For those of us unfortunate sods who had the additional burden of being responsible for the costumes in the summit stretch exercise, we will most likely have in our notebooks a painstaking description of the stretches, who they were assigned to, and all of the additional behavioral shit that was tailor made to each person. (Although I do believe that other people have that in their notebooks who didn't have to help with costumes. Not sure on that.)
I was one of those people. I had to help the staff participant. (You know, the one who goes through everything with your peer group.) She was in charge of the costumes.
However, not every summit utilized every stretch. There were too many of them.
So, this is a call to all of those costume mules out there who still have their notebooks. Let's pool our resources and see if we can discover every stretch. Granted, none of them will be completely the same, because there were tasks that were assigned to that person based on how the staff viewed their behavior.... or something opposite their behavior, in an effort to take them out of their "comfort zone."
In addition, some characters were unisex. i.e. they had male and female versions, such as raggedy ann and andy, pinnochio and pinnochia, etc.
The other thing that blew me away about this was the ridiculous amount of minutia that had to be dealt with in the construction of our costumes. A task that we only had a few hours to accomplish.
Before I list our stretches, here is a copy of the guidelines:
Totally in agreement. No private areas or possessions are to be taken. Both lodges, decks and major work areas are off limits. No one is to know what is going on. All agreements are in effect. Totally responsible for buddy. Taped area is off limits. Costumes made to last. Have 3 hours to do this stretch. At 1:15, no one is left in this room.
Anyway, here were the stretches in my workshop:
Superman comes to party dressed as Clark Kent working on assignment. Brings newspaper. Wears hat. Rumpled suit. Unsure, insecure. Clark Kent must bring a phone booth. Must be big enough to change in. Wear superman clothes. Once he changes, say superman speech "faster than a speeding bullet.." Find someone in distress and do a good deed. Then changes back to Clark Kent and looks for Lois.
Pinnochia must dress as a little girl. Shorts w/suspenders. Knee socks. shoes. strings attached to every major joint in her body. She wants to become real. Has nose that grows every time she lies or manipulates. The bigger the nose, the less real she is. Sings "I got no strings". Skips around party and lies, tells untrue stories, flirts with guys. When they respond, she rejects them. She is in charge of the girls bathroom.
Peter Pan: Come to party dressed in green pixie tunic exactly thigh length. Green tights. Pointy hat w/feather. Green shoes (elfin). Also must bring an attached shadow. Spend time at party being fun and irresponsible kid, singing "I won't grow up". Must bring a hand made gift for everyone at party.
Winnie the Pooh comes dressed like a bear, overstuffed. Real chubby. Whiskers. Bear ears. Has a shirt that says Pooh. (It's a) little too small. Has honey pot. Trying to get everyone to like his honey. Kind until someone says "no" and then he explodes on them, then goes into corner and pouts, "nobody loves me, nobody understands me, I can't trust anybody." Then goes back to party. He carries sack with him, his precious shit. Weighs a minimum of 10 pounds. Tries to make everyone else feel sorry for him. (Weight that represents shit.)
Dudley Doright wears a red jacket w/black chest band. Wears gun. Black pants with single stripe goes down the outside. Badge. Mountee cap. White gloves. Shiny boots. Brings his horse. Impeccably dressed. Must have a whistle. Any time at the party blows his whistle 3 times. Shouts "I am right, and you are wrong. When you are wrong, I am right. Because I'm Dudley Doright of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police." (Also) looking for Sweet Nell.
Luke Skywalker wears total white including the shoes. Luke looks at and sees only the light in people. Very neat and clean. Will receive a manicure from somebody else invited. Says "May the force be with you." Sings the star wars theme music until he finds someone in trouble, helps them, and moves on. Must come with a light saber that really sheds light. Talks about forgiveness and the force within. Periodically, he will be overcome by dark force from past and must fight Darth. After each battle, make peace and move on.
Cinderella wears Cinderella cleaning woman rags. Cleaning floor, keeping room clean and neat. Supplies, cleaning stuff. Down and messy hair. Constantly facing floor, talks about how sad her life is. Talks about her mother. How she always wants to quit. When Luke says "May the force be with you and you are beautiful", she turns into a princess. High heels, hair out of face. Tiara. Long gown. Dance with your prince at the ball. Doesn't stay Cinderella. Someone gongs clock 12 times. She must turn back into cleaning woman before 12.
King Arthur. Party in Camelot. Host of the party. Dress as king w/cape, crown, shoes. Very neat. Carries excalibur. Represents love and generosity. Brings shield w/eagle & heart. Goes to all characters - talks about Camelot, the dream, round table, importance of knights, says "this is the time of King Arthur, and by god, I shall be king." Gets royal haircut from Pinnochia. Will get a royal manicure from a character.
Indiana Jones wears leather jacket, whip gloves. Hat that Indy would wear. Boots and a gun. Come with real hair on his chest and arms. Dashing, handsome, adventurous. Takes chances, nothing he won't do. Looking for Ark. (It) represents all the love and peace in world. Must bring ark - includes secrets of peace. Talks of all the women waiting for him in all parts of the world. Comes with a black book with 8 (at least) names, address and phone numbers of girls waiting for him.
Annie Oakley: She is nothing but fun, outrageous, wild, (tells) dirty jokes. Out of control. Wears cowgirl hat. Two guns. Wears vest, cowgirl shirt. Cowgirl boots with spurs. Wears hair in two braids with two bows. Direct power into life. Fun, outrageous and obnoxious. Always saying "I have the power to do anything I want, anytime I want to." Brings her own dead horse. When she feels especially bitchy, she kicks dead horse. Assisting with all of the costumes.
Tarzan wears leopard skin loincloth, long and untidy hair, bare-chested, bare-legged. Brings club and vine that he swings on. Outrageous and powerful. Looking for adventure. Tries to bring value and beauty. Yells tarzan call. Looking for Jane. Can only use primitive, jungle-like phrases. Must bring a cage. He gets into his cage, starts talking about negative thinking and about how he tricks people to think he's giving. Also wear 6 inch key, so he can get himself out.
Raggedy Andy wears exactly Raggedy Andy (clothes). Shorts with suspenders, red and white striped shirt, red yarn for hair, big smile, lashes painted on eyes, big rouge cheeks. Come with knee socks that match shirt. Little boy type shoes. Sailor cap that wont fall off. Completely silent. Anybody can play with you, drag you around, put you into any position they want.
Dorothy wears cute knee-length dress, ruby slippers. Wears her hair in braids with matching bows. Little white ankle socks. Brings her dog Toto in a basket. Always singing "Somewhere over the rainbow". Knows song by heart. Looking outside of herself for her home. Sometimes stands and clicks her heels together 3 times with hands on cheeks, saying "There's no place like home." Kind to everyone at the party. Looking for Oz. When she's scared she goes to Oz. Talks about how home is within each of us. Talks about how we each have a home inside of us. In charge of putting away all costumes.
Quasimodo has a hump, drags himself around, really ugly and distorted. Wears cape with hood. Drools. Has beauty inside and he wants to share it with people. Brings a little bell that he rings. Every time he rings it, he says "sanctuary". He likes to touch the beauty of people at the party and of course they run away. Keep break room in order, helps put costumes back.
Scarecrow: stuffed with man made straw. Clumsy, tripping all the time, dependent on dorothy. Trying to find Oz to get his brain. Sings "If I only had a brain." Every time he falls, says "I'm so stupid, I'll never get this right." When he sees everyone else enjoying life, he goes into a rage for at least 15 seconds. Responsible to clean up room after party and the boys bathroom.
Wizard of Oz: Man of many faces. Has all kinds of contraptions to make noise, flashing lights. Stays behind a stationary screen at all times. He's always giving answers to people that are confusing, elaborate, dishonest answers. Wizardly language. Must have directions for dorothy to go home. Has a Phd of psychology for scarecrow. This Oz is very disconnected. He becomes unplugged. Has extension cord tied around his waist. Occasionally he comes out from behind screen, has hysterical fit. Then says "Don't pay any attention to that man behind the screen."
Glenda: Good witch with bad witch blood. Wears long beautiful gown, high heels, hair up on her head. Wears tiara. Smiles at everyone. Makes nasty put-downs, rejections, constantly with a smile. Very kind to the Oz group, though. Finds fault with everyone. Doesn't use foul language. Brings a fishing pole. Has at least 6 hooks on the pole. Each has a beautiful red heart on it, with names of boys she's hooked. Each heart is two inches in width. Brings four different witch outfits with obvious design labels. Assist with the girls bathroom.
Tin Man wears tin all over his body. Totally covered. Must carry oil can and safe axe. Looking for his heart. Sings "If I only had a heart". Wears funnel. Very protective of all Oz characters. Every time he is touched, he cries and rusts. Goes to Oz to get heart. Oiled by dorothy. Will receive haircut from Annie Oakley.
Wonder Woman has silver bracelets, big, 2 inches thick. Represents her power. Wears leotard tights with boots. Wide, sparkling headpiece, huge belt buckle, stars all over her leotard top. At least a dozen. Has a lasso. Whoever she catches in her lasso must tell the truth. Sings wonder woman song and twirls. Can't quite give to herself. After someone tells the truth, she doubts herself and says to herself "I tricked him/her. I can't trust my own power." Gives very powerful manicure to Luke and Arthur. Must be in charge of costumes. Bring at least 21 toll house cookies 3" in diameter.
Mad Hatter. Wear white shirt, vest, bow tie, top hat w/large rabbit ears. Have 8" diameter pocket watch w/chain, shiny shoes, exactly 15" long, w/nice slacks. Constantly in motion. Says "There's never enough" and "I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date." Speaks very fast. Dings 12 times for cinderella. Rings phone for Clark Kent. "Never enough time."
Mr. Rogers: Wear nice pair of slacks, coat and tie and nice pair of polished shoes. Create space in party that represents his home. When enters, change into a button down sweater and sneakers. Sings "A beautiful day in the neighborhood." Speaks very slowly. Very safe to be around him. Very safe and slow. Gentle. Brings everyone into his home to show all the toys for children. Tells them stories. Has written 3 stories that he reads to people when they visit him. Whenever he comes out, he has to change. Tries to get people to come to his home.
I actually started to feel ill writing this. I used to look upon the stretch experience as really the only relatively fun thing in the summit. Then when I read my notebook again I was like "Wow, this is uh... pretty sadistic." and remembered how exhausting the party was, how we were scrambling to get our costumes together. How we had to present our costumes to the staff, which they went over meticulously, looking for any error or inaccuracy that did not meet the assigned guidelines. i.e. the tin man's armor keeps falling off, Wonder Woman's toll house cookies aren't 3" in diameter, etc. Then we had to go back and fix whatever they found wrong with it before the party could start. And then the party itself was so fucking draining, going around having to repeat the same actions, loudly, to music. Or, in the case of raggedy andy, do nothing at all and let people touch you and move you around.
Whatever. I was wrong. It was not fun. It never was. The only bright moment was that some people did their stretch brilliantly in terms of utilizing some really great humor. The guy in our group who had to be the wizard was the best by far, because he was really creative and could come up with a lot of very funny contraptions. It also seemed that he was making fun of the fact that he was assigned this silly thing to begin with.