What if Hamlet wore Dockers, Converse sneakers and a plain black T-shirt? Would something important become lost in the translation?

Tara Maginnis might say so, and she has more than just knowledge of theatrical style. More likely, Maginnis is the creative force behind it.

The show, 2D Costumes, will include drawings, watercolors and designs from the UAF Theater Department. These works are called costume renderings.

Theatergoers usually only see the finished costumes, not the piece as it evolves from its initial concept. This is part of what Maginnis hopes to accomplish. She would like people to see different parts of the process.

"There is no grand artistic statement about the meaning of life," Maginnis said, making it unlike other type of art show. "It's a chance to get a look into the process behind producing theater costumes." She also said that many costumes are not ultimately seen in theater so this gives people a chance to see the ideas for the first time.

Maginnis said she thought people would be interested in seeing the initial concept ideas and how they changed into final costumes. She explained that every show has a different style, and that some are created using the influence of other artists.

There will also be performance art involved, Maginnis said, and "there is going to be a bit of an unusual serving of food."

As a professor, a costume designer and the current chair of the Theater Department, she hopes to change the way the public sees the progression of costuming in her upcoming show at the UAF Art Gallery. The show opens Sept. 26, with a reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27 featuring an unexpected twist that will also incorporate live performance.

Most art gallery openings have food and drinks available to the viewing public, but it is usually just set out on tables. Maginnis said that this show would be a unique experience as "the food will be part of the exhibit."

The Costumer's Manifesto (www.costumes.org) is a website that Maginnis authors dedicated to all things costume-related.

The site describes the reason for the event: "Costume design sketches for theatre are rarely seen outside the costume studio where they are used as an intermediate step to making a completed costume. This exhibit breaks with that tradition of viewing them as merely a minor step towards a completed costume, and instead exhibits them alone, as examples of graphic art."

There will be over 100 sketches on display as well as the culinary performance art. "Nothing like this has been done before," said Mary Goodwin of the UAF Art Department.

Costume rendering for Jack for The Importance of Being Earnest. Theatre, UAF 2000

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