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"The Masque of the Red Death", originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death" (1842), is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plague known as the Red Death by hiding in his abbey. He, along with many other wealthy nobles, has a masquerade ball within seven rooms of his abbey, each decorated with a different color. In the midst of their revelry, a mysterious figure disguised as a Red Death victim enters and makes his way through each of the rooms. Prospero dies after confronting this stranger, whose "costume" proves to have nothing tangible inside it; the guests also die in turn. The story follows many traditions of Gothic fiction and is often analyzed as an allegory about the inevitability of death, though some critics advise against an allegorical reading.
This production was performed as an interactive fashion show masquerade at the California Institute of the Arts in 2006. It involved the collaboration of many costume designers, choreographers, and performers. E.B. Brooks designed the five princesses inspired by the popular Disney characters using re-purposed prom dresses. Original fabric designed by J.R. Smith and Sean Price.
CalArts 2006 Masquerade Ball
Director: J.R. Smith
Costume Design: E.B. Brooks