THE MOUSETRAP
Working on Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap with director Kristi Scott felt like a privilege because of the play's extraordinary history. It opened in 1952 and remains the world’s longest-running play. The fact that it has never had an authorized feature-film adaptation makes working on a stage production feel especially significant.
As usual, we were working with a small community-theater budget, so the design depended on being resourceful: reusing stock, adapting found pieces, purchasing selectively, and deciding where it was most important to build from scratch. For Mrs. Boyle, I really wanted to make her outfits from scratch, so our studio made both her green double-breasted suit and red dress. We also built skirts for Mollie Ralston’s first- and second-day looks, using plaid to help create the British country-house feeling I wanted.
Miss Casewell was especially interesting to develop. The actress and I looked to the Teddy Girl movement for inspiration, using boots, riding-style trousers, vests, jackets, and sculptural pin curls. We drew on that distinctive postwar style: tailored menswear influences, Edwardian-inspired details, and a confident sense of individuality that set her apart from the other women. Christopher Wren’s clothing had more personality, with specially worked sweaters, trousers, fun shoes, and ties, while Giles Ralston was kept simpler and more straightforward.
Major Metcalf’s costume presented a practical challenge because the actor is heavily tattooed on his neck and arms. Rather than requiring extensive makeup every night, we designed around that as much as possible while still keeping him appropriate to the period.
Color is usually one of the first things I think about in a design. I wanted each character to have a distinct look without too much repetition across the stage. Even though there is quite a bit of blue in the production, the silhouettes, textures, accessories, and individual shades kept everyone visually separate.
The Mousetrap, Maui OnStage, 2026. Director: Kristi Scott. Scenic Designer: Caro Walker. Lighting Designer: Vince Pinelli. Sound Designer: Dawn Kealoha Harper. Technical Director/Props Mistress: Amanda Dellinger.
Costume Shop: The Sewing Hui of Maui
Photography by Jennifer Oberg
