Of costumes and collaborations

On October 26th, at the 3rd annual Montreal English Theatre Awards (METAs), the Segal Centre proudly won Outstanding Production for last season’s Travesties. The clever comedy was also honoured with awards for Outstanding Set Design for Pierre-Étienne Locas, and Outstanding Costume Design for Louise Bourret.

Louise has been working in costumes at the Segal Centre for the past 4 years and been an Artistic Coordinator and Designer for over 20. Throughout her career, she’s acquired skills in fields like hair, makeup, set design, costumes and stage management, and worked with such companies as Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Éloize, Festival des FrancoFolies de Montréal and many more.

Caitlin Murphy: What is your position at the Segal Centre?

Louise Bourret: My position at the Segal Centre is Head of Wardrobe for all the shows. I also have the opportunity to be the costume designer for a few shows per year. My main responsibilities are managing the budget and costume-fittings, and assisting the designer when I’m not designing the show myself.

CM: What is your favourite thing about costume design?

LB: It’s very interesting for me to create each character with the director, to get on the same page, and to have a clear vision of each role.

CM: What’s something theatre audiences might not understand about costumes?

LB: I think most people in the audience don’t know how tricky it can be to design costumes for the stage. When you think about a costume, you have to take into account the lightning and the set. Everything has to be in harmony. Sometimes a costume can look very good close up but look horrible on stage, and vice versa.

CM: What do you think someone most needs if they want to go into costume design?

LB: To excel in costume design you need a great passion for costumes and a lot of creativity. I believe that the greatest quality a designer should have is the ability to connect with an artist. When you’re able to connect directly with an artist, you can understand them better. I love when my designs help the actors enter more deeply into their roles.

CM: What are your favourite kinds of plays to design costumes for?

LB: I don’t have a favourite kind. I like that every play is a different and complex challenge. I like to work in other time periods; it allows me to be more creative.

CM: What does an award like the META for Travesties mean to you?

LB: I was very honoured and very surprised. I felt that it was a great recognition of all the effort I put into that show. It will motivate me to do better and better in all my future projects.

Louise’s next project involves dressing the eccentric members of a delightfully dysfunctional family in the witty and moving play Tribes, by Nina Raine.

Coincidentally Tribes also features actor Gregg Ellwand, who was nominated for a META award for his wonderfully waggish performance in Travesties!