Costume design students work on ‘Billy Elliot’

Hal Dockins
Staff Writer

Although most students wouldn’t notice the trailers sitting outside The Landmark Theater and around Monroe Park, two students saw them as an opportunity to work in the professional theater world.
Costume design majors Willa Piro and Kiyoshi Shaw worked backstage with the wardrobe crew of the “Billy Elliot” musical, which ran on Feb. 1-3 at The Landmark Theater.
“Billy Elliot” follows the story of a young boy in England who discovers that he has a talent for dance, and decides to pursue ballet instead of boxing. Originally a film created in 2000, “Billy Elliot” debuted on the stage in London in 2005 and was nominated for 10 Tony Awards in 2009.
Professors in the theater department, who are usually still active in the field, often use professional connections to include students in the crews of visiting shows around Richmond. This introduces students to working in the theater industry and helps build up their resumes before graduation. This was the case for both Shaw and Piro.
Makeup and wig design professor Maura Cravey recruited Shaw, one of her students, for the show. Neno Russell, the costume shop manager and Piro’s advanced sewing professor, advertised a second available position on a first-come, first-serve basis. Piro claimed the position before one other freshman theater student.
“I was familiar with the musical but not to that extent,” Piro said. “It was my first time working at a show of that caliber.”
The job was as difficult as it was rewarding. Wardrobe crew members are often cast into their roles without rehearsal, or prior training specific to the show, and must arrive on set an hour and a half before the show begins.
With show runtimes at approximately three hours, the crew was often active for five hours per show, with multiple shows a day. In addition to the long hours, crew workers often think on their feet.
Piro was the main dresser for all the play’s ballet girls, whose ages ranged from 10-15. Shaw was the main dresser for two of the male ensemble members, including the older Billy Elliot.
At one point during each show, Piro actually went on stage during performances to assist in a quick change. While Piro had full view of the audience, she and the actors were concealed by a combination of set and curtains. This was as close to watching the show as Piro, or Shaw, got during their time with “Billy Elliot,” because of backstage demands.
Over the course of the weekend working on “Billy Elliot,” in addition to real life experience, Shaw and Piro were able to meet the actors and make connections in the theater world.
“You get to meet a lot of the actors depending on (who you’re assigned to work with),” Shaw said. “You get to meet most of the cast and you get to spend a lot of time with them.”
While “Billy Elliot” was an exciting opportunity, both Piro and Shaw have additional experience in the theater world.
In fall 2012, Shaw worked backstage as a stage right dresser at “The Lion King” musical at The Landmark Theater, working mostly with quick changes.
During summer 2012, Piro worked building skirts for NYC Center’s Cotton Club Parade for which Toni-Leslie James, the head of the costuming department, designed. Piro’s responsibilities included copying patterns drafted by Russell, cutting fabric, ironing and sewing buttons.
“They needed someone and I was available and ready to work,” Piro said. “It’s all about being willing to do anything, and being in the right place at the right time.”
Despite the difficulties, Shaw and Piro both saw their experience working backstage as priceless.
“It’s definitely a good resume builder. I now have two jobs including this one where I have worked professionally,” Piro said. “I’m more likely to get hired for a job in the future. I still want to go into costume design, but having wardrobe experience gives me this tool so I can get jobs and support myself.”
Shaw expressed how he felt grateful to work backstage at the famed musical “Billy Elliot,” as well as at other plays in the past.
“Wardrobe is always really rewarding,” Shaw said. “You are like a cog in the machine and you get the fulfillment of being part of a show. As an experience it’s really rewarding. Wardrobe is not a job to be scoffed at.”