Bid to win this Six! The Musical MasquerAID Mask Collection by Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
Artist: Bob Kuhn & Melissa Bochat from Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Title: MasquerAID Masks - Six! The Musical Mask Collection
Year created: 2020
Medium: Mixed-Media
Description of piece:
5, 4, 3, 2, 1…SIX masks! These masks were made in collaboration with Bob Kuhn and the Costume Crafts Supervisor, Melissa Bochat, from Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s costume shop. They are inspired by the costume design of Gabriella Slade for SIX! the musical. The Chicago Shakespeare Theater costume shop built the costumes for SIX for its North America debut in 2019. From Chicago the show went on to tour North America. On March 12th, 2020 SIX was hours away from opening on Broadway when Broadway went dark due to Covid-19. SIX is a global phenomenon that has captured the hearts of queens and kings everywhere. Even thought the queens got themselves some new costumes for Broadway this show has a special place in our hearts at the CST shop. Each mask that you see was inspired by the queens themselves. They are tie-on masks made from 100% cotton. They are painted to match the lattice detail that is on each queen’s costume. Of course we can’t forget the sparkle! Like the queens these masks are one of a kind, no category. There is N-N-N-N-N-N-No-way these queens won’t reign again. Remember they’re unbreakable.
Artist bio:
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, Chicago Shakespeare has redefined what a great American Shakespeare theater can be—a company that defies theatrical category. This Regional Tony Award-winning theater’s year-round season features as many as twenty productions and 650 performances—including plays, musicals, world premieres, family programming, and presentations from around the globe. The work is enjoyed by 225,000 audience members annually, with one in four under the age of eighteen. Chicago Shakespeare is the city’s leading presenter of international work, and in touring its own productions across five continents has garnered multiple accolades, including the prestigious Laurence Olivier Award. Emblematic of its role as a global theater, the company spearheaded Shakespeare 400 Chicago, celebrating Shakespeare’s legacy in a citywide, yearlong international arts and culture festival, which engaged more than 1 million people. The Theater’s nationally acclaimed arts in literacy programs support the work of English and drama teachers, and bring Shakespeare to life on stage for tens of thousands of their students each school year. Over the summer, the company tours a professional production of Shakespeare’s work, free for all, to neighborhood parks across the city. In 2017 the Theater unveiled The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare with its innovative design that has changed the shape of theater architecture. Together with the Jentes Family Courtyard Theater and the Thoma Theater Upstairs, The Yard positions Chicago Shakespeare as the city’s most versatile performing arts center.
MasquerAID is a fundraising effort from Costume Professionals for Wage Equity and features artists that have been hard at work creating one-of-a-kind works of art for you to take home! Own a piece of theatre history and help the many entertainment workers who have been financially impacted by COVID-19.