来自纽约剧院的服装在其他剧中找到新的生命

Costumes from New York Theaters Find New Life in Other Plays

In a huge, underground space in New York City, below the largest sound stage east of Hollywood, 80,000 costumes wait for actors to claim them.

This is the TDF Costume Collection, run by the not-for-profit Theater Development Fund¹. The clothing, jewelry², hair pieces and other wearables come from Broadway, Off Broadway, opera, film, and regional productions.

People can pay to use the costumes. But not all people, says collection director Steven Cabral.

"We're not renting for Halloween, and we're not renting for parties with food or liquids where something could happen to the costume. But if you're doing something that seems of an artistic³ nature in some way, we're going to be able to rent to you."

Cabral notes that the collection has a little of everything - from medieval⁴ warrior⁵ wear created in the 1920s to modern ball gowns⁷, and some stranger things.

"That is...yeah, that is an elephant head."

Cabral says TDF got into the costume business in the mid-1960s, when the Metropolitan⁸ Opera was about to move into a new home in Lincoln Center.

The opera house, also known as the Met, had costumes for 22 full operas that officials were not planning on keeping. But they did not want to throw them away either.

So, Cabral says, TDF took on all these old production elements and began to rent them for a very low cost.

High school, college and community theater groups, movie production companies and TV shows have all used costumes in the collection. Opera companies can find almost anything they need at TDF.

Cabral says he got a call after one gown⁶ from a Met production of Lucia di Lammermoor arrived for an opera in the Midwest. It was the opera company director on the phone.

"'You had one of my singers in tears last night.' The person being fitted for this costume was a young opera singer, and when she saw the costume, and saw that it had the Metropolitan Opera label, and it said Lucia, and it said wedding scene, and it said Beverly Sills.

"The young woman broke down because she couldn't believe that she was so fortunate to not only wear Metropolitan Opera, but to wear something owned by Beverly Sills."

Costumes from the Met are built to last, so when they arrive, they go into a small room of "special stock⁹." After these costumes have seen their share of use, they move to another room. And once they start looking pretty worn, they move again. Some even go on sale. Cabral says those twice-yearly sales have a set price for everything a shopper¹⁰ can fit into one bag.

"And the rule is, we just don't ever want to see the costume again."

There is always a new crop of donations¹¹ waiting for space at TDF.

I’m Caty Weaver¹².

Words in This Story

sound stage - n. an area of a movie or television studio for the recording¹³ of sound, typically used to record dialogue?

rent - v. to pay money in return for being able to use?

costume - n. the clothes that are worn by someone (such as an actor) who is trying to look like a different person or thing?

medieval - adj. of or relating to the period of European history from about A.D. 500 to about 1500?

fortunate - adj. coming or happening because of good luck

1 fund   

n.基金，资金，存款，财源，贮藏；vt.提供资金，积累

参考例句：

• They decided to set up a fund for this purpose.他们决定为此专立一项基金。
• This fund may not be drawn on without permission.这笔钱非经批准不得动用。

2 jewelry   

n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝

参考例句：

• The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
• Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。

3 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

4 medieval   

adj.中世纪的，中古（时代）的

参考例句：

• This is a medieval story.这是一个中世纪的故事。
• The museum has a fine collection of medieval ivories.该博物馆收藏着一批精美的中世纪象牙制品。

5 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

6 gown   

n.长袍，特殊场合穿的长服

参考例句：

• She pinned the gown at the neck with a safety pin.她在领子那儿用一枚别针把睡衣别住。
• He threw on his gown.他穿上他的礼服。

7 gowns   

n.（法官、英国律师、大学学生在特别仪式上穿的）长袍( gown的名词复数 )；女长服；（尤指在医院穿的）罩衣；宽松长外衣

参考例句：

• The guests turned up dressed in sumptuous evening gowns. 客人们身着华丽的夜礼服出现了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• "Did you see those two men in black gowns? “看见么？那两个穿黑大衫的。 来自子夜部分

8 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

9 stock   

n.存货，储备；树干；血统；股份；家畜；adj.存货的；平凡的，惯用的；股票的；畜牧的；vt.进货，采购；储存；供给；vi.出新芽；进货

参考例句：

• The shop takes stock every week on Friday mornings.这家商店每星期五早晨盘点存货。
• Experts have forecast an upturn in the stock market.专家已预测股票市场价格有上升趋势。

10 shopper   

n.购物者，顾客

参考例句：

• Hong Kong is a shopper's paradise.香港是购物者的天堂。
• She is one shopper who takes responsibility in bagging her own goods.她是一名承担责任把食品装进袋子的顾客。

11 donations   

n.捐赠( donation的名词复数 )；赠送；捐款；捐赠物

参考例句：

• The hospital receives a good deal of money in donations. 这家医院收到捐赠来的大笔款项。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The charity is completely reliant on public donations. 这一慈善团体完全依靠公众捐款。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

13 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。