Greetings from Encore! We hope that everyone had a safe and spook-tacular Halloween weekend. Now that we’ve flipped the calendar in our candy-fueled haze, it’s time to get excited for the holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, oh my! Encore is thrilled to start off the new year with the first musical of our season, A Little Princess.

We are certainly in a thankful mood as we interview Debra Leonard, our costume designer for A Little Princess and for numerous other beloved Encore productions over the years.

Encore: Please introduce yourself. What other theaters have you designed and worked for?
Debra: I’m Debra Leonard. From the metro DC area- grew up in Silver Spring, went to undergrad college in Michigan, grad school in DC. Started my theatre career in the mid 1970’s at Arena Stage, in the costume shop, under Marjorie Slaiman. I even got to design for what was then the Black Box and now has become the Cradle. I became a free-lance costume designer and builder, working for Shakespeare in the Parks (with the National Park Service), the Shakespeare Festival, ASTA Theatre, a 13-episode public television series (Powerhouse), and a televised play with Davy Marlin Jones for WNVA, as well as a number of other shows at area theaters.

I was the costumer and one of the designers for American University’s Performing Arts Department from the late 70’s to the mid 80’s. I also designed repertory summer stock both in DC and in Pennsylvania at Allentown College. I spent 20 years as designer/builder/adjunct faculty at Prince George’s Community College, including time working with the Metropolitan Ebony Theatre when it was housed at the college. After years of working with college age students, I now work with younger children as a Special Education teacher in elementary schools.

Could you describe your role and responsibilities as a costume and make up designer?
Debra: As a costume designer, it is my responsibility to work with the vision of the director and the rest of the design team to create a character image for the actor. Especially for children’s theatre, it is important that the audience understands, from looking at a character, something about who that character is. One of my favorite moments is when an actor puts on the costume and suddenly the costume helps bring actor’s role to life- helps with movement, body positioning, business- everything. Make-up completes and enhances the character. Working with young actors, make-up is kept simple so that the actors can learn to apply it themselves, using basic stagecraft principles. More elaborate make-up is sometimes developed for more experienced performers, but again, the key is that a young audience understand who and what the performer portrays.

Encore: How long have you been involved with Encore and what was your first show?
Debra: My first show at Encore was in 1998 – Winnie the Pooh. Susan Keady had been a student of mine at American University and I was delighted when she asked me to work with her – the continuation of a friendship and the start of a long collaboration.

Encore: Can you share and describe your favorite costume piece you’ve designed at Encore?
Debra: I don’t really have a single favorite piece. I like the weird things, like the walking chair from Beauty and the Beast, and the fish heads that made their debut in Seussical the Musical (and have appeared many times since…). I gather wedding gowns from second hand stores and dye/paint/embellish them to become the golden Belle dress, Cinderella’s ball gown, fairies of many sorts- that’s always fun. Anything can be re-purposed. Every show is a mix of old costumes from stock, new items from thrift stores, and built items. We are bursting out the doors of our storage units, so reusing is critical, but I don’t want an audience member remembering a costume from a show they saw last season.

Encore: Can you share a memorable moment you had at Encore?
Debra: I have done every show at Encore since Winnie the Pooh, except for one when I went to Russia to adopt a child (and took a script for the next show so I would be ready when I got back!), and then two summer shows a couple of years ago. Working on Mary Poppins in Siberia, in February, while dealing with a new (and sick) baby and two country’s bureaucracies prepared me for anything here!

Encore: What do you enjoy most about working at Encore?
Debra: I love the positive and creative environment of Encore. It is always exciting to see new young people becoming accomplished performers, and to see the engagement of a young audience with the theatre experience. Each show is unique – the blend of the cast, the crew, the designers, and the directors create a never-to-be duplicated event. I am continually energized by the entire process and am so pleased to be a part of the magic that is Encore.

Many thanks to Debra for sharing her expertise and experiences with us! Be sure to get your tickets for A Little Princess, because you certainly will not want to miss out on the magic (or Debra’s brilliant costumes)! This production runs January 6-15, 2017 at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre (125 S. Old Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA 22204).

Tickets can be purchased online, by calling (703) 548-1154, or by contacting boxoffice@encorestage.org. Ticket Prices: $15 Adults; $10 Children, Students, Seniors and Military. If you plan on bringing half the village (or least ten people), be sure to take advantage of our group sales tickets, which are only $8!

All this costume talk make you miss your awesome Halloween costume? Fear not! You’ve got one more change to show it off. Come rock the runway with us at the Costume Caper 5K this Saturday to join in on the fun! Younger racers will complete a 1 mile fun run and will be able to celebrate their success with face painting and a moon bounce at the finish line! Every participant will receive a fun t-shirt and prizes will be awarded for creative costumes. Registration can be completed through our website or on-site Saturday morning!

Photo credits: Larry McClemons

Blog contributor: Shannon McCarthy, 2016 Arts Apprentice