Assistant Professor of Design
School of Education | Department of Theatre and Drama
Hometown: Streamwood, IL
Aly Amidei is a costume designer and playwright focusing on new works and re-envisioned classics. Recently, her research has been on improving access and inclusion in costume design practices and theatre pedagogy for people with disabilities. As a playwright, she has written stage adaptations for theatre for young audiences as well as horror plays, audio dramas, and immersive theatre. A future area of research for her is on immersive theatre and the growing complexity of costume design for video games.
Talks:
Strategies for Successful Access and Inclusion for Arts Managers
This talk examines the challenges and benefits of integrating accessibility and offers the perspective of arts practitioners with disabilities. Through an analysis of accessibility implementation and a study of the artistic, technical, organizational, and attitudinal issues that arise within the process, arts managers can address issues of social justice by adopting strategies for real inclusion and access in their projects.
Uptight Alien Queens Wear Wet Leather: Fetish Costuming and Gender Roles in Sci-Fi Film and Television
Fetish clothing, like tight fitting wet-leather or latex garments, have been a staple in futuristic costuming from its infancy. The way this subversive costume has become readily associated with the genre provides a fascinating exploration for the way in which science fiction deals with gender and sexuality. Using examples from Devil Girl from Mars, Voyager, Farscape, The Matrix, and The Fifth Element, this paper will examine the use of fetish inspired “dominatrix” clothing in science fiction media and the evolution of gender roles within these worlds.
Ruffs Re-Invented: Construction and Deconstruction of the Elizabethan Ruff
Ruffs have had a long and varied history adorning the necks of Tudor nobles, the gowns of Regency ladies, the edgy garments of the modern runway, and the handcrafted imaginative clothing of cosplayers. This highly impractical accessory has continued to reappear as neck adornment since the 16th century. This talk explores the history of the ruff as a fashion accessory, the best methods for creating historical reproductions of the ruff, and deconstructing/reinventing the ruff using non-traditional materials and modern techniques with an eye for the use in theatrical performance.