IMPORTANT:  PLEASE NOTE -
This costume plot is a “suggested” design interpretation of your production and may differ greatly from the Costume World stock. To guarantee a costume selection that is in closest possible accordance with your specifications, our Designer/Costumer will advise you of the costume options currently available.

Showboat Costume Plot
By: Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II

ACT I, Scene 1: (The Levee at Natches on the Mississippi in the 1880’s)

Queenie:
A cook. Cotton dress, apron and bandanna
Parthy Ann:
Severe bustle day dress
Julie:
Leading Lady. Elegant bustle day dress, hat and parasol
Ellie:
Flashy looking bustle day dress, mid calf length with hat
Magnolia:
Sailor type with modest bustle back. Preferably pink
Singing Girls:
Dressed up in good looking bustle day dresses with hats, bags and parasols
Dancing Girls:
Similar to singers, ¾ length
Black Chorus:
Cotton work dresses with aprons. Some with hats and reticules
Steve:
Frock suit with vest and hat
Pete:
Striped sweater, sailor pants ad kerchief
Windy:
Pilot’s pea jacket, shirt, dark pants and cap
Captain Andy:
Blue Captain’s coat, period naval cap and trousers
Frank:
Ellie’s Partner. Loud period suit, bowler and spats.
Galord Ravenal:
Walking suit, with vest, hat and cane
Rubber Face:
Period shirt, bowtie and sailor pants
Joe:
A Stevedore. Work shirt, work pants and straw hat
Sheriff Vallon:
Black frock coat, dark pants, odd vest, felt hat and star
Dancers:
Good looking frock suits
Singing Men:
In assorted frock and sack suits, hat, balance in band uniforms
Black Chorus:
Stevedores. Work shirts, odd pants, hats and bandannas

ACT I, Scene II: (The Kitchen pantry of the "Cotton Blossom". Five Minutes Later)

Queenie: Repeat
Magnolia: Repeat
Julie: Repeat
Joe: Repeat
Black Chorus: Repeat

ACT I, Scene III: (The Auditorium and Stage of the "Cotton Blossom". One Hour Later)

Magnolia:
Adds hat and cloak
All Others: Repeat

ACT I, Scene IV: The box office on the Foredeck, three weeks later

Ellie:
Fancy, danceable day dress and hat. ¾ length
Parthy:
Another period day dress, hat, bag, gloves and parasol
Queenie: Repeat
Singing Girls: Repeat
Dancing Girls:
Assorted mid calf length dresses with bustles, hats, parasols and gloves.
Black Singers: Repeat
Frank:
Another period suit to coordinate with Ellie’s costume
Captain Andy: Repeat
Two Backwoodsmen:
Loud checked shirts, felt hats, trousers
Singing Boys: Repeat
Dancing Boys:
Dress up suits to coordinate with girls
Black Singers: Repeat

ACT I, Scene V: The Auditorium and Stage During "The Parson’s Bride", that night.

Parthy: Repeat
Ellie:
As Emma. Simple 1860 hoop dress
Magnolia:
As Lucy. Simply 1860 hoop dress
The Backwoodsmen: Repeat
Captain Andy: Repeat
Seth:
Frock or sack suit repeated from Act I, Scene I Chorus.
Ravenal:
As Parson Brown. Frock suit, clerical bib, collar and hat
Frank:
As Egbert. Traditional villain’s tail suit, top hat and cape
Joe: Repeat

The Audience. REPEAT ACT I, Scene 1

ACT I, Scene VI: The Top Deck. Later that night

Magnolia:
Young looking, simple, attractive negligee
Ravenal:
Vest, trousers, shirt with flowing sleeves
Windy: Repeat

ACT I, Scene VII: The Levee at Greenville. The next morning

Ellie:
Pretty, calf length period dress
Magnolia:
Period wedding dress and veil
Parthy:
"Sunday best" dress, hat, gloves and parasol
Captain Andy:
White very formal uniform and cap
Rubber Face: Repeat
Windy: Repeat
Queenie:
In her "Sunday best" dress. Could be bustle styling
Singing and Dancing Girls:
Some as bridesmaids and some in "Sunday best"
Black Chorus:
Light colored summer bustle dresses, dressed up version of Act I, Scene 1
Frank:
Good looking colored cutaway suit and hat
Ravenal:
Period "Wedding suit", possibly in gray and hat
Sheriff Vallon: Repeat
Joe:
Repeat, but adds best jacket he has
Pete: Repeat
Singing Boys: Repeat
Dancing Boys:
Period dress-up suits
Black Chorus:
Mixed and matched period suits and cutaways

ACT II, Scene 1: The Midway, Chicago World’s Fair, 1893.

Magnolia:
Rich, but modest, town dress, hat, parasol and gloves
Parthy:
Good looking 1890 period town dress, hat, parasol with bag and gloves
Singing Girls:
Colorful 1890 period day dress with hats and parasols
Dancing Girls:
Congress of beauties as assigned as well as Fatima strong woman and other side show characters
Captain Andy:
Gay looking and sporty sack suit and hat
Ravenal:
Another good looking cutaway suit, hat and stick
Singing Boys:
Good looking 1890 sack and cutaway suits ad hats
Dancing Boys:
As singers and barkers, other side show characters
Sports:
Cutaway suits and hats
Dahomey "Savages":
Pseudo African "Savage" costumes - dancers and singers

ACT II, Scene II: A Room on Ontario Street, 1904

Ellie:
Very well dressed outfit with hat, bag, furs and accessories
Magnolia:
Slightly shabby period suit with shirt waist blouse, hat, bag and wrap
Ethel:
A servant. Simple ankle length dress and apron
Landlady:
Severe dress and shawl
Frank:
Very loud suit and vest, derby hat, top coat with fur collar

ACT II, Scene III: Rehearsal Room Trocadero Music Hall. A few days later

Julie:
Attractive period dress, slightly fast looking and low cut, hat, bag and cloak
Magnolia: Repeat ACT II, Scene II
Dancing Girls:
Period practice clothes, tights, leg-o-mutton sleeves, etc.
Jake:
Loud suit, sleeve garters, period suit with derby
Jim:
Period suit, odd vest and derby
Frank:
Repeat ACT II, Scene II
Charlie:
Doorman’s Uniform with cap
Young Man:
A Guitarist, period suit and cap

ACT II, Scene IV: St. Agatha’s Convent. About the same time

Kim:
Convent uniform, black hose and cape
Mother Superior:
Nun’s habit
Chorus:
Nun’s habits
Ravenal:
Somber, but well dressed, period business suit

ACT II, Scene V:

Captain Andy:
Period evening tails
Magnolia:
Elegant understated period evening gown. Aigrette headpiece and long gloves
Ellie:
¾ length cake walk costume with shirt and hat
Singing Chorus:
Assorted period evening gowns
Dancing Girls:
Cakewalk costumes
Jim:
Period tails
Frank:
Cake walk costume to complement Ellie’s
Singers:
Period evening tails
Dancers:
Period tails or cake walk costumes
Waiters:
Mess jackets, waiter’s trousers
Captain Andy’s Girls:
Vulgar and overdone period evening gowns

ACT II, Scene VI: Stern of the Show Boat, 1927

Queenie:
Period housedress, apron, head kerchief
Joe:
Change of work clothes, soft felt hat

ACT II, Scene VII: Top Deck of the Cotton Blossom, that night

Captain Andy:
Repeat uniform with blue coat
Ravenal:
Well dressed, but slight shabby tuxedo or suit

ACT II, Scene VIII. The Levee at Greenville, the next night

Parthy:
1920 Evening gown with low cut back
Kim:
Fancy 1920 dress, to be danced in
Ellie:
Fancy over done 1920 dress with wrap and headpiece
Magnolia:
Elegant and soft 1920 evening gown
Old Lady:
Old fashioned 1900 black dress and shawl
Queenie:
Simple silk dress
Captain Andy:
Period tuxedos
Ravenal:
Period suit
Joe:
Adds jacket over ACT II, Scene VI
Singing and Dancing Boys:
1920’s tuxedos
Singing and Dancing Girls:
1920 Evening gowns
Negro Chorus:
Dress-up street clothes, New Orleans style