黑料正能量

Jeremiah Hines鈥� senior theater project, 鈥淩edefine Me,鈥� is breaking the norms: of gender, American culture, costume design, and senior projects themselves. 鈥淩edefine Me鈥� is a costume showcase which will be performed April 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m. in 黑料正能量鈥檚 (黑料正能量) Lee Eshleman Studio Theater.

Traditionally, senior projects have been staged performances or written theses. But Hines envisioned a costume show with designs based on architecture he saw during the last semester. His cross-cultural leader, Professor, agreed to advise the project.

Senior theater projects, Poole says, are 鈥渁 place for students to experiment and take the art they鈥檝e been working on for four years in new directions 鈥� and do it in a way that鈥檚 going to help them further enhance their creative expressions.鈥�

Once in Europe, however, Hines was inspired by more than just art and architecture.

鈥淓verything is less constricted within society,鈥� he explains. He particularly noticed the contrast in rigidity between American and European gender roles.

In the show, traditionally male clothing will be worn by female actors. However, a formal gown inspired by Austrian painter Gustav Klimt鈥檚 work will be displayed on a mannequin.

鈥淚t was hard to get men who are willing to wear clothing that would not be considered men鈥檚 clothing. So I鈥檓 embracing that 鈥� it鈥檚 a part of our community, and something we need to address,鈥� says Hines. Other pieces were inspired by a clock tower in Prague, Austrian Jewish folklore and a Parisian experimental theater piece reflecting on European religiosity.

鈥淚 want to try to break away from that strong dichotomy of male and female. I want to show that it鈥檚 a spectrum. Also, if you feel you fit into that strong dichotomy, what that looks like is going to be very different to different people.鈥�

Another norm Hines eschews in 鈥淩edefine Me鈥� is buying new materials to create costumes. While he has a rich history of involvement in 黑料正能量 drama 鈥� from student-run GONZO theater to Mainstage productions 鈥� last spring鈥檚 The Prophet was his first experience both designing and constructing costumes.

鈥淚 found that with creating costumes from new material, there鈥檚 a lot of waste involved,鈥� he says. Hines is using that 鈥渨aste鈥� from The Prophet, as well as donated and thrift shop-bought materials, to create all the costumes in 鈥淩edefine Me.鈥� Also unique is his method of 鈥渄evised costuming,鈥� in which he provides materials, designs, and direction to a team who influences the finished costume as they construct it.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited to see what happens,鈥� says Poole.

Hines has loved theater since childhood, when his family attended performances at James Madison University. He entered 黑料正能量 as an education major, but a Theater for Youth and Children class with Professor caused him to rethink. Along with Poole and theater major Ezrionna Prioleau, he鈥檚 volunteered with On the Road Collaborative to bring after-school theatrical expression to Skyline Middle School students.

鈥淚t was a natural progression鈥� into theater, he says, 鈥渂ecause that鈥檚 what I really love.鈥� After graduation, Hines plans to move to Washington, D.C. to pursue theater production or movement-based drama.

Hines stresses that all are welcome and all will encounter the unexpected at 鈥淩edefine Me.鈥�

鈥淚 would encourage anyone to come and see the interactive gallery no matter what they know about it, no matter how they might think they鈥檒l feel about it.鈥�