(In the stage show, the relatively human-like Dr. Dillmond—originated on Broadway by actor William Yeomans—wears a shaggy, floor-length coat, cardigan, and ribbon tie, as well as a somewhat creepy prosthetic goat mask.)
“But then when I think about when he’s home and off the clock (and) out of the classroom, and Elphaba follows him home where he meets the rest of the animal community in Shiz, what is a comfortable place for him? How does he represent himself?” Someone like Dellmond would likely have the wardrobe of a confident older man (one imagines a goat professor might thrive among the well-heeled gentlemen of Pitti Uomo), and a comfortable wheat-colored cardigan fit the bill, Tazwell says, adding that the four-legged blazer cut was Similar to a dog coat or horse blanket, and like many character costumes, it features a slightly asymmetrical closure.
“The way they (the CGI team) were able to deliver the texture — you know, I think I’m realistic He owns “This jacket is mine,” Tazewell says with a laugh. “I was looking in the corner, I have a hoodie that is very similar in color and quality. They were able to capture the realism which was really cool.
Dillamond’s costumes factored into a larger conversation Tazewell and his team had about what types of fibers and textiles would be present in Oz; More specifically, they were aware of what materials Ozians, whether animals or humans, might find culturally acceptable to wear.
“We definitely didn’t want to have anything that had fur or was obviously an animal product, like no feathers or that kind of thing, because we didn’t want to indulge in the misuse of animals in this world in general,” he says. Tazewell, who imagines that Oz’s leather-like clothing might have been made of bark or cork. He continues, “Along the way, it was very important to make sure that any fiber we were using, it was fabric, it would either be silk or cotton. It could be wool or hair that had been sheared, but that was kind of on the edge. Certainly not “Flogging.” (At least one Shiz grad student must have written an aggregate thesis on vegetarianism in Oz.)
“It was a little difficult, but we just wanted to make sure we respected that and that it wasn’t in the design in an obvious way,” he adds.
“I love Bode,” says Tazewell, who personally owns a suit and several shirts from the New York City brand. “I love that feeling. If that sensitivity accidentally made its way into the design, it would have more power. But that wasn’t what was necessarily front and center.”
“In many ways, the way I’ve been using asymmetry in certain shapes reflects my personality and fashion sensibility, so there’s a connection to fashion in general,” he continues. “We hope (the costumes) are engaging in a way that’s modern but carries them into this fantasy world that we’re creating. I think it works on both sides.”
Plus, Tazewell adds with a laugh, “If Dr. DeDiamond is fashionable, that’s great. That’s good for me, too.”
