Date of Graduation

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts in Theatre (MFA)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Theatre

Advisor/Mentor

Siebrits, Helene

Committee Member

Irish, Shawn

Second Committee Member

Marzolf, Steven

Third Committee Member

Lane, Valerie

Keywords

Costume; Distress

Abstract

This thesis examines, explores, and explains the costume design process for a contemporary production of The Trojan Women by Euripides performed at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. The production concentrates on the play’s violent upheaval and its relationship between historic, present, and future significance. The Trojan Women by Euripides is recognized as a leading anti-war tragedy inspired by the Melian Massacre, which occurred circa 415-416 BCE. The Melian Massacre was a war between Sparta and Athens that occurred on the eastern mainland of Greece. The Trojan Women presents a distinctive challenge, visually depicting the immediate consequences of a city’s downfall through the physical forms of its surviving characters. The design approach is based on the concept of the aftermath of Troy, combining both the contemporary world and the ancient Greek world. The reality of Troy’s aftermath inspired the notion that the character costumes symbolize the last tangible proof of their disrupted domestic and political existence, as they were held in captivity with their fate as slaves. By exploring the specific archetype of Hecuba, the fallen queen, Cassandra, the violated visionary, and Andromache, the grieving mother, this design inquiry examines the application of visual and textural degradation through distressing techniques on clothing to reflect the psychological trauma of these characters. Ultimately, this play requires that the costume designer serve as a visual historian, employing clothing to connect the ancient mythological past of Greece with contemporary representations of global displacement, which allows the audience to experience not just the performance but also the physical remnants of a destroyed world. This production of The Trojan Women offered experiential knowledge, allowing a personal and direct observation of the devastating effects of war. This led to a deeper understanding among the audience, incorporating emotional and practical dimensions of Euripides’ tragic story, which moved beyond the script.

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