Essay On Educating Rita

PERFORMANCE CRITIQUE ON COSTUMES
YOUR NAME: Christina Chan
YOUR CLASS: THAR 281-503
TITLE OF PLAY: Educating Rita
NAME OF THEATRE/COMPANY: Texas A&M University Department of Performance Studies
DATE YOU WENT TO THE PERFORMANCE: February 22, 2014

1. BASED ON THE COSTUMES, WHAT WAS THE TIME PERIOD?
The time this play took place in was in modern time, during the twenty-first century.

HOW WAS THIS CONVEYED VIA THE COSTUMES?
Use complete sentences

The costumes the characters wore in this play showed the audience that the setting of this play took place in the beginning of the twenty-first century, our modern time today. Rita, a young woman attending a single college class, wore many modern trends seen in the world today. In the first act of the play, this character frequently paired breezy, flowery, bright colored skirts with cowboy boots and a denim jacket. This is a clothing trend we see frequently today, especially in colleges in the southern parts of the United States of America, such as Texas A&M University. Frank, Rita’s aging college professor, wore many cardigans and sweaters that were of the same style as the ones we see in today’s department stores and online catalogs. Many of the costume pieces of both Rita and Frank looked as if they were made out of cotton, which is a common material used by clothing companies today.

2. HOW WAS COLOR USED TO GIVE YOU CLUES TO THE PERSONALITY OF A SPECIFIC CHARACTER(S)?
Use complete sentences

CHARACTER(S) NAME:
Rita
For the entire play, Rita wore many sunny, brightly colored clothing items. In the first act, Rita’s multi-colored skirts with flowers printed on them, vibrant scarfs, and neon orange headband spoke of her optimistic, maybe even a bit naïve, outlook on life and her u...

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...holism. Also, the gray streaks in his hair are used to show his aging, possibly caused by his overuse of alcohol to escape the dreariness and stress of academia and his life in general.

4. HOW WAS COSTUMING USED TO CREATE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CHARACTERS?
Use complete sentences

CHARACTERS NAMES:
Rita and Frank
In this play, Frank serves as a mentor to Rita. Especially in the first act of the play, Frank’s costumes were distinctly more professional and refined than Rita’s costumes, which showed how Frank was the more mature character who taught Rita what she sought to learn. However, Rita’s costume transformation from college to adult clothing was indicative of her character’s growth and development in the play, whereas Frank’s costumes did not change nearly as much throughout the entire play showing how he has yet to embrace change in the same way Rita has.