From the Artistic Director’s Chair Series – #2
“Unexpected Delights of Live Theatre”
by Emily Oriold

Wardrobe Malfunctions and Other Unexpected Delights of Live Theatre.

As Halloween rolls around, I can’t help but think about costumes — the joy of transforming into someone (or something!) entirely different for just one night. Whether it’s slipping into a superhero suit, a classic ghost sheet, or a cleverly thrifted DIY masterpiece, costumes let us play pretend in the best way possible.

Of course, for those of us in theatre, wearing costumes isn’t just a once-a-year occasion — it’s part of the job! And while audiences see the magic of it all — the sparkle, the lace, the elegance — what they don’t see are the behind-the-scenes battles with zippers, buttons, Velcro, and the occasional rogue safety pin. Because sometimes, those very same costumes have a mind of their own…

Wardrobe malfunctions don’t just happen to celebrities on the red carpet or during the Super Bowl halftime show — oh no, we theatre folks have our own red-faced moments to contend with.

Case in point: years ago, when I was a young, emerging actor playing Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I found myself in a student matinee performance — already a recipe for chaos. If you’ve ever performed this play for a room full of tweens, you know the high-pitched squeals that follow every onstage kiss. There is something awfully sweet about it, though.

We reached the part where the young lovers are lost in the woods. Both Lysander (Hermia’s sweetheart) and Demetrius are under Puck’s spell and now hopelessly in love with Helena — much to Hermia’s absolute horror. The claws come out, and Hermia launches into a fight with Helena declaring, “I am not yet so low. But that my nails can reach upon thine eyes!”  In this moment, just as the two men heroically pull me away from Helena, the clasps on my skirt gave up on life… and my skirt hit the floor.

There I stood. In my nylons. And underwear.
In front of an auditorium full of middle-schoolers.

The sound that followed could only be described as stadium-level. You’d have thought George Springer had just hit a grand slam to win the World Series. (Somewhere, Shakespeare was probably chuckling, “Now that’s entertainment!”)

But — ever the professional — I carried on, pretending as though nothing had happened. After all, the show must go on… even when your costume decides to stage a rebellion. The only real question after that was: should I come back onstage wearing my skirt again, or commit to Hermia’s “post-fight disheveled” look? In the end, I figured Hermia would have grabbed her skirt and thrown it back on — and honestly, I think the audience was grateful.

No further malfunctions occurred that day, though I did ask the wardrobe department to triple-reinforce every clasp from then on.

This is exactly what I adore about live theatre. Anything can happen — and sometimes, it does! Those unpredictable, heart-stopping, laughter-inducing moments are what make it all so memorable… even if we actors sometimes secretly wish the ground would swallow us whole at the time.

Here’s hoping I never relive that particular kind of “costume drama” onstage at The Foster Festival. But hey — it’s live theatre. You never know. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see… when you join us at the theatre!

Because at The Foster Festival, you’re not just watching the magic of live theatre — you’re part of it. And trust me, you never know what surprises might happen next.

I’ll see you at the theatre!

Emily Oriold,
Artistic Director & Founder