We are a Way for the Universe to Know Itself

by Pheobe H. Boynton

“The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the Universe to know itself.” -Carl Sagan, Shores of a Cosmic Ocean This collection lives in the intersection of found objects and body euphoria. It uses the song of what came before us to call us to our transformative future.

Costumes in theater are an exercise in creative reuse. Over the course of my career I have scoured closets and thrift shops, hoarded fabric scraps and pulled treasures out of dumpsters. To create for theater is to watch your work strut its transcendent hour upon the stage before being broken down into its component parts. I have unmade and remade garments over and over in order to breathe life into each new character. In a costume shop “Cabbage” is what remains after you cut a garment; pieces too small to use; tiny moments of the work left behind after its intended purpose has been met.

ABOUT PHEOBE H. BOYNTON

Pheobe is a costume designer and technician with 25 years experience in theater, film, TV, and new media. She is living her best life as the costume shop manager for Theatreworks, making work that aligns with her values of bodily autonomy, sustainability, access, and joy.

Instagram: @obaidafghantreasuresllc