Natalie Colony

12/9/2014
Costume Final
This Property is Condemned
This Property is Condemned is a one-act play about a 13 year old girl and 16
year old boy. The young girl is said to be dressed in wears a long blue velvet party
dress with a filthy cream lace collar and sparking rhinestone beads (Williams, 1).
The young man is wearing corduroy pants, blue shirt and a sweater (Williams, 1).
These descriptions lend themselves to the designer. The long description at the
beginning of the show also gives us design elements. For example, Williams
describes the setting of the show quite clearly, a railroad track next to a dilapidated
old yellow house, in a barren landscape. For me these descriptions allow for a
dichotomy to appear between the characters themselves, the setting and the
characters, and the foreground and the background. We are able to see a
downtrodden, empty, dirty yellow house next to a little girl wearing a worn out
dress and carrying a grimy doll and to compare the young girl and house to the
background, the barren, cold, clean landscape and the young man who is wearing
simple cloths and carrying a red kite. From these descriptions and comparisons you
can draw out a costume design.
Color plays a large part in designing this show, in the description Williams
gives you three major colors, red, yellow and most importantly blue. I believe that
he uses these primary colors to highlight in youngness and innocence of Willie, the
young girl. Tom, the boy brings along a red kite symbolizing his role as corruptor of
Willie by offering the pay for sex with her. Yellow is the forgotten happiness, hence

the abandoned house being yellow, along with the two items that Willie holds, the
banana and the doll. Blue is the color of sadness that both of the children wear.
When designing the show, I wanted the dress that Willie wears to be to big
on her showing that she really isnt meant for the role of prostitute nor is she old
enough for it yet she is trying to play the part, like playing dress up. Her dress is in
the style of a 1930s party dress, something her sister probably bought six or seven
years ago. It is distressed, a little dirty, and torn in a couple places. She is wearing
undergarments appropriate for her age, bloomers and a slip style undershirt.
Toms costume design is simple. He is wearing brown corduroy pants with a
light blue shirt and a grey sweater vest. He is also wearing work boots suitable for
his age and approaching profession. His costume is so simple to contrast his
character with that of the overly flamboyant character of Willie.