Flown Costume

Spring Awakening

At the top of the show, Spring Awakening a dress had to fly in. the dress needed to be flown in such a way it looked like it was floating. The performer needed to step into the dress and it had to look magical.

Rigging

To achieve this affect we decided to use magnets. The dress would also be fastened with magnets, this allowed the back to be kept open for the performer to step into it easily and for it to be closed quickly onstage.

Each shoulder had a magnet sewn in. These magnets sewn on the outside other wise they would not be strong enough to hold the weight of the dress. On the fly bar, we tied fishing wire with a half blood knot. On the other end of the line we ties with a half blood knot, an M8 nut. M8 was the smallest size of nut that gave us enough contact with the magnet on the dress to hold the weight of the dress.

Set Up

The dress had to be pre-set in a very particular way or else it would not stay up or the performer would have difficulties getting into it gracefully. This was the set up that worked for us.

Dress shown here "hanging up" in the wing.

Magnets on the back for closure and to keep the dress open when hanging.

Dress shown hanging from fishing wire at in dead. Close up of nuts sitting flush on magnet.

Trouble Shooting

There were a few challenges with the dress.

Bouncing Magnets

Problem

One of the problems we had was when the performer put her arms in the dress the nuts had a tendency to prematurely ping off the magnets on the dress. This was a problem because ir ruined the effect of the floating dress when the audience saw a bouncing nut on the end of what was clearly fishing line.

Solutions

1 - Replace fishing line with 1-2mm black rope. This could be whipping twine or perhaps cotton cord.

2 - Call the fly cue for the lines sans dress to go out sooner. This was the solution we went with ad budget and resources were tight. It was never quite called at the right time. Basically as soon as the performer gets their arms into the dress, the magnets are no longer doing anything and the fly cue could be called. It was ofter called when she had her full arm in the sleeves and the magnets had already detached.

Physics

Problem

When something soft is suspended between 2 soft points, it has a tendency to move the points together because basic physics and gravity. There was a concern this would happen with the dress. when it was hung up. We experiments with hanger type things but why did not achieve the artistic effect required.

Solutions

1 - Add in corset boning between the suspension points. This would give a flimsy piece of clothing enough stability to hold it's shape when suspended. Like in a built in hanger. We were lucky that the skirt was very floaty and therefore very light and the top had a fair amount of embroidery that gave it enough stability to support the light dress.

Marilyn Monroe Effect

The Marilyn Monroe Effect

Problem

As mentioned previously, the skirt was made of a very light and floaty material. Since the dress had to fly in on 2 occasions, there was concern that the dress would simply fly up over itself instead of maintaining the image of a floating dress, the creative team wanted.

Solutions

1 - Keep the fly cues slow enough that the costume won't do this. this is what we did.

2 - weight can be added to the base of the costume. This could be in the form of lead string.