Malorie Grillo is is a Costarrican theater artist and recent MFA graduate in Costume Design from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Having designed for WAM’s summer benefit performance, fragments of Outside, she is currently designing the costumes and props for WAM/CST’s Fall production of Galileo’s Daughter. Malorie took time out to answer a few questions and let us showcase her designs.

Where are you from and what drew you towards design?

I am from San José, Costa Rica – that small country right in the middle of Central America, famously known for the tourism! I always felt a little out of place wanting to do theater (which is not common at all in Costa Rica,) and when I finished High School I decided to go to college to get my degree in Theatrical Arts. My heart was always divided between acting, directing and designing costumes and props (art direction). I found out I had a sensibility for color, shapes, forms and that I was very drawn to the Fashion World. I was invited to design costumes for a show by a coworker in the industry and ultimately found my passion and my confidence designing costumes.

fragments of Outside by Genée Coreno, 2024, WAM Theatre, Photo by Jean Paul Gomez.

What do you like best about costume design?

The details. I love to do research; finding the inspiration to create my idea. But once the design is set, I look forward the Technical Rehearsals where Lighting and Scenic comes together with Costumes and I can add the details like earrings, scarves, accessories and make up, My favorite part is to play with clothes until I feel like the character is round and complete.

Twelfth Night, UMass Amherst 2024, Photo by Derek Fowles.

What is interesting to you about the costumes of Galileo’s Daughter?

Mixing the historical context with the fact that this play comes through the experience of The Writer means that there is a lot of room for creative choices. For example, when Galileo’s daughter joins the Convent of San Matteo she changes into nun’s habit. At the same time she changes her name from her given name of Virginia to Sister Maria Celeste. We kept the silhouette and shape of the historic nun’s habit, but chose to give it a beautiful sky color. This color choice both honors her chosen name (Celeste) which means “light blue” but also connecting her with the astronomical studies of her father, and the lightness of her heart.

Another challenge in the script is that one actor plays all the men (and some of the women) that The Writer meets while she’s in Italy. These changes happen quickly and often in full view of the audience. As a costume designer it is always exciting to challenge the design so the audience can fill the gaps missing in quick changes or disguises, which we have a lot in Galileo’s Daughter.

What would be your dream performance to design in the future?

Wow, I have hundreds! I feel like I would love to design surreal/abstract/absurd plays like those written by Federico García Lorca or Antonin Artaud or Samuel Beckett, or big operas with hundreds of characters just to push myself as a designer, but I think the dream of paying my bills working in theater designing is pretty much fulfilled now and I’m grateful for that. Where I come from it is really hard to only focused in art and I currently have the joy of spending 100% of my time an artist.

More information about Malorie Grillo can be found at: www.maloriegrillo.com

Tickets for Galileo’s Daughter are on sale now!

WAM Theatre’s BIPOC Apprenticeship Program is supported by the Brabson Family Foundation.