THTR 290: COSPLAY: The Intersection of Storytelling, Character, and Clothing as Community and Craft

Elizabeth Wislar

COSPLAY is designed to introduce students to the specialized skills and craft materials needed to create dynamic costumed characters. Course time will be spent in discussion, research, designing, and creating through hand-building and technological techniques (such as 3D modeling and printing).

This course explores the history, culture, and accessibility of Cosplay, while also interrogating the intersections of global dress and the sociocultural and socioeconomic aspects of time periods, locations, and colonization.

The students spent the May term crafting, creating, sewing, designing, painting, and digitally rendering and fabricating various aspects of unique costume characters. The photos are the results of their hard work. This class would not be possible without the support of other specialists around campus: Dave Pfaff and Mickie Brown in the IQ Center, Julie Knudson in the Costume Shop, and Tom Hackman in the Scene Shop. We all extend our thanks and gratitude to them for their superior help, oversight, mentorship, and sharing of skills.

Alex Cross as Dedusmuln from Hylics