Produced by: The Enchantment Theatre co. with the Cleveland Orchestra
Directed by:  Leslie Reidel
Costumes, Puppets, Props, and Scenic Elements Designed by: C. David Russell

These renderings and photographs represent the costume designs for a production of "Scheherazade." This adaptation, by Landis and Jennifer Smith of Enchantment Theatre Company, was directed by Leslie Reidel. Scheherazade premiered with The Cleveland Orchestra in October 2008 at the start of its national tour. Based on the ancient "Tales from the Arabian Nights" the play tells the story of the beautiful Princess Scheherazade, who weaves together a thousand-and-one folk tales to entertain her husband, the Sultan. Set to Rimsky-Korsakov's orchestral tone-poem, "Scheherazade" is a rich visual and musical tapestry. I approached this project with a lavish use of color and lush, ornate fabrics. These elements combine with the performers' gracefully expressive, dance-like movements to illustrate a sensuous attitude of exotic, theatrical opulence.