Pete Rush is a costume and scenic designer.Courtesy of Pete Rush
Good morning. It's Thursday, it's nice out, and we're getting closer to the weekend. Closer to that unbelievably warm Sunday in the forecast.
For a bolt of creative inspiration, we turn to the scenic and costume designer Pete Rush, who turns sketches into tangible worlds for theaters big and small, from ACT and the 5th Avenue to Seattle Shakespeare Company and WET.
In his video today, Pete makes a new outfit (!) out of fabric he had sitting in his apartment (!?) and then models it for us (!!!).
"As you can imagine, there is not a lot of work for us theater artists these days," Pete says. "And just like the rest of you, I am stuck here alone in my Capitol Hill apartment. And I've got to be honest, it's sorta driving me crazy. I'm the kind of person who's always working on several project and keeps moving."
So what has he been doing?
"I've been designing and making clothes for myself. I wake up each morning and I look at what I have around. I might look in my big trunk full of fabric. And I'll sit down and sketch out an idea and basically say: All right, I can make this. Then, I'll develop a pattern, and cut the fabric, and stitch it together, and finish it—and voila."
Instead of a boring list of all the shows Pete has designed—not boring because of the shows, but boring because it would be so long—we thought we'd give you a visual tour of some of Pete's recent achievements. If you go to the theater, you will remember some of these designs.
Pete created this dress for Jinkx Monsoon to wear in the 5th Avenue's Rent.Tracy Martin/Courtesy 5th Avenue
Pete designed and built all of Jessica Skerritt's looks in Little Shop of Horrors at ACT.Chris Bennion/Courtesy of ACT
Pete designed costumes for Romeo + Juliet at ACT.Chris Bennion/Courtesy of ACT
Pete was nominated for a Gregory Award for scenic design this Feathers & Teeth set at WET.Courtesy of WET
Pete was nominated for a Gregory Award for his costumes in The Legend of Georgia McBride at ACT.Chris Bennion/Courtesy of ACT
Pete designed the set for The Picture of Dorian Gray at Book-It.Photo by John Ulman/Courtesy of Book-It
This is but a small sampling of Pete's amazing work. He's been nominated for a Gregory Award countless times, although he's never won. "I'm like the Susan Lucci of the Gregory's," he jokes. But awards are arbitrary, and Pete's talents are timeless.
Thank you, Pete, for showing us how you do what you do—on the floor of your apartment, no less.
And then for that fashionista eleganza extravaganza there at the end. A chic new look for spring.