
Sometimes, you find really wonderful things where you least expect them. Sometimes, some of your favorite things get combined and it becomes something wonderful, something absolutely iconic. I imagine we all see a lot of this in real life, but from time to time, it’ll pop up in other aspects of the world around us. This absolutely includes theatre, and the weird things that happen to come into play with it and other aspects of the world around us. Some things, you would never expect at all. This is how I feel about two things that I would never have expected to cross over- theatre and Edward Gorey.
Edward Gorey was an illustrator and writer from the early 1950s through the end of his life in 2000. My parents raised me on Edward Gorey’s work, and from a young age, I had a very fine appreciation for this macabre artist’s work. You don’t see a lot of people who know Gorey…he was a rather underground creator, but those who love him love him, passionately. I myself have three Gorey tattoos. He was prolific in his field, dark and silently terrifying. I guess this made him the perfect man for his crossover into the theatre world.
In 1977, Dracula was being revived on Broadway. Gorey designed the costumes and sets for the revival, which is a pretty huge thing to be doing in the theatre world…especially for someone who hadn’t been a part of the theatre world already. But, if you look at pictures of his set and costume designs, you can really see that this was the man to make a mark doing this project. Gorey was always known for his underground, macabre and morbid illustrations and small book projects…Broadway was definitely a bit bigger than all of that, but Gorey seemed to take on the project with passion. The pictures prove this.
Not only do the pictures prove this, but Gorey won the Tony Award for Best Costume Design, and was nominated for a Tony for Best Scenic Design. Now, if you know anything about the theatre world and the Tony Awards, you know that this is a huge deal. I’m pretty sure that this is mostly how people know Gorey. His distinct style has been associated with Dracula for as far back as I can remember, and I’m sure even further back than that, as this happened in the late 70s. Gorey had a few other things he could be known for, but I think this is the biggest one.
I say this as someone who has studied Gorey extensively. It sounds silly, but for my end of the year 8th grade project, I chose to research Edward Gorey. And I definitely learned a lot about him. This was before things like Wikipedia or extensive internet browsing existed. One of the things I came across in my studies was a diorama of Gorey’s illustrations for Dracula that you could put together yourself. It was super cool, and showed all the different costume and set designs in Gorey’s unique style. If you’re going to find anything Edward Gorey, it’s probably something like this, or this exactly.
So many artists cross from one genre to another. I think it’s the very nature of art. But I think it’s really incredible that Gorey went from print- books and illustrations, to designing something huge for Broadway. I can’t imagine it was an easy transition, but Gorey still completely conquered that, as proven by his awards and nominations. The beautiful work he did for Dracula on Broadway really transcends the time period he was working on it. His sets and costumes are stunning, and fit the story and feeling of Dracula perfectly.
Although Gorey isn’t necessarily known by most people, I think a lot of people would be able to recognize his work. Dracula, of course, but also things like T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (famous in itself for being the basis of the musical Cats), and the opening of the TV show Mystery!. Although most people don’t know his name, Gorey’s work has been used all over. I think this is very pertinent with Dracula. It’s one of those things where they found the most perfect person to bring the revival to life. The whole thing is Gorey to the core.
There’s even a new edition of Dracula with some of Gorey’s designs in it. I’m completely sure that Gorey’s work on Dracula will never be forgotten, even if people don’t know the name of the person who created the familiar costumes and sets. And hey, maybe I won’t be the only thirteen year old putting together the diorama and enjoying a crossover between theatre and Edward Gorey…two of my favorite things in the world. I truly love when we see this blend. It’s always a beautiful thing, but especially when it’s two things you’re completely passionate about. That crossover will always have a place in my heart.
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