ABSTRACT
It is important that the designers know how necessary they are to the process and that if they trust the play and the author's process together, that they will likely make one of the most authentic, memorable and moving pieces of theater in any given season. The costume design process starts when the author reads the script for the first time. He likes to pay close attention to the response that it elicits in him, keeping track of the ideas or themes that may come to mind. He usually starts by defining the character's "spine", meaning the core emotions, qualities, and actions. This is the cardinal point of the process, and it helps when talking to a director. After a second reading, he puts these emotions, qualities, and actions into one or two words, and then he translates them into visual language. The idea is to get into the storyline, finding the things that are compelling to him.
