Costumes created by fans of TORn received five major awards at BayCon 21, the San Francisco Bay Area Science Fiction and Fantasy Conference, held in San Jose California between May 23-26 2003.
Over thirty individuals and team entries competed for prizes in the Novice and Professional classes. Entrants were judged on technical costume making, and on over-all presentation in front of an audience. According to Trystan Bass of the Greater Bay Area Costuming Guild, one of the event’s sponsors, the quality of this year’s costume entries were the best in over ten years.
Best of Show was won by the One Ring Circus, a group of ten who portrayed members of the Fellowship and performed a hilarious skit to the tune of “The Pitch (Spectacular Spectacular)” from the motion picture Moulin Rouge, as if Peter Jackson was “pitching “Lord of the Rings” to New Line. Spectacular is the only word for their costumes, too. Members of the troupe included Carolyn Staehle (Frodo), Leah Jakusovsky (Sam), Kelly Bolton (Merry), Cathleen Trowbridge (Pippin), Mitch Steinberger (Aragorn), Aimee Steinberger (Arwen), Kelly Lima (Eowyn), Gordelia Willis (Legolas), A.J. Wu (Ringwraith) and Gimli (Judi Grivich). (See http://oneringcircus.stitchinbabes.com/orcindex.html for
lyrics and more photos).
Best Fantasy Novice was a tie between two entries. Philip Gust as Theoden, who performed the famous “Arise, riders of Theoden!” speech. In a separate entry, Kathe Gust as Eowyn dramatized the moment when Eowyn first resolves to go into battle. (See http://celefinniel.webhop.net for more photos and costume descriptions).
Best Workmanship, Professional Class went to Judi Givich as Gimli for her stunningly accurate recreation of John Rhys Davies’ dwarf costume and makeup. The costume was complete with hand-made chain mail, leather work, shoes, helmet, beard, wig, and facial prosthetics.
Best Workmanship, Novice Class went to Philip Gust as Theoden. The costume, created by Kathe Gust, was a near-perfect replica of Bernard Hill’s costume, with hand sewn gold trims on the green wool cloak and brown velvet surcoat, a hand embroidered horse patterns on the neck and front of the leather-laced black under tunic, brooch, boots, sword, and belt.
The Greater Bay Area Costuming Guild’s Rising Star Award was given to Kathe Gust as Eowyn for her recreation of Miranda Otto’s court dress of greenvelvet, with brocade underskirt and lined front skirt panel and sleeves, hand sewn gold yoke trim, boots, jeweled belt and necklace.
Also competing were Jeanette Peters as Arwen, and Sam Peters as Gaffer Gamgee, with prosthetic hobbit feet and a long pipe.
Silviane Mann-Willrich as a Elven Maiden won a special “hall costuming award” presented to costumed participants for notable costumes spotted by special judges while walking around BayCon.
