MOLLY BLAZE
COSTUME DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY
Hello, Dolly!
Peacocks
A Matchmaker
inspired by
The director wanted me to visually portray the iconic and unapologetic charisma of Dolly Gallagher Levi by drawing upon the bold and vibrant qualities of the peacock. By considering the peacock's color palette, silhouette and composition, I was able to subtly blend the ostentatious nature of the peacock with that of the Dolly we all know and love. Feathers were incorporated into the garments for each of her looks, and this design was incorporated into famous gold dress scene which nodded to the large gold plumes worn
by Barbara Streisand.
Dolly - Design Inspiration
Millinery
Where there's a milliner,
We must have
Each leading lady - Dolly, Irene (the milliner in the show), and Minnie - all received hand-crafted hats for each of their looks which matched not only the fabric of their created garments but also the style of each look.
Waiter's Gallop
Costuming for the Dancer
Everyone who's familiar with "Hello, Dolly!" knows that the "Waiter's Gallop" is one of the most intense dance performances. The waiters need to not only carry trays and jump over tables and the like, but they also have to twirl dinner napkins overhead and raise a salute to the lady of the hour, our Miss Dolly Gallagher Levi! In order to accommodate both the dancer and the choreography, I created structured historical bodices with underarm gussets that permitted for both movement and the aesthetic requirements for the look of the period and the role.
Costume Designer/Technician/Supervisor/Craftsperson/
Milliner/Cutter-Draper: Molly Blaze (as Molly McKinley)
Director: Andrea Ray
Lighting Designer: Tyler Hutchinson
Photographer: Ronnie Sunker
Set Designer: Jared Thornton