Volunteer Costume Maker
Title:
York Mystery Plays 2012
Costume Maker
Locations:
Specific locations in City Centre of York
At Home
Onsite in the Museum Gardens
Role Context:
During 2012, a partnership comprising of York Museums Trust, York Theatre Royal
and Riding Lights Theatre Company, supported by the City of York Council and Arts
Council England, will produce a major re-staging of the world famous York Mystery
Plays in the Museum Gardens for the first time since 1988.
The medieval cycle of the York Mystery Plays has been told by the York community
for hundreds of years and is deeply embedded in the City’s cultural heritage. In
August of next year a covered, 1,400 capacity auditorium will use the ruins of St.
Mary’s Abbey as a back-drop for 32 performances of a new, dynamic production of
the Mystery Cycle.
The aim of the project is to include up to 1,000 members of York’s community to
work alongside the professional team to help stage the plays.
Purpose of the Role:
To help make the costumes for the York Mystery Plays 2012 production.
With up to 1,000 costumes needing to be made, this role is essential to this event!
Working alongside our Community Costume Supervisor and Community Costume
Making Team, we need as much time and focus as possible to help with all aspects of
the costume making and fitting process.
Tasks:
To check in with Community Costume supervisor using the weekly ‘surgery’ costume
sessions as regularly as possible.
To attend organised social costume making groups as regularly as possible.
To work alongside other members of the community of all ages and experience to
help make costumes towards the Mystery Plays in 2012
To assist with taking measurements of the acting company
To help cut fabrics for costume making
To help cut costumes patterns
To help with the sewing of costumes (by hand and machine)
To help with decorating and embellishments of costumes according to designs
To help with the fitting of costumes
To help with any alterations following fittings
To help with the labelling of costumes
To help with the breaking down of costumes
To assist with the making and when needed the altering of patterns
To enjoy taking part towards the making of the 2012 York Mystery Plays
Skills Required:
 Ability to work closely within a small or large team of people
 An interest in sewing, cutting, embroidery or textiles
 A willingness to make as part of a group or individually at home
 A basic level of experience using sewing techniques and sewing machines
 An interest in sharing and/or developing knowledge in skills related to
costume making at any level
 An interest in The York Mystery Plays
 A reliable and friendly nature
 A willingness to commit
Potential Timetable:
First Week of February 2012 – Costume making process will begin!
Set sessions will be offered each week for people to work in a group and check in
with the Community Costume Supervisor.
Current sessions on offer are:
Monday Mornings: 10am – 1pm
Tuesday Afternoons: 2pm – 5pm
Tuesday Evenings: 6pm – 9pm
Open drop in surgery sessions each week on:
Wednesday Evenings: 6pm – 9pm
These sessions will run through to until July 2012.
June 2012 – 1 Weekend Session per week will be added to the weekday sessions.
Please note that these dates are provisional guidelines. Specific schedules will be
issued in advance. More information will be made available on December 5th.