Intimate Apparel

Mainstage Irving-Las Colinas
2023

Special Note

Set Designer: Ellen Doyle Mizener
Set Dresser: Joseph Cummings

Reviews

"Multi-level scenic design by Ellen Doyle Mizener with set dressing by Joseph Cummings and richly detailed costumes by Michael A. Robinson, along with the splendidly intermittent rear wall projections, take the audience into a believable and intriguing 1905 reality."

Alexandra Bonifield, Critical Rant & Rave

Synopsis

"Intimate Apparel" is a poignant drama written by Lynn Nottage that explores themes of loneliness, longing, and the pursuit of love and connection. Set in New York City in the early 20th century, the play follows Esther, an African-American seamstress who creates beautiful lingerie for wealthy clients and dreams of finding true love. Despite her skill with fabric and needle, Esther struggles to find a meaningful connection in her own life. As she navigates relationships with her clients, including a wealthy socialite and a lonely Jewish fabric merchant, Esther finds herself drawn to George, a Caribbean laborer working on the Panama Canal. Their long-distance courtship through letters brings hope and excitement, but when George finally arrives in New York, Esther discovers that their realities may not align as she had hoped. "Intimate Apparel" is a tender and intimate exploration of love, desire, and the complexities of human relationships in a changing world.