This production has some touches that feed the senses, especially in Kristina Martin’s costumes. Amir’s artist wife Emily runs through a contemporary artsy trifecta of romper, jumpsuit, and tunic over pants in delightfully wild designs. Martin tells a great story through Amir’s own shirts as well. European in origin and incredibly expensive, what at first seems like a natty finish is slowly revealed to be an uncomfortable fit, just as the audience discovers Amir’s discomfort in his own world. As Amir’s life crumbles, so do his expensive shirts, not in a screamingly obvious distressed way, but still with a storytelling clarity that reveals smart design.
-Alan Katz, DC Theatre Scene
"Costume Designer Kristina Martin incorporates beautiful brocades and velvets for the Shrew scenes but is also spot-on with the late 1940’s fashion, down to the pin curls and lace gloves."
-Lauren Honeycutt, DCMetroTheaterArts
"Costume Designer Kristina Martin has them in… what else? All black, including killer shoes from local thrift store N’Used, and each one of them looks just fantastic."
-Yvonne French, DCMetroTheaterArts
"Costume Designer Kristina Martin maintains the dark-light contrast, the living-dead blur, with clones of Lily and Mary’s uniformed father everywhere, and just the right touch of fluid red."
-Terry Byrne, DCMetroTheaterArts
Kristina Martin’s costumes provide the perfect dash of Hollywood glamour in both the colored and black/white worlds.
-Katie Bogdan, DCMetroTheatreArts
The final scene articulates her full intention behind the costumes and creates quite the angelic picture. Martin ensures that Denver is featured in a great many iconic looks, including his “mountain home” togs.
-Amanda N. Gunther, theatrebloom.com
Costume Designer Kristina Martin apparels her cast in a variety of outfits that are contemporary, though not quite naturalistic. Togas, begone; these costumes are more like a fashion show in fairyland. Be sure to check out the blood red tones that seem so lively and vital against the cold greens and grays of the underworld.
-Michael Poandl, DCMetroTheaterArts
"Best of all was costume designer Kristina Martin, who gave the pair of performers some especially nice touches, putting the geeky Bud in suspenders with a burgundy velvet bowtie, which may be both the saddest and most perfectly characterizing costume piece I’ve ever seen onstage."
-Alan Katz, DC Theatre Scene
Costume Design by Kristina Martin is quite appropriate, and, though fashionable, breezy, and fun, you won’t be seeing any togas on this stage. All attire is modern business attire or modern casual and all of the actors seem rather comfortable in their wardrobe. Though using a traditional design for a Shakespeare work is all well and fine and, of course, works, it’s nice to see that Martin uses an updated design that is just as effective, if not more effective in bringing a modern day audience to a better understanding of the piece.
Jason Crawford Samios-Uy, Backstage Baltimore
The production of Disgraced has added vitality with Costume Designer Kristina Martin defining outfits for each of the characters. The outfits “say” plenty about each character and their journey through the play. Martin’s costumes accentuate a character’s changes. They also easily depict power and powerlessness if one looks closely, rather than just at the mere beauty of things.
-David Siegel, DCMetroTheaterArts
Kristina Martin devised the costumes, which add hints of nostalgia and dream logic. Even after leaving the production, theatergoers may find themselves haunted by the image of Eurydice, in a bright red dress, balancing a translucent umbrella upside down in the pool. The umbrella floats there for a moment, like a boat on the river Styx.
-Celia Wren, Washington Post
Costumer Designer Kristina Martin accomplishes the task of outfitting the titular quartet to look their finest, toeing the fine line of iconic symbols and earnest human beings in her sartorial selections.
-Amanda N. Gunther, theatrebloom.com
Costumes by Kristina Martin are not only great nods to the forties, but chosen to accent the individual actors’ figures. Everyone is dressed to the nines here, and I’d wager some of the actors would secretly like to take their costumes home after the end of the run.
-Jill Kyle-Keith, DC Theatre Scene
"Martin, who keeps to the vibrant albeit garish color schema of the 70’s, finds her niche in plaids—both in dinner jackets and skirts—whereas Madsen focuses more on the swirls of ostentatious paisley. Both designers keep the aesthetic on-point for such a high-tension drama, giving the players a welcoming atmosphere in which to play."
-Amanda N. Gunther, theatrebloom.com
Lighting designer, AnnMarie Castrigno and costume designer, Kristina Martin, are stars on their own, creating the “reel” world of black and white tones, and the “real” world, full of color and brightly lit, sometimes at the same time.
-Lynne Menefee, MD Theatre Guide
"Kristina Martin’s beautifully designed costumes offer a wry commentary on the lack of justice in a world gone mad, with More and his family literally going from riches to rags while their opponents increase in wealth and splendor."
-Gina Dalfonzo, DCMetroTheaterArts
