The Fabulous Outfits of Priscilla Queen of the Desert
July 17, 2024
The Fabulous Outfits of Priscilla Queen of the Desert
We recently had the pleasure of talking with costume designer, Dariusz Korbiel, to learn more about his background and the incredible costumes we'll be seeing on stage.
Q: What was your inspiration behind creating some of the iconic looks in Priscilla?
D.K.: Disco and drag are just two inspirations. The costumes are big, outrageous and flamboyant. They are meant to entertain and enlighten the audience. I didn't want to let anyone down with what they might expect to see when attending our production of Priscilla. But as a designer, you also want to bring your own originality or your take on someone else’s interpretation, so it’s finding that balance and being over the top with presenting it.
Q: Why are the costumes so important in this type of production?
D.K.: As much as the costumes are a big part of the show humanity is even a bigger element. Without humanity, you have lifeless people, and to put costumes on lifeless people is just no fun. There are big personalities in our story, and we need to dress them with costumes that match those personalities and tell a story at the same time with what they wear.
Without the costumes, Priscilla, just wouldn't be as much fun. Every element - the actors, the direction, the choreography, the singing, the set, the costumes, the lighting, the sound design, and the audience - they are all important individual elements that work together to enhance the experience.
But if you would like to dig deeper than that, drag is known as being over-the-top. It has always been an entertainment to express one’s self. That’s the point of drag. And that’s what these ladies do with their drag; they are trying to express themselves. They did it in the film, they did it in the West End, on Broadway, and they’ll do it in our production as well. Drag will always be the art of self-expression.
Q: How did you get into theatre and costume designing? Was there any moment or person that inspired you to pursue a career in the arts?
D.K.: Eric Bunnell, he’s been a wonderful teacher and mentor to me over the years. A great person to just have in my life. He lives a double life: one as a newspaper reporter/columnist and one as a theatrical set designer. In my younger years, when I attempted to be an actor, he had interviewed me for a film in which I was a supporting player. He had mentioned that he was designing Damn Yankees at the University of Western Ontario and was in need of some stagehands. One thing led to another and our friendship bloomed both socially and professionally over the next 25 years - he has constantly been my No. 1 supporter.
Q: Did you ever envision yourself going into costume designing? What was that process like?
D.K.: No – there are many costume designers that I admire and draw inspiration from. Designing costumes for a musical is more than just putting clothes on actors. You need to take into account all the needs of the script, the director, the actor, available resources, time, budget, Equity requirements, construction, quick changes and how the costumes get laundered after each performance. You need endless ideas and creativity, and the knowledge of how to edit them. Having an idea is one thing -- how you describe your ideas to your team is another. Your communication with your team is what will aid them in understanding your designs and how to best go about realizing them.
A design always starts with analyzing the script, figuring out who the characters are and how you will represent them on stage through the clothes they wear and how they wear them and what they do with them. Generally speaking, the director will also have input of what they are looking to achieve through the design of a show: whether it be a feeling, mood or experience they are looking to achieve in any given scene or throughout the entire show. The director may have ideas to share or suggestions of their own that will be a factor in the design's end result. Ideas come and go, and at times some costumes might be replaced with a more coherent version of what they were previously.
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is a massive show, there are close to 200 costumes in the production, making it one of the largest shows Drayton Entertainment has built. It's up there with Les Misérables and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. But, Priscilla’s a little bit more complicated, because they are unconventional costumes. The wardrobe department is at the top of its craft, headed by Jennie Kroeplin and assisted by Nicole Del Cul who on Priscilla is the wardrobe supervisor, both of who are an integral part of a smooth operation. When you have a wonderful team supporting you, it makes the process less stressful and a lot more enjoyable. Without them, there would be no Priscilla.
Q: How did you become the costume designer for Drayton's productions of Priscilla - both 2019 and now 2024?
D.K.: Originally, I was in discussion to design The Miracle Worker in 2019. During the interview, Jenine and I chatted about many things, including how fun of a show Priscilla is, and how much I loved seeing it in the West End years ago. It’s one of those feel-good, highly intoxicating musicals. A little while after the interview, Jenine asked if I would be interested in designing the Costumes for Priscilla. Of course, I would be, without a doubt. Later on, closer to opening I was reminiscing with Jenine on the unexpected offer to design the show. I asked how I went from possibly designing a period play with 11 characters to this big, flamboyant jukebox musical with a cast of 20 actors playing upwards of 10+ characters each. Her answer: "Your enthusiasm." The affirmation that all you need is one person to believe in you, and the possibilities are really endless.
Q: Are there any changes in the costumes you designed in 2019 to the ones we’ll be seeing on stage for this year’s production of Priscilla?
D.K.: Yes, there's a few. We were able to build upon some ideas that we had in 2019, enhancing them or making them bigger and better. One major change is our cake slices that appeared during the song “MacArthur Park” are gone. They are now giant cupcakes!
Q: For a show like Priscilla that requires so many costumes - what does the timeline of creating these costumes look like?
D.K.: Designing always begins with reading and analyzing the script. From there, you have in-depth discussions with the director about the story and characters and the vision they are trying to convey. David and I had so many big ideas for the show. In the case of Priscilla, we always had Jenine in on our conversations - making sure our ideas could be built from the point of view of the costume shop, including construction, time, budget and resource. This made us be more creative in how we wanted to present certain things throughout the show.
After editing your million ideas down, you begin sketching and piecing the individual costumes down on paper, adding colour palettes to help convey who the characters really are. All at the same time, doing your best to tell a coherent story through what the characters wear. Then come discussions of how you envisioned the costumes to be made and the fabrics you have in mind. Patterns or a prototype are made out of muslin fabric to avoid any mishaps with the more expensive fabrics used in the finished product. Costumes are constructed and fit on actors during fittings, each costume is tailored to each actor's unique body, ensuring a perfect fit and to suss out any possible issue that could arise during their performance on stage.
Every costume is thoroughly thought out - just like a blueprint. How they will get into it? How would they get out of it? Will they be assisted in doing so? How long do they have to switch from the one they're wearing to the next one? Are they wearing any other costumes underneath it that would help ensure a speedy, quick change that is time-sensitive? And how difficult will future maintenance be after the show’s opened. After the fittings, finishing touches are made to each piece. If any changes need to be done or issues arise, it's at this point that they would be dealt with.
The costumes are transported to the theatre and dressers are introduced into the production, they familiarized themselves with the costumes and which actors are wearing them. During technical rehearsal all the elements of the show come together for the first time, and you hope that it does so smoothly and that it looks effortless.
From reading the script to opening night, the process took about 4 1/2 months for Priscilla. This is an extremely short time in which to design a large-scale musical. But the excellent team that brought the costumes to life are some of the best working in the business.
Q: Are there any costumes that take direct inspiration from the 1994 film by Lizzy Gardiner and Tim Chappel or the Broadway production?
D.K.: When we first meet the ladies in the Australian outback. The ladies find themselves in front of a group of bewildered townfolk. The trio’s Broken Hill outfits have large influences from the film, as well as when they trek to the top of Ayers Rock for the show’s finale.
Q: Do you have any favourite looks that you created for Priscilla?
D.K.: So much effort was put into each and every costume that it’s difficult to single any one out. But, some stand-outs for me are the Divas, the Lady Gaga/Gladiator inspired “Venus” outfits, as well as the avant-garde funeral costumes you'll see during "Don't Leave Me This Way", and the Freddie Mercury/David Bowie inspired Disco Drags during “I Will Survive”.
Q: Do you consider Priscilla to be one of your biggest projects that you’ve done so far?
D.K.: By far it has been the largest show I’ve designed and a pleasure to take it on. The costumes have earned me some critical praise as they were nominated for the 2019 Broadway World Awards Toronto for Best Costume Design and later appeared in Calgary at Stage West, where they garnered a nomination for the Betty Mitchell Awards for Outstanding Costume Design. The show has been really good to me.
Get ready for the ride of your life with Australia’s glittering musical masterpiece!
With a spectacular array of outrageous costumes, flamboyant choreography, and a hit parade of dancefloor favourites, this wildly fresh and funny musical is a journey to the heart of FABULOUS!
Based on the Academy Award®-winning film, this sparkling stage adaptation follows three dazzling drag queens – Mitzi, Felicia, and Bernadette – as they set out on a hilarious adventure across the Australian outback in a battered old bus (nicknamed Priscilla) to put on a show in a remote resort town. Along the way, a heartwarming story of acceptance and self-discovery unfolds.
Shake your groove thing to classic disco hits including “It’s Raining Men,” “I Will Survive,” “Hot Stuff,” “I Say A Little Prayer,” “Finally,” and many more! If you rocked out to Kinky Boots or Rock of Ages, you won’t want to miss this bold blockbuster musical hailed as ‘The best feel-good show since Mamma Mia!’!
Recommended for ages 13 and up. This production contains mature themes and strong language.
On stage at two venues in 2024:
Explore our Audience Guide to enhance your experience, further your engagement, and expand your knowledge and interest, beyond just attending the show. We hope you enjoy the articles, interviews, and conversation starters!
CLICK HERE to view our Audience Guide.
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