My name is Guy Clark, and I work as a costume designer. I learned to sew as a child because my grandmother loved to sew, and I loved to be with her. I often say that if she had loved to cook, I would have become a chef.
After graduating from Sarah Lawrence College, I moved to New York, where my early training in costuming began as a First Hand at Parsons-Meares, Ltd., eventually becoming an assistant to Sally Ann Parsons on many original Broadway productions such as Cats, The Lion King, The Phantom Of The Opera, Passion, and Victor/Victoria, as well as revivals of Grease, and Into The Woods, working with Tony Award winners Willa Kim, Susan Hilferty, Ann Hould Ward, Greg Barnes, and Martin Paklidinas. As a freelancer, I continued to hone my skills, draping costumes of Paul Tazwell’s designs for the original production of The Color Purple. I then expanded on my theater experience while working with fashion designer Kenny Bonavitacola, draping and building many of his designs for private clients, most notably the legendary Aretha Franklin. Ms. Franklin commissioned me to design and build the gown she wore for her performance at the 2007 Grammy Awards ceremony. I also had the honor of building the two gowns Kenny designed for Ms. Franklin to wear to President Obama’s inaugural balls the following year.
After many years in New York, I relocated to Indianapolis to be closer to my family. Since then, I have designed costumes for various productions at the Indiana Repertory Theatre, where I worked as a Draper from 2008 to 2010. I then moved on to managing the Costume Shop until I left in 2023 to pursue more free lance design work.
I have also had the pleasure of working on shows at The Phoenix Theatre, Park Tudor, and Butler University. Additionally, I have designed costumes for several Dance Kaleidoscope concerts, and I am a member of the Indianapolis Shakespeare Company, where I will design costumes for our upcoming production of Love’s Labors Lost in the summer of 2023
Ever since I was young, I have been fascinated by the transformative power of clothing and how it can help us express ourselves in new and exciting ways.
My approach to design is energetically collaborative; by working closely with directors, designers, and performers, I feel best equipped to design costumes that not only look amazing but feel comfortable and inspiring to wear. I enjoy working with performers to understand their practical needs on stage as well as the nuances of a character’s often unspoken desires and motivations.
As a designer, it's important for me to respect and lift up diverse identities. I believe in celebrating that performers come in all colors, shapes and sizes, honoring their right to bodily autonomy and pride. I am committed to working with performers from disenfranchised communities, emphasizing how race, gender, size, age, and ability all inform how we costume ourselves each day. Through extensive research and prioritizing the historical and cultural significance of each character, I hope to create costume designs that are inclusive and empowering, never forgetting the story we have joined together on stage to tell.