How many costume designers should there be in the theater. How a theater dresser works

"And her legs are crooked!": A story about creating theatrical costumes and not only

Klops.Ru decided to find out how they sew, wear and where exclusive theatrical costumes are kept, as well as what stories the actors themselves have about them

The premiere of the play "The Imaginary Sick" by Moliere, on which the capital's director Nikita Grinshpun worked, took place on October 1 at the Kaliningrad Regional Drama Theater. Two more Muscovites also took part in the production - the composer Pavel Akimkin and the artist Ksenia Shimanovskaya, who is responsible for the stage design and the costumes of the actors.

By the way, it was the outfits that became the special pride of the performance: they combine fashion trends of the 17-18 centuries, as well as a creative look at the modern interpretation of the play.

“Here, you see, you can have a bite right away,” - the actor Anatoly Lukin, playing the role of the main character's brother, very plausibly pretends to tear off a plastic berry from a bunch of grapes hanging from his hat. - The god of winemaking is Bacchus, so I have a hat That brother is sick, and I am healthy, so I can afford to drink. "

In the corridor near the dressing room, a long-haired girl appears in a bright outfit, with its colors reminiscent of a Harlequin's costume - this is the actress Maria Savelyeva, who plays several secondary roles in the play at once.

“And this is a pillow suit,” jokes Lukin, hinting at wide trousers, imperceptibly passing into the sleeves and fixed in order to maintain a square shape with a soft frame.

"In one of the actions, gypsies appear on the stage. I am one of them - a street performer. It would be too easy to put on a wide skirt. I really like the costume: it is comfortable and can be put on in just a couple of seconds. When I first saw it, I immediately realized that he was very chic and unusual. "

In stage outfits, you can dance, fight and somersault without fear of wrinkling or tearing. However, the costumes are not so comfortable in everything: the artist is very hot in them. Pleasantness in wearing is the last thing an artist thinks about when creating a costume - this is, first of all, the image of the hero and one of the important elements of the entire external design of the production.

“When you change clothes all your life, you start treating the costume as a working material. True, I remember a couple of chic outfits that went so well for me that I just didn't want to take them off - it was a suit for the role of Prince of Orange and the uniform of Commandant Von Lyash. When I put on the uniform, I realized that I didn't even need to do makeup - that was an internal hit. When you prepare for a role, you understand what things need to be "pulled out", that is, what is inherent in your character should come out The costume helps a lot to create a special feeling and believe in the reality of what is happening, "says Lukin.

The actor also recalled the most ridiculous costume that he had to try on in his long career: even in the Novosibirsk Youth Theater, Lukin played a hut on chicken legs in a fairy tale: "He put on stockings with claws, the" log box "itself and followed Baba Yaga around the stage. received gratitude for this role. "

Since fabrics for suits are often used artificial and not very pleasant to the body, men wear them on cotton T-shirts, while women do not always have such an opportunity - their outfits are more open and tight-fitting.

“We go to meet the actors and always try to make a thin cotton lining so that he does not stubbornly in his outfit at all,” says a seamstress from the sewing department's attitude to the problem.

During the performance, the actress literally jumps out of her skirt several times, so the garment is made on a drop-down frame

So, one of the costumes for "The Imaginary Sick" is not just an outfit, but also a test of the physical capabilities of the actress Marina Yungas, who plays the wife of the protagonist Belina. According to the script, she literally jumps out of her skirt several times, so the garment is made on a drop-down frame. Since it was not possible to find lightweight aluminum for the frame quickly, they had to make it out of thick metal wire, and now the skirt weighs at least five kilograms. Moreover, since the structure must be removable, the actress has to wear her skirt in her hands.

Of course, you shouldn't expect complete authenticity from such outfits: silk stockings replace nylon knee socks, expensive brocade - curtain fabric, and satin shoes - Chinese ballet flats with tulle bows sewn to them.

"In this performance, all the costumes are generally easy to put on, but sometimes, of course, and quite the opposite: there are all kinds of lacing ... Here are the corsets - I can't stand them ... When this skirt was sewn for me, I asked her to dangle a little , - the actress Maria Avramenko, who plays the eldest daughter of the protagonist Angelica, lifts up her blouse so that her thin waist can be seen.

A stage costume is always sewn for a specific actor and by his standards, but it happens that outfits are inherited when an actor ends his career, dies ... Theatrical figures have no superstitions associated with this - they perfectly understand that this is their life and work ... And in general, there were no special signs concerning outfits in the theatrical environment. The main condition is the consent of the actor to play the role in this particular outfit.

“For example, I have a very small shoe size and I often have to play in much larger shoes, which is even painful,” says Maria Avramenko. very, very, very bad. They are looking to pick it up for me, because I have to feel comfortable and harmonious in a suit. "

Any actor or actress has had moments when one has to feel uncomfortable because of a suit. They have a lot of tricks to unnoticeable for the viewer to correct a defect in the outfit.

If something slipped or fell, then in no case should you try to correct it furtively - the viewer will notice everything. On the contrary, it is necessary to tighten or return it to its place as if this action had been planned in advance.

Even if the viewer himself suddenly drew attention to a defect in the outfit or to the fact that it absolutely does not suit the one on whom he is wearing, then the actors do not bother.

"Now it seems to you that you are a star, but someone will definitely find some kind of jamb in your image. So it was when I played in" The Master and Margarita. "My friend was sitting in the auditorium. I go out in negligee and heels, and some teenager in the hall says (and my friend hears it): “Yes, her legs are crooked!” My friend, of course, was not at a loss and answered: “Everyone would have such crooked legs! ". With whom does not happen? Who wants, he will find something to complain about," - Maria says absolutely without embarrassment.

The actors assure that it is absolutely unimportant in what sequence they are transformed into the conceived hero: first you can do your hair, and then put on an outfit, or vice versa.

In the dressing room. A simple hairstyle with a braid a la Timoshenko is done by an experienced master in just 10-15 minutes. Hats cling to the top with a dozen pins. With the same devices, wigs are attached to the nets.

For the play "The Imaginary Sick", wigs were specially ordered from the capital's masters. They were made for almost every actor involved in the production, but in the end, the director decided to leave some of the characters with natural hair.

“The main thing is that the wig does not move, does not slip, but the rest is a matter of habit. Sometimes the face itches a little in the place where the elastic band adheres to the skin,” says Lyubov Orlova, an actress who plays Tuanette’s maid. he kept well on his head and did not fly off. Once, in fact, I had a problem with the wig: it caught fire from the soffit. It smokes, but I don't notice. A colleague told me about this and put out the incipient flame with his hand. "

It's easier and easier to play on stage with your own hair, but if you use a wig, your hair will suffer less from regular harmful styling. But make-up artists absolutely do not care: cling to the artist's head with a wig or conjuring over his own hair. Moreover, they can turn an almost bald man into the owner of a luxurious hairstyle, but they admit that it is almost impossible to transform the owner of a long braid into a shaved head.

“And it’s also very difficult to fix the frame structure on the head of the actor who is going to dance according to the script. actor during the performance - here we are already at a short start with everything we need! ", - says make-up artist Marina Tereshchenko.

And if the dancing actors need to fasten the wig "tightly", then the singers have to hide microphones under it. The box with the radio transmitting device is lowered into the pocket of a belt specially sewn for this purpose.

Interestingly, even with wigs, actresses are capricious and selective. They may flatly refuse to wear a wig that does not suit them.

“At first I had a different wig - now my 'beloved' Kleant is wearing it, - shares Maria Avramenko. - I put it on and did not immediately understand what kind of monster was looking at me from the mirror - just some kind of horror! I like, I really don't like being blonde. "

The artist Ksenia Shimanovskaya can be safely called a "guru" in her profession - during her career she has created collections of costumes for almost two hundred performances. It was not by chance that she was invited to work on the sketches of costumes for "The Imaginary Sick" - the performance needed a special atmosphere.

"This is a comedy and you can do anything here, whatever you want - I gave in to my imagination and did what my heart desires. I wanted the costumes to be strange and funny," Ksenia told about the concept followed in this case.

It took the artist a month to work on the sketches, and then she still had to work in a team with Kaliningrad seamstresses and props masters.

“I always control the process of creating costumes, because every groove is important for me. In this collection, I remember every button! Here all the costumes are cute to me. artist

Ksenia found all the materials and accessories for the outfits herself in Kaliningrad stores. She assures that the creation of costumes for men and women, in terms of complexity, is absolutely the same. But, if the budget is rather modest, then the artist has to work with a vengeance.

“You can make a costume out of a doormat. Even an empress’s outfit can be sewn from the cheapest fabrics. The more obstacles, the more imagination. And it does not matter at all whether it’s a comedy or a tragedy - you can turn around everywhere! You just have to allow yourself,” concluded the artist.

The artist set herself the task of making the costumes "strange and funny"

In the sewing workshop, despite the silence and the seemingly measured course of life, work is in full swing. Officially, the workday at the seamstresses from the drama theater is from nine in the morning to five in the evening, but they assure that they often have to work 12 hours a day.

Of all the outfits that had to be sewn for the production of Moliere's play, the most difficult, as the employees of the sewing department admit, was to build a bear costume.

“We never have a question about how long it takes to sew a particular costume. Sometimes a complex outfit needs to be done in a day. For example, yesterday, we shoveled forty meters of fabric in a day - we were sewing white coats for musicians and other participants. performances "Imaginary Sick." At the last moment we were told what and how many there will be. The director initially assumed that there would be musicians, but did not know how many. Dudkin.

Dresser- a specialist responsible for storing and preparing costumes in a theater, film studio, etc. The profession is suitable for those who are interested in the world artistic culture and labor and economy (see the choice of profession for interest in school subjects).

Features of the profession

In the wardrobe department, costumes are stored, provided with tags with the names of the performances and the names of the actors for whom they were sewn. This helps to avoid confusion if the actor in the role has a stunt double. The costume for each role is supplied with an inventory, which lists all the details: shoes, hats, underwear, accessories, etc.

Before the start of the performance, the dresser checks the completeness of the costumes, puts them in order and takes them to the dressing room, where the actors are preparing to go out. Sometimes an actor needs help getting dressed. For example, it is impossible to tighten a corset or put on a crinoline skirt without help. Some roles require costume, but special makeup. Therefore, the make-up artist is also involved in the process of preparing the actor.

Props (weapons, canes, flowers, jewelry, glasses, letters, etc.) are also part of the image and complement the costume. Therefore, the costume designer and the make-up artist work together with the props.

After the show, the dresser again takes the costumes for storage, cleans and repairs them. If necessary, sends them to the cleaning or laundry. When a minor repair and fit is needed, the dresser makes it himself, and for major repairs he turns to the sewing workshop.

If this is not possible, serious repairs also become the responsibility of the bonemer. When the costume becomes unusable, the dresser informs the head of the production department so that he can order a duplicate on time.

Going on tour, the dresser carefully packs the suits in suitcases and wardrobe trunks, and on the way watches the luggage vigilantly. At the same time, he must have an iron, threads and needles with him. Wherever the performance takes place, the dresser will have time to iron the costumes, and if necessary, sew them up and mend them.

The dresser deals with the costume at all stages of its existence.

When creating a new performance or film, new costumes are also developed. The costume designer comes up with a sketch, the sewing workshop embodies the idea. The dresser participates in the process, is present at the fittings.

But if the play leaves the stage, the costumes go to the storerooms.

The older the theater or film studio, the more costumes accumulate in the wardrobe. Over time, they acquire museum value. The dressing room turns into a kind of museum (albeit without visitors), and now the costume designer feels like a museum caretaker. After all, the preservation of old costumes is also a concern of the costume designer.

Working a place

Theaters, film and television studios, philharmonic societies. The dresser can be a member of the team of any showman (singer, musician, etc.), accompanying him at all performances, including on tour.

Salary

Salary for 07/09/2019

Moscow 30,000-60000 rubles

Important qualities

A costume designer needs artistic taste, responsibility, diligence, interest in the field of art (tetra, cinema, etc.) in which he works.

Knowledge and skills

The dresser must know the types, sizes, brands, grade and other quality characteristics of costumes, artistic props and accessories.

You need knowledge in the field of modern and historical costume. Ability to take care of clothes (ironing, cleaning, performing minor repairs), maintaining such a procedure for storing and storing costumes and props so that each item can be easily found.

On what account should stage costumes be counted? Do I need to affix the inventory number on the elements of the suits? Are the costumes in stock distinguished in the inventory? How are the elements of a stage costume taken into account: separately or as one main asset?

Legislation prescribes accounting for certain types of non-financial assets in a special manner. This applies in particular to stage costumes used in cultural institutions. In this article, we will look at typical questions from practitioners on this topic.

The stage and staging means of cultural institutions are a set of items for the material design of performances, acting in an invariable natural form for a long period. Stage production means include costumes, underwear, shoes, hats, costume props (beads, belts, wallets, fans, brooches, etc.). Such rules are provided for in Sec. 1 Temporary guidelines approved by the Order of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation dated 10.08.2007 No. 1249 (hereinafter referred to as Recommendations No. 1249).

On what account should stage costumes be counted?

As a general rule, items of clothing must be included in the inventory (clauses 99, 118 of Instruction No. 157n). However, in accordance with Sec. 1 of Recommendation No. 1249 stage costumes refer to stage production facilities. The latter can be included both in the composition of fixed assets and in the composition of inventories, depending on their useful life (Section 2 of Recommendations No. 1249). Instruction No. 157n does not contradict this approach. This is important, since Recommendations No. 1249 are currently applied only to the extent that they do not contradict Federal Law No. 402-FZ of 06.12.2011 “On Accounting” and Instruction No. 157n.

In accordance with clause 38 of Instruction No. 157n, material objects of property, regardless of their value, with a useful life of more than 12 months, intended for repeated or permanent use on the basis of the right of operational management in the course of the institution's activities when it performs work, provides services, carries out state powers (functions) or for the management needs of the institution, are taken into account as fixed assets.

Thus, stage costumes in most cases meet the specified criteria and must be accounted for in an account designated for accounting for fixed assets. Moreover, what has been said applies to all elements of a stage costume (including shoes, hats, etc.).

We emphasize that the cost of the costumes does not matter. So, according to the materials of the inspection of one of the institutions, the specialists of the regulatory authorities considered it a violation that the collars in the amount of 15 pieces and the peakless caps in the amount of 15 pieces in the amount of 3,750 rubles. were registered not as part of fixed assets (on the subaccount "Theatrical and national costumes, hats"), but as part of soft inventory (see, for example, the audit report posted on the official website of the Suksunsky district of the Perm Territory http: // www.suksun.ru/ (Revision Commission / Control measures / Report dated 04.16.2015 No. 1)).

For the sake of fairness, it should be noted that the courts do not always regard this accounting option as a violation. So, according to the materials of one of the cases, the inspectors insisted that the accounting of stage costumes in the inventory constitutes an offense. The courts of first and appellate instances were completely on the side of the institution, indicating that costumes, underwear, shoes, hats, costume props (beads, belts, wallets, fans, brooches, etc.) belong to the stage and production means of theaters and are not counted in the composition of fixed assets (Resolution of the Seventeenth Arbitration Court of Appeal dated June 17, 2010 No. 17AP-4156/2010-AK). The court of cassation took a more cautious position, stating that the possibility of using the suit for more than 12 months was not proven by the inspectors and only therefore it is impossible to speak of a violation expressed in improper accounting of fixed assets (Resolution of the Federal Antimonopoly Service of the UO dated 22.09.2010 No. F09-7501 / 10 -С1 in case No. А60-63300 / 2009-С9).

At the same time, there are few such examples of judicial resolution of such a situation. Therefore, the reluctance to organize the accounting of fixed assets is fraught with risks.

According to clause 53 of Instruction No. 157n, fixed assets are accounted for on an account containing the corresponding analytical code of the synthetic account group (10, 20, 30, 40), and the corresponding analytical code for the type of synthetic account of the accounting object. The actual question is on which account to take into account the costumes. The inspectors recommend in this situation to use accounts 0 101 28 000 "Other fixed assets - especially valuable movable property of the institution", 0 101 38 000 "Other fixed assets - other movable property of the institution". (See, for example, the information posted on the official website of the administration of the municipal formation of the Tigil municipal district http://www.tigil.ru/ (KSU / Information on inspections / Information on the results of the verification of the targeted and effective use of funds allocated to ensure the performance of functions municipal government cultural institution "Itelmen folklore ensemble" Elvel ")).

What is the OKOF code for stage costumes?

This issue invariably causes controversy among practitioners. There are different points of view.

The OKOF classifier (approved by the Resolution of the State Standard of the Russian Federation of December 26, 1994 No. 359) contains the code 16 3696601 "Stage clothes". At the same time, according to Recommendations No. 1249, the term “stage dress” (more precisely, “stage dress on duty”) does not apply to stage costumes. Stage clothing includes a set of elements located on all planes and made of a special kind of fabric. Stage clothing performs a double function: both aesthetic and technical. This is a theater curtain, backstage, harlequin.

Some experts believe that stage costumes belong to category 16 3696605 "Stage props", however, in our opinion, equating costumes with props is not entirely justified. Props do not mean costumes, but specially made objects (sculpture, furniture, dishes, jewelry, weapons, etc.) used in theatrical performances instead of real things.

Another option is to classify suits as category 16 1721000 Textile sewing products (except for clothing). Despite the indication “except for clothes”, supporters of this approach refer to the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 01.01.2002 No. 1 “On the Classification of Fixed Assets Included in”, which contains a reference to OKOF and includes category 16 1721000 “Textile sewing products (except for clothing), including theatrical costumes ”. Except for stage costumes as clothing in the sense in which this term is used, for example, in relation to overalls, uniforms, etc., stage costumes can be attributed to category 16 1721090 "Other textile sewing products".

In our opinion, the latter position is more reasonable.

Do I need to affix the inventory number on the elements of the suits?

In accordance with clause 46 of Instruction No. 157n, each inventory item of fixed assets, except for items worth up to 3,000 rubles. inclusively and objects of the library fund, regardless of their value, a unique inventory serial number is assigned, regardless of whether it is in operation, in stock or on conservation.

If the object of a fixed asset is complex (a complex of structurally-articulated objects), that is, it includes separate elements (structural objects) that make up a single whole with it, then on each such element (structural object) the inventory number assigned to the main means (a complex object, a complex of constructively articulated objects).

The inventory number assigned to an item of fixed assets is retained for it for the entire period of its stay in the institution.

The absence of inventory numbers on fixed assets or poorly applied inventory numbers can be considered a serious violation of accounting standards. Therefore, stage costumes included in fixed assets must have inventory numbers. At the same time, if inventory numbers are assigned, but not applied, this is also a violation (see, for example, the information on inspections published on the official website of the Novosheshminsky municipal district of the Republic of Tatarstan http://novosheshminsk.tatarstan.ru/ (About the region / Bodies local government / Chamber of Control and Accounts / Report on the work / Report on the work done for 2013)).

The number can be applied by embroidery or by attaching a badge. Other types of numbering (such as paint) may damage the suit. However, in Sec. 4 of Recommendation No. 1249 they are provided for. In particular, it is said that the application of inventory numbers on stage production means can be done with paint (resistant to abrasion and chemical influences), branding, notching, embroidery, etc. - so that the viewer does not see them, but easily could be found by a theater worker.

Do I need to highlight the costumes that are in stock?

Not all costumes are used at the institution's events every year. A classic example is the costumes of Santa Claus and Snow Maiden, which are relevant only in December. Therefore, the question arises whether it is necessary to somehow reflect this fact in the accounting.

• control over the safety of stage production facilities;
• correct documentary registration and timely reflection in the accounting of the receipt of stage production facilities, their internal movement (from the workshops to the departments serving the stage; from the performance to the performance; from the current repertoire to the reserve) and disposal (gratuitous transfer, sale or liquidation) ...

In addition, the recording of stage and production facilities is carried out with a division into funds serving the current repertoire, and funds in stock.

Therefore, in some way it is necessary to highlight the costumes that are in stock (for example: by introducing separate subaccounts). It is worth noting that today there are no materials of inspections of the activities of institutions that would confirm that the regulatory authorities record the absence of this option for organizing accounting as a violation. Moreover, it can be problematic to prove that stage costumes are in stock. The same costumes can be used in several events at once.

Can all the elements of a stage costume be taken into account as one main tool?

Fixed asset accounting has certain peculiarities, and in practice, an accountant may be interested in reducing accounting units in order not to separately take into account such elements as hats, stage shirts and skirts, but to take into account a single integral object of fixed assets - a stage costume.

In accordance with clause 41 of Instruction No. 157n, an object of fixed assets is an object with all fixtures and fittings, or a separate structurally separate item designed to perform certain independent functions, or a separate complex of structurally-articulated items that are a single whole and designed to perform a certain work.

A complex of structurally articulated objects is one or more objects of the same or different purposes, having common fixtures and accessories, general management, mounted on the same foundation, as a result of which each object included in the complex can perform its functions only as part of the complex, and not independently ...

Similarly, in Sec. 4 of Recommendations No. 1249 says that a separate object of fixed assets is considered a complete object intended to perform separate independent functions, or a separate set of structurally-articulated objects that represent a single whole and jointly perform separate work.

In our opinion, this is not applicable to individual elements of a stage costume, since there are no obstacles to using them separately.

In what cases will the cost of the suit be increased?

According to clause 27 of Instruction No. 157n, the book value of objects of non-financial assets is their initial value, taking into account its changes. A change in the initial (book) value of non-financial assets is made in cases of completion, retrofitting, reconstruction, including with elements of restoration, technical re-equipment, modernization, partial liquidation (dismantling), as well as revaluation of non-financial assets.

In the case of stage costumes, it can be difficult to decide whether in a given situation it is worth increasing the recorded value of a given fixed asset. For example: if an institution purchases beads or lace to decorate a costume that is already registered, the accountant may have doubts when reflecting this operation.

Completion refers to the construction of new parts to the fixed asset. Moreover, the new parts must be inseparable from the main asset itself without causing damage to the latter. Therefore, the completion of construction can be in the case of accounting for such a fixed asset as an object of immovable property.

Retrofitting is the addition of a fixed asset with new, previously missing parts. However, the additional equipment applied to the stage costume is ironic in nature. As a rule, additional equipment leads to the appearance of new qualities and properties of the property.

Reconstruction and modernization is understood as the re-equipment of fixed assets, which leads to a change in their main technical and economic indicators.

Thus, all of the above cases of changes in the value of fixed assets are not very applicable to stage costumes. Completion, retrofitting, reconstruction or modernization can be talked about if, as a result of the work carried out, the initial indicators of the functioning of the fixed asset (, power, quality of use, etc.) are improved or increased.

Therefore, in our opinion, the initial cost of a suit will rarely change. Returning to the above example, the cost of the beads or lace used to decorate a stage costume should not add to its original cost.

In conclusion, we list some conclusions regarding the peculiarities of accounting for stage costumes:

1) since the useful life of stage costumes, as a rule, exceeds 12 months, they are subject to accounting as fixed assets;

2) for the purpose of applying OKOF, stage costumes should be classified under the category "Textile sewing products" (code 16 1721000);

3) on stage costumes included in the composition of fixed assets, inventory numbers must be affixed. The number is applied in such a way that it is invisible to the viewer, but is easily recognizable by an employee of a cultural institution;

5) elements of stage costume (hats, stage shirts and skirts), which can be used separately in the activities of the institution, should be considered as independent objects, and not as one main means (costume).

Instructions for the use of the Unified Chart of Accounts for Accounting for State Authorities (State Bodies), Local Self-Government Bodies, Management Bodies of State Extra-budgetary Funds, State Academies of Sciences, State (Municipal) Institutions, approved by By order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation dated 01.12.2010 No. 157n.

Working as a costume designer in a theater or film studio is one of the most inconspicuous, on the one hand, and on the other, is indispensable for creating unique stage images for actors on the stage of a theater or on a set.

Almost every theater or film studio has a wardrobe department, where stage costumes are made and stored, both newly sewn and the remaining costumes from past performances and filmed films. And, moreover, these costumes can be unique, suitable only for a specific production or film, and reusable, which can be used for many performances and filming of films.

A director, starting work on staging a new play or film, together with art directors, also involves costume designers to select stage clothes that would most closely match the image of a particular character in the play or feature film. As a rule, the best dressers provide significant assistance in this selection process, and in doing so, it can be invaluable.

In addition, the dresser is involved in monitoring the state of stage costumes and, if necessary, sends them to the sewing workshop for washing, repair or restoration, and if minor and urgent repairs are needed, then he himself carries out it. During filming or performance, the costume designer is constantly close to the artists in order to quickly eliminate imperfections in clothing or help the actors change their clothes.

Dresser profession

The profession of a costume designer is primarily a profession for women. However, it is not uncommon for men to have it. An employee of this profession, for example, a costume designer-props, is a specialist in the wardrobe department who monitors the cleanliness and safety of not only stage clothes, but also stage props in the form of weapons, walking sticks, etc. productions and films with the names of the actors who used them. This is to avoid confusion if the artists have stunt doubles. In addition to the tag, the costume for each stage image is provided with a special inventory, where all the requisites are indicated: headdress, shoes, underwear, cane, glasses, etc.

The costume designer must carefully check the completeness of the stage clothing before the start of the performance or shooting. And, putting it in the appropriate order, he and the assistant to the costume designer carry the clothes to the dressing rooms in the theater or on the set, where the artists are preparing for the exit. At the same time, they need help with dressing a suit, for example, tightening a corset or putting on a cryoline skirt. Sometimes the stage image is such that a make-up artist-costume designer is required to assist the actor in applying makeup that matches the image.

Dresser in the theater

A theater costume designer is a specialist in the production department in a theater who is in charge of stage costumes.

In large theaters, where there are numerous troupes of artists, stage costumes, and therefore the dressers who deal with them, are sometimes differentiated into men's and women's costumes, stage clothes of the main characters of performances and extras' clothing, ballet and opera costumes of actors, etc.

As already noted, during the preparation of new performances, the costume designer is in close contact with the director and the artist, controls the process of sewing costumes and participates in their fitting. He must have a good knowledge of trends and styles, both modern clothing models and costumes from historical eras. In theaters that have long been in the service of Melpomene, costume designers have at their disposal stage clothes, sometimes of great value. Over time, they become exhibits of theater museums and exhibitions. Therefore, with what degree of responsibility a costume designer works in the theater depends on whether the stage costumes will be preserved as exhibits of the history of a particular theater. In such theaters, the vacancy of a costume designer is a unique opportunity to get involved in art and become a curator of museum costumes.

Dresser: profession in cinema

When setting out with a film crew on location, a costume designer who is involved in the creation of a feature or television film or series must carefully pack the costumes involved in the shooting in wardrobe trunks and suitcases. And in the process of transporting them, vigilantly monitor the safety of your luggage. At the same time, he certainly takes an iron on a business trip, as well as a solid supply of various threads and needles for repairing costumes. Wherever the shooting takes place, the dresser of the film crew must have time to iron the stage clothes and, if necessary, quickly repair them.

Recently, paying tribute to the importance of the profession of a costume designer in cinema, in the credits of films, along with the name of the director or actor, a costume designer began to appear, which makes him actually a co-author of the film.

Dresser at the House of Culture

The duties of a costume designer in the House of Culture are no different from those of his colleagues in the theater or cinema. Being a member of the collective of the House of Culture or the Philharmonic, the costume designer must have artistic taste, responsibility, diligence, interest in the field of art, participating in all events of the center of culture.

Here he must also know all types, brands, sizes and other features of costumes, accessories and props. In addition to knowledge of modern and historical costume, he must skillfully take care of stage clothes, cleaning, ironing, and performing minor repairs. Organize such a convenient procedure for storing costumes and their details so that you can easily find them.

Dresser's job description (dresser duties)

The duties of the costume designer include:

• proper maintenance of performances, filming, TV shows, performances of artists;
• storage, selection and receipt of stage costumes, as well as shoes and hats, which are selected by the artist or his assistant;
• the implementation of partial or complete dressing of artists and participants in crowd scenes;
• minor repairs to stage clothes during filming, performances or rehearsals;
• packing and packing suits, shoes and hats;
• ensuring the proper preservation of costumes;
• constant watch on the set, performances and during rehearsals.

The dresser must know well the wardrobe of the theater, film studio, and the House of Culture. Safety rules for the production of stage clothing repair, ironing, cleaning and washing of costumes. The procedure for maintaining, circulation, as well as the preparation of documentation.

Dressing shop, bootfor, sewing, decoration - it is here that the "visual" part of any production of the Opera and Ballet Theater is created. In each workshop, like bees, several people work: on average, from three to four. Unlike artists - public people, these masters are not spoiled by the attention of the press and the audience. We decided to rectify the situation and visited there, which is usually forbidden to outsiders. My journey into the backstage of the Opera and Ballet Theater began in the wardrobe department.

Artist's wardrobe

The costume shop is located on the third floor of the theater and consists of two spacious rooms. Suits hang from floor to ceiling, in two rows, on crossbeams. It is difficult for an ordinary person to understand on what basis they are hung. Rada Viktorovna Menshchikova, head of the wardrobe department, explains, now and then pointing to certain groups of costumes:

- Here - the play "Mister X", here "Aleko", even further "La Traviata". This room contains costumes for the choir and soloists, in the next room - for ballet dancers (we usually buy ballet tutus). And that's not all: some of the costumes are stored in our warehouse.

It turned out that the entire wardrobe of the artists of the Opera and Ballet Theater consists - just think about it! - from almost three million different outfits! In fact, of course, a little less, because the accounting department considers one, and not several, things to be a separate suit. But all the same, the figure will turn out impressive - any fashionista would envy such a huge and varied wardrobe. Moreover, the costumes are not entirely theatrical.

- A real theatrical costume should not be washed, because when creating it, materials are used, as a rule, not intended for sewing, - says Rada Viktorovna. - From the stage, a real theatrical costume will look like a piece of expensive velvet, decorated with pearls. In fact, all this beauty will turn out to be an ordinary tinted fabric and a broken mirror that is held in place by glue. We are trying to sew outfits that can then be washed and cleaned: we use real velvet, we sew all the beads by hand. Once, artists from the capital came to us, they were delighted with our outfits: they don't have such costumes.

But to preserve all this beauty created by the seamstresses of the theater, you need to make a lot of effort. Before setting - obligatory ironing, after - if necessary, washing and darning. Moreover, most of the costumes have to be washed by hand: ballet tutus, crinoline and corset dresses, ornate outfits.

“Sometimes we take off costumes that can be squeezed out, because the artists spend so much energy and effort during the performance,” says Rada Viktorovna. - It even happened that during a performance, the emotions that the artists are trying to show on stage, and the buttons flew off, and the skirts fell. Once a button on the petticoat of one artist came off. She stepped over her skirt with such dignity and threw it back with a slight movement of her legs. The viewer thought that everything should be so.

- How many artists do you need to wear during one performance? I ask.

- I and my two assistant costume designers help dress an average of 50 artists, - Rada Viktorovna replies. - Even during the production, you need to help them change clothes. It happens that each artist has from two to five or six suits. After the end of the show, we also help to take off the costumes.

Rada Viktorovna admits that although the work is difficult, it is very interesting, and most importantly, beloved: "I, like Koschey, wither over gold: all costumes are dear to me."

More than 200 costumes per season

The dressing shop is the place where the costumes go after the seamstresses and props have done their work. So the next destination is the sewing workshop, and then the bootfork.

The sewing workshop is also located on the third floor, but in a different wing of the theater. Climbing the spacious staircase, on one of the steps I notice a piece of cloth, apparently, someone accidentally dropped it. “So, I'm going in the right direction,” the thought flashed.

Entering one of the rooms of the sewing workshop, I draw attention to the paper patterns hung on the walls. It turned out that these were patterns for each artist. In the center of the room is a table, at which the artist-designer Oksana Anatolyevna Ryndina is engaged in cutting.

- Are you making costumes for artists? - I am interested.

- No, now I am cutting costumes for controllers - employees who meet spectators, - answered Oksana Anatolyevna. - You had to come when we sew costumes for the performance: here everything is littered with fabrics, sequins ...

Despite the fact that I got to the sewing shop at the wrong time, I was not upset at all. And without that, I learned a lot of interesting things. For example, a team of four people have to sew more than 200 costumes per season: for one large-scale production about 120 and for two or three smaller ones - 50-60 outfits each.

There is also a lot of restoration work in the shop.

- The metropolitan artists have contracts according to which they are required to monitor their figure and keep one weight for a certain time, - says Oksana Anatolyevna. - But we don't have that, it happens that the artist will recover - we embroider the costume, if the artist is replaced, we also have to alter the thing. Our business is to do everything to make it comfortable for the choir and soloists to move on stage.

- Do the artists express their wishes regarding the future costume? I ask.

- It happens, but in fact, the artists should not discuss the costume. If the production designer suggested just such a model, then this is how it should be. He coordinates the artistic part of the work with the director, but not with the artists.

Having learned a little about the work of the sewing workshop, I head to the place where they are engaged in decorating outfits and scenes.

A bee in heels and a samovar from a bottle

The props and decoration shops are located in different rooms on the basement floor. The competence of the first is to decorate costumes and create soft decorations for performances, the task of the second is to decorate the stage with hard decorations.

The prop shop is a spacious, bright room and three employees. There are sewing machines on the walls, high shelves with boxes, where every little thing is kept: beads, sequins, fringes. On one of the shelves is a toiler bee in heels and with a bouquet like a bride's. The female workers say that this is their kind of talisman, which helps to solve even the most difficult problem.

“Sometimes we have to reinvent the wheel,” says Alevtina Anatolyevna Zatonskaya, shop manager. - Sometimes everything we create is redone. Indeed, sometimes the conceived thing on stage does not look at all. So, once we sewed gloves from shiny fabric for a singer. When she went on stage, and the ramps were turned on, the gloves suddenly turned into real armor - they had to redo the thing.

The work in the decoration shop is also not easy. Designer Egor Galashenko says that it often takes weeks to puzzle over to create a certain detail of the scenery.

- Coming up with something new, trying to solve an unsolvable problem is difficult, but very interesting, - Yegor admits.

Thanks to the imagination of the workers in the decoration department, a samovar from an ordinary bottle, an alarm clock from a bucket and much more appears. On stage, these items look like real things.

In contrast to the props shop, the setting is different. It is located in a locksmith's shop, where there is a lot of wood, various tools, cardboard boxes. It is here that the most original decorations of the Opera and Ballet Theater are born. Sometimes, if more space is required, workers move with the material to larger rooms and create decorations for the next production.

The audience's applause is also addressed to those who are behind the stage during the performance. An artist's success is partly their success. Fashion designers, costume designers, designers and props - the theater cannot exist without them. They create the brilliance and beauty of the stage while remaining invariably behind the scenes.