INTERVIEW: In Broadway’s ‘Job,’ one can find clues in the costumes
Image courtesy of Michelle J. Li / Provided by O&M DKC with permission.
Job, the new play by Max Wolf Friedlich, has never taken its own firing too seriously; this is the play that keeps coming back and back and back. The riveting two-hander, starring the marvelous Peter Friedman and Sydney Lemmon, opened off-Broadway after winning a top prize and continued to sell out performance after performance. This led to an off-Broadway transfer and then the ultra-rare Broadway transfer. Now the production, directed by Michael Herwitz, is finishing up an extended run at the Hayes Theater on Broadway. But who knows if this is the end for a show that has beat all of the odds.
All along the way, costumer designer Michelle J. Li has been crafting the wardrobe for the two main characters, Loyd (Friedman) and Jane (Lemmon). The plot of the play should remain secret so as not to reveal any spoilers. The only morsel this journalist will allow is that Loyd and Jane are meeting for a therapy session, with Jane hoping that the meeting goes well so she can get her job back. That’s it. No more. To continue on would be to disarm this alarming piece.
Li has had a difficult job with Job. She needed to create costumes that would speak to each character’s unique identity, putting together articles of clothing that would describe who they are as people and maybe even divulge a few secrets along the way. Li is the youngest costumer designer on Broadway, according to her official website. She has also worked on films such as Slanted, Shiva Baby, Theater Camp and Meet Cute.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Li about her work on Job. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
Have the costumes for Job been consistent throughout the off-Broadway transfers and Broadway premiere?
The costumes featured in the Broadway premiere are totally different from what Jane and Loyd wore in their off-Broadway versions — except for Jane’s Allbird sneakers. Her shoes are the original pair from the very first run at Soho Playhouse. We decided to explore different avenues for both of their characters in the Broadway run — Jane buttoning up a bit more and Loyd relaxing a bit more.
How did you find / make the material for each character in the play?
It took a lot of exploration in the rehearsal room and our costume fittings to come to the final conclusion of how the characters would look. From the start, the scenic designer and I knew we wanted to keep a complementary color palette to create this sense of harmony that evolves as the story reveals itself. This push and pull is seen between Loyd and Jane as they develop their arc onstage, as well as the subtle elements they share in their costume design — a watch, their shirt buttons, the glint of jewelry. This was important to me because it’s a hint towards the notion that no matter what happens, there’s still a thread and makes them similar in unassuming ways.
Do you feel that there are clues in Loyd and Jane’s wardrobe that reveal different aspects of themselves?
Absolutely! If you’re close enough, you’ll notice these details in both of their costumes. Jane has chipped blue nail polish and a cracked Apple watch. Loyd has a pink/purple woven bracelet, a graphic T-shirt from the San Francisco MoMA and a pierced ear. In a contemporary play like JOB, all of what an audience subconsciously infers about a character comes from the minutiae of their costumes.
Do you need to work in tandem with the scenic designer so that the clothes have the intended effect in this particular setting?
Without giving too much away, the answer is yes, always. In order to deliver the kind of impact the play has at its core, it was imperative for the scenic designer and I to create an environment that felt calm and inviting.
When did you realize costume design would be your chosen profession?
It wasn’t until my sophomore year of college that I decided that costume design would be my focus. I always knew that I wanted to pursue something creative but had thought up until that point it would take the form of studio painting or graphic design. However, it was through my courses at school that combined all my interests of working with my hands and collaborating with peers where I found my passion for costume design.
Have the themes of Job, which will remain secret, impacted you? Have you given this narrative a good think like the rest of us?
It has made me think a lot about what it means to be chronically online and how that can make or break your psyche. The internet has the power to manifest community but also can be a means for destruction. It also made me ponder themes of first impressions and how there’s always more than what meets the eye.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Job, featuring the costume design of Michelle J. Li, continues on Broadway through Oct. 27. Click here for more information and tickets.
