Because of the “two roads diverged…” nature of If/Then, the top priority of the costume design is clarity. Though we are following one character and her friends, who all inhabit one world, we have to follow Elizabeth’s two different storylines, her what-ifs. The switching between the Liz side of the storyline and the Beth side of the storyline can get confusing, as there is no distinction in the script, other than her name. In order to make the distinction as visually clear as possible, I have chosen to differentiate between the two storylines using color.

The setting is vital in If/Then because the move back to New York City represents freedom, cutting old ties, and a new beginning for Elizabeth. The characters inhabit the environment so naturally and it is so quintessential to the action of the play, that they almost become part of the cityscape. Because the characters identify so heavily with their environment, I’ve chosen to keep them in a “base costume” of all blacks, whites, and grays, not only to make them part of the architecture, but to also assist in the clarity of distinguishing the worlds by color. Because there is no time for costume changes between storylines, the accessory pieces they wear along with the base costume will determine what storyline the audience should be following. In Beth’s  world, shades of yellow will be used to represent the bustling taxis and colors found within the subway, swerving through the streets that she is planning, once again, symbolizing her as a pawn navigating the streets of her own life. For Liz’s world, there will be plenty of light greens, aquamarines, and teals, mimicking the copper shades in the Statue of Liberty. A symbol of immigration, the statue signified to those coming into Ellis Island that they had arrived at their desired destination and were about to begin their new lives. After years of unhappiness in an unhealthy relationship, Liz is also seeking out this symbol of a new life.