Some productions feel like work.
Others feel like love.
Designing costumes for SHe Said—a transformational new rock musical by Jen Ayers, directed by Allison Narver—has been the latter. Pure love.
From the moment I was invited into this process more than four years ago, one thing was clear: SHe Said wasn’t just a rock musical. It was a love story. Yes, it lives in the world of rock music, immersive nightclub energy, and Hedwig-adjacent aesthetics. However, at its core, the story is deeply personal. Inspired by Jen’s own family journey, the musical follows her marriage as it transforms when her husband comes out as transgender. Along the way, it explores love, identity, and radical acceptance. Because of that, my central design question was simple: How will these clothes carry this story?
Since the audience is invited directly into the room with Jen, the costumes had to hold real emotional weight. They needed to feel accessible and authentic. At the same time, they had to be texturally rich and visually interesting—without overpowering the storytelling.
As a result, subtle choices in silhouette, texture, and color became just as important as bold visual moments. These choices help carry the audience into the star-struck intensity of performance. Ultimately, the clothing needed to feel lived-in, chosen, and deeply personal. Most importantly, it had to evolve alongside the characters, rather than announce change with a single reveal.
Meanwhile, the rock-forward band costumes and nightclub setting created space for edge, sensuality, and performance energy. Still, everything remained grounded in truth. My design approach pulled from rock iconography, queer club culture, everyday intimacy, and—above all—the real people inhabiting this story.
At the same time, working with performers who embody heightened versions of themselves is always tender and intimate. This is the work that makes my ticker tick, my heart throb, and my creative juices flow.
Ultimately, this process has been deeply collaborative. It has been built on trust, listening, and care. And it reaffirms why I make theatre at all: to create spaces where audiences feel seen, challenged, and invited to belong through empathy.
SHe Said runs January 14 – February 1, 2026, at INTIMAN at the Erickson Theatre in Seattle. I hope you’ll join us inside this story—loud with heart, intimate by design, and brave in its honesty.