TIGER’S HEARTS COLLECTIVE- Request for Costume Designer Submissions, The Amazonomachy
WHO WE ARE
The Tiger’s Hearts Collective is a group of women artists who work to reclaim space in “the classics” and reinvent the genre to be more inclusive, equitable, and accessible. We recognize women of all experiences including but not limited to cisgender, transgender, queer, womb-bearing and not. We also want to hold a positive space for non-binary and non-gender-conforming folks who want to create in a space that centres female experiences.
We acknowledge the many generations of Indigenous peoples who have cared for the lands on Treaty 6 and Treaty 7 territories, where we are grateful to be creating this project together.
You can learn more about us at www.tigershearts.com.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The Tiger’s Hearts Collective are currently in the writing and development stages of a new classically-inspired epic play, working title The Amazonomachy. Inspired by both mythological tales and historical facts, this piece will explore the potential of a diverse intersectional matriarchal society that centres women’s solidarity, self-governance, and strength through community.
As the content surrounding these warrior women is inherently physical, we are investing in exploration of combat styles, attire, and weapons early on in the process.
COSTUME DESIGNER ROLE
The Tiger’s Hearts seek to engage a costume designer to join our team. This is a paid opportunity for an artist with expertise or interest in designing theatrical armour for women’s bodies, who feels passionate about diversity and representation for women in classical theatre traditions, and is eager to work with other such artists as we build this inclusive creation space together.
This development phase of the project will run through April/May 2021, culminating in a workshop with actors at the end of May. Most design work will be self-regulated and may include some of the following work:
- Zoom meetings with the team
- Collaboration via email/phone/Zoom with our Combat Dramaturg Sam Jeffery
- Independent research on diverse historical warrior women (some materials may be provided)
- Artistic Renderings that explore possible Costume, Armour and/or Weapons designs for a large cast of characters
Thanks to funding from the Edmonton Arts Council, we are able to offer this role based on projected 20 hours of work paid at $20/hour.
It is our hope that this initial exploration stage will build a strong foundation for the future of the project and we are highly invested in carrying artists from the development phase forward into future phases of The Amazonomachy, including a full scale production when it is safe to do so.
SUBMISSION PACKAGE REQUIREMENTS
This role is open to both emerging and established artists who identify as women, non-gender-conforming, and non-binary folks. All work will be done online, so applicants can be from anywhere in Alberta as long as they have access to the internet! As we are creating a diverse intersectional matriarchal society, we are keen to celebrate and honour that diversity in the aesthetic of the story-world as well as on the team, and we highly encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds and communities including but not limited to Indigenous artists, Black artists, and artists of Colour. We encourage applicants who might be inspired by their own ancestral warrior women to presence them in their work if they so choose (ie, don’t feel tied to making the Amazons look like they belong only in Ancient Greece!)
Please email your submission to tigersheartscollective@gmail.com before NOON on Friday March 26th with subject title YOUR NAME- AMAZONOMACHY DESIGNER SUBMISSION, and include the following:
- Brief Expression of Interest: This could be in the form of a letter (1-2 pages), video, audio file, or any creative means through which you’d like us to encounter you and your work. This could include sharing your past work, where you hope to take your work in future, experience in or desire to learn about theatrical armour for female bodies, what you hope to get out of the experience, etc;
- Artist Resumé if Available;
- Portfolio Selection if Available (may include work from past productions or personal projects);
- Ten-Minute Mock-Up based on the prompts below.
We acknowledge that creating submissions packages constitutes work, so please know how much we appreciate getting to know you and your work in this way. Please let us know if you require any support in making your application by emailing Danielle at tigersheartscollective@gmail.com.
TEN-MINUTE MOCK-UP PROMPT
Choose ONE of the following characters and create a QUICK rendering in whatever style and medium you choose (sketch, model, collage, etc):
1- OTRERA, Daughter of the East Wind (she/her) is the ultra-matriarch; she founded the race of Amazons when she apparently mated with Ares, God of War, but she also founded the inclusive adoption rules that govern their sisterhood; we meet her in spirit form, but she is also a trickster who can play many parts; absolutely immense spirit.
2- PENTHESILEA, Grief of the People (she/her) is a fierce warrior; inventor of the war axe; extremely noble and passionate, but also vengeful and quick to anger; her sense of duty is sometimes overwhelming; she’s hard on herself and others.
3- MELANIPPE, Black Mare (she/her) is an expert infiltrator and a bit of a risk junky; she is sexually bold and revels in any new experiences that deepen her spiritual connection with Creation; she is proud to carry the stories of her people on her skin as her deeds have been honoured with many tattoos.
4- PHOEBE, Bright One (she/her) is the youngest Amazon; she has just completed her novice training and is now accompanying her sisters on raids and rescue missions, but she still only serves in battle as a scout; ambitious, at times petulant (but not disrespectful), loves a challenge and is not afraid to fail; she is slowly learning her place.
5- ATALANTA, Equal Balance (she/her) is a great hunter and provider; she teaches all her sisters how best to find, hunt, and process food as they travel; she has a unique parental bond with each of her sisters; loves drinking and telling stories.
6- HIPPOLYTUS, Freer of Horses (they/them) is ANTIOPE’ s child. While it is understood that the character was assigned a male body at birth, HIPPOLYTUS should be recognizable as non-binary and non-gender-conforming; they are quiet and wide-eyed at first, but quick and intelligent like their mother, to the point of being argumentative; independent, capable, eager to learn; but a cloud hangs over their head- the expectation of patriarchal Athens which they might inherit as Theseus’ “son”.
QUESTIONS
Should you have any questions or if you need support in making your application in any way, please get in touch. We would be happy to provide you with more details about this phase of The Amazonomachy, the design role, or answer any other queries you might have. We look forward to experiencing your work and getting to know you!
