Since masks were first used during performances at ancient Greek village festivals, stage costumes have been an integral part of theatre. Dramatic performances during the Middle Ages — often retellings of popular Bible stories — would require actors to don more lifelike costumes, making their characters seem more like the prophets and kings of the testaments. By the time Shakespeare set quill to parchment, stage costumes had become increasingly extravagant, often cut and sewn from the finest fabrics at great expense.
While a few costumes were crafted to help depict specific characters — Julius Caesar’s toga comes to mind — many were simply reflections of the fashion of the times. By the 18th and 19th centuries, theatre companies began to change, embracing new styles and approaches that eschewed the impractical for more realistic and functional costuming. Instead of spectacle, the costumes were in service to the character, often helping create the world of the play.
For actor Steve Ross — a longtime member of the Stratford Festival company — costumes have always been a vital part of his creative process. From the bucktoothed Beaver in the Festival’s 2016 production of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to his fishnet-wearing narrator in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the gifted dramatic and comedic actor has used the costumes to help shape his approach to his memorable characters. For his next role — one that’s among the most important of his stage career.
