In many organizations, props will collaborate with costumes more than any other department.  Both props and costumes provide the items that are closest to the actor and hence, are most connected to character.   Costume designers use props to help complete a costume ensemble and the items the character carries or uses must be considered and chosen to fit within the definition of that designed look.  Coordination of personal items is often a consideration between the costume designer and the properties director to determine style, color, size and placement such as for a wallet, notebook, briefcase, or knife sheath.  Working with the costume designer follows a similar research, option presentation, and response as with the scenic designer.  The prop shop works to fulfill the look defining the character as designed by the costume designer just as they work to fulfill the setting requirements as designed by the scenic designer.  Often these discussions are a full collaborative discussion and decision making process with both designers and both shops involved.

 

    Is it a prop or a costume?   Generally speaking, if you wear it then it is a costume; if you carry it, it is a prop.   Each theater determines the answer but most regional theatre costume shops have their own costume craft person who deals with these types of crossover requests in collaboration with the prop shop. For example: umbrellas (props) parasols (costumes), flower bouquets (props) boutonnieres (costumes), handbags (costume) suitcase (props), eyeglasses (costume) opera glasses (prop).

 

 

    Masks and puppetry productions usually involve a close collaboration between the prop and costume shops.  For large puppets or units involving internal structuring, the costume shop often relies on the expertise of the prop shop for construction of the framework or armature, while they build the external costume.  Many prop shops build the masks or collaborate with the crafts person in the costume shop at varying levels to complete the mask production.  This may occur by dividing the process into definable processes with the casting of the actor faces done as a team project, the mask forms being built and painted in the prop shop, and the final decoration and fitting of the masks done by costumes.  

 

    Weaponry also presents a challenge to many costume/prop collaborations.  The weapon is always a prop but finding a way for the weapon to be carried or worn by the actor requires a close collaboration between the shops  Belts often fall to the costume shop and a baldric or sword carrier is usually produced in the costume crafts shop so it will look and hang appropriate to the costume.  Communication of weapon size and weight is important for items that are pulled from pockets, concealed in bodices or hidden up a sleeve.

    Holsters must fit specific guns and are usually a prop but must be coordinated with the belt from costumes.  Undercover holsters and the appropriate gun should be provided early on to allow the costume to be fit wearing the weapon.  In the case of military or police officers, the belts holding all the officer equipment requires the close collaboration of shops to provide the correct tactical belt for the uniform with all the accompanying and appropriate handcuffs, holsters, flashlights, keys, radios, ammunition pouch, etc.  The prop shop usually provides the items while the costume shop provides the belt.