last Tuesday's New York Times included an article on Collaboraction's money-back guarantee for their latest show El Grito del Bronx.

A Chicago Production Lures the Wary with a Money-Back Guarantee by Erik Piepenburg for the New York Times, September 1, 2009

This photo, taken by Saverio Truglia, was included with the article.

'EL GRITO DEL BRONX' - Jeff Recommended!!

I've designed costumes for El Grito del Bronx, opening this week at The Goodman's Owen Theatre.  El Grito del Bronx is being produced by Collaboraction and Teatro Vista, in conjunction with The Goodman Theatre.

This is the world premier of Migdalia Cruz's dramatic play. As Lulu prepares for her wedding, she reflects on her violent and abusive childhood, and the events that have drawn her and her brother, Papo, apart.

For tickets visit Collaboraction.org! The show runs July 17th through August 2nd.

View the online program.

Here are some reviews:

'El Grito del Bronx' by Hedy Weiss for The Chicago Sun-Times

'El Grito del Bronx' a Mixed Bag by Chris Jones for The Chicago Tribune

'El Grito del Bronx' by Kris Vire for TimeOut Chicago

'El Grito' Can't Quite Imbue Its Bloody Violence With Meaning, by Kerry Reid for The Chicago Reader

'El Grito del Bronx' (In English) by Randy Hardwick for ChicagoCritic.com

And, here are a few video clips from the production:

'KATTYWAMPUS' - SKETCHBOOK 2009

Here's a video clip of Kattywampus from Collaboraction's SKETCHBOOK 2009. Kattywampus was devised by actor/choreographer Joseph Ravens. I created the spandex pouch unit that he wore for the piece.

'PARA CARMEN' VIDEO - SKETCHBOOK 2009

Para Carmen was devised by Sandra Delgado for Collaboraction's SKETCHBOOK 2009. I designed and built the period costumes.

'BEATRICE AND BEAU' - SKETCHBOOK 2009

I designed costumes for Beatrice and Beau, one of the 14 short plays in this year's SKETCHBOOK at Collaboraction. Since light plays a large part in Beatrice and Beau, I kept the pallet light for the hipster-chic couple.

'CONSTRICTION' - SKETCHBOOK 2009

Constriction is one of the short plays in Collaboraction's annual short play festival SKETCHBOOK.

A gang of girls are way over their heads when they kidnap a teacher and she accidentally overdoses on laughing gas...

SKETCHBOOK 2009 - 'NEW AMERICAN FABLE'

Collaboraction's SKETCHBOOK 2009 - New American Fable opened last night to a packed house at Chicago's Building Stage! Seven new short plays and seven devised works were chosen to be part of this year's festival. There is a huge variety in the types of theatre, dance, mime, and movement pieces that make up this year's festival. I designed all sorts of costumes ranging from space suit liners and turn of the century migrant farmers to a WWI German Zeppelin pilot and a Harajuku inspired girl gang.

With over 200 artists involved in SKETCHBOOK 2009, the design process was extremely collaborative. Each of the individual pieces are all so unique, yet as a whole the festival needed a design that flowed through out - unifying the pieces into a collective work of theatre. I kept an eye of wonder in all of the costumes I designed. Something new and fresh, or slightly magical that gave a new perspective on what could be fairly ordinary. Since there is such a variety in performances I interpreted this differently for each piece.

In Para Carmen - a choreographed dance based on Lhasa de Sela's piece 'De cara a la pared' - I used a whimsical, light, and ethereal palette to create the early 20th century migrant farm worker's clothing. A light yellow bonnet shared by 3 dancers signified the passing of one woman's lifetime as it flashed before her in her death.

In What Am I Supposed To Be I created caricatured, storybook-like costumes for many characters, including a blushing bride, an experimental scientist, a convict on death row, and an American soldier. But unlike a storybook, these characters were all not what their costume suggested they were. The bride was nervous and unhappy, the scientist's experiment had gone horribly wrong, the convict was not just waiting for his death, and the soldier struggled with society's simultaneous expectations and neglect.

For Beatrice and Beau I coordinated outfits to create the picturesque cute couple. Both were completely dressed in very light colors - creating an other-worldly tableau. There was also a care-free ease to their costumes which contributed to the "roles" the characters were forced to play within the piece and highlighted their disillusionment at the end of the play.

Here's a short video from WGNTV in Chicago!

Tweets in Collaboractions' Sketchbook fun to follow'by Hedy Weiss for the Chicago Sun-Times

Theatre Review: Sketchbook Festival by Nina Metz for The Chicago Tribune

I will be posting more photos and information of my designs in the next few weeks.

Special thanks to my crew of wonderful and talented assistants:
Bethany Kelly
Kelly Coll
Kelsey Rhodes
Krystal Troutman
Stephanie McNair
Stephanie Paradiso

Don't miss SKETCHBOOK 2009 - New American Fable - there's no other theatre like it playing in Chicago. The shows run through May 10th. Use promotion code 165 for $3 off any tickets at Collaboraction.org.

'PARA CARMEN' - SKETCHBOOK 2009

Para Carmen is one of seven devised works in Collaboraction's annual SKETCHBOOK. Para Carmen is a dance piece created by Sandra Delgado, and is inspired by Lhasa de Sela's piece 'De cara a la pared'.

Michelle Nolan photographed the dancers last weekend.

Photograph courtesy of Michelle Nolan Photography.

SKETCHBOOK opens this weekend at Collaboraction, April 18th and runs through May 10th. Get your tickets now, and use promotion code 165 for discounts!

'SPACELAB 2030' - SKETCHBOOK 2009

This is the SpaceLab 2030 photo shoot with mime, actor, and devisor Dean Evans for SKETCHBOOK 2009 - New American Fable at Collaboraction. SKETCHBOOK is an annual festival of 14 short plays and devised works. It opens on April 18th - don't miss it - there will be a huge variety of theatre, dance, music, ...and costumes!

Check out this great time lapse video of the shoot from photographer Ryan Robinson.


SpaceLab 2030 from Ryan Robinson Studio on Vimeo.

SKETCHBOOK 2009 - New American Fable runs through May 10th at The Building Stage in Chicago.

Video and photo courtesy of Ryan Robinson Studio.

'JON' - Jeff Recommended!

Collaboraction's Jon opened last night at the Building Stage! This premier based on George Saunder's short story by the same name has gotten a lot of attention from the press.

Jon is set in the corporate facility where a group of teens have lived and worked since birth, knowing very little about the outside world around them. They rate designer clothing, fad energy drinks, and new teen-consumer items under the management of the facility staff.

Jon falls in love with Carolyn, both having grown up in the facility, and soon Carolyn becomes pregnant. With the prospect of raising a baby as a teen mother in the facility, Carolyn begins to question if the only life she has known would be the best for their child.

I created a bold color scheme to make the group of teens cohesive, and within the group I designed character-driven silhouettes that distinguished the teens as individuals. Kimberly has a punk streak, Ruth is a bit of a goth, Carolyn is the class-president-type, Josh has a little young republican in him, Brad is a video game 'nerd', and Jon is a stoner-jock. I used these labels loosely, as all of the clothing they wore (and the way they wore it) needed look as if it were designed for the mainstream American teen, but with an added edge. I drew a lot of my design inspiration and research from advertisements and store fronts.

The facility staff wore the office "uniform" of corporate America: khaki pants, blue collared shirt, a bland tie, cell phone holster on the belt, and key card lanyard.

Chris Jones reviews Jon on CBS Chicago - view the video here!

A video clip from Jon posted by video designer Mike Tutaj.

A second video clip posted by Mike Tutaj.

And, a third video clip posted to blip.tv.

An interview with George Saunders about the play Jon:
Consumed with Desire: Writer George Saunders Discusses His Collaboraction Collaboration, by Monica Westin from Newcity Stage

An article about Director/Adapter Seth Bockley's meetings with George Saunders from Collaboraction's website.

Collaboraction's 'Jon' Has Finger on Pulse of Our Robotic, Materialistic Society, by Hedy Weiss in the Chicago Sun-Times

Hyper-Marketed Worlds Rings True In 'Jon', by Chris Jones for The Theatre Loop at ChicagoTribune.com

'Jon' - Theatre Review, by Kris Vire for Time Out Chicago

'Jon,' by Tom Williams for ChicagoCritic.com

'Jon,' by Tony Adler for the Chicago Reader

The Medium Is The Mess: Collaboraction Adapts A "Genius" Short Story, by Jonathan Messinger from Time Out Chicago

Teens Try To Get Real In Fleshed-Out 'Jon', by Mary Houlihan for the Chicago Sun-Times

BIZBASH CHICAGO MAGAZINE

Here's the BizBash Chicago article about their Chicago Launch Party event that I costumed last month.

Plus there are some more photos on their website.

BIZBASH CHICAGO LAUNCH PARTY

I designed costumes for Collaboraction for the BizBash Chicago Launch Party. BizBash is an event design publication and they've just opened a Chicago section on their website. The event was all white.

We performed a flash mob dance piece to Bjork's "It's Oh So Quiet" (click here for Bjork's music video), the same dance piece as at After Dark at the Art Institute - Ed Ruscha. The main difference was in the costumes. I had dressed the After Dark dancers as 1960s gas station attendants - for BizBash the dancers were dressed as the caterers, cooks, and waiters at the event, all in white. There was also a core group of five performers dressed as angelic guests. They created a tableaux at the main entrance.