URCAD Sneak Peek: Timothy Clark

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:38:28 -0400

Hadestown Theoretical Costume Design

Presenter: Timothy Clark
Mentor: Becca Janney, Theatre

Come see the costumes in person!

Special Exhibit, 9 a.m. – Noon, RAC Upper Track, First Floor

A common challenge presented to theatre designers is reimagining a show with iconic design choices that appear inseparable from the text. I explored originality and bold choices with a theoretical costume design of Hadestown, a musical by Anais Mitchell. Hadestown is a retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice which focuses on class inequity. My interpretation of the show takes place in 1950s America; a time where 20 to 30 percent of the population was living in poverty despite the economic boom for upper class citizens and the Third Industrial Revolution. I have gone through the design process as if it were a real production and created a packet that could be handed over to a costume shop to be realized. This includes preliminary research, an action plot, a piece list, sketches, finalized renderings with fabric swatches, and a costume for Eurydice. Mediums used include research collages, spreadsheets, graphite, watercolor, and fabric. My work represents the importance of originality in theatre design and production. It is imperative for a designer to think outside of the box when working on a show, such as Hadestown, that already has artistic choices that loom in the audience’s expectations for the show.

URCAD is Wednesday, April 22 in the RAC:

URCAD.umbc.edu