Charles Guiteau, Leon Czolgosz, and John Wilkes Booth from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

John Wilkes Booth rendering from Sondeheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

John Wilkes Booth from Sondeheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Samuel Byck rendering from Sondeheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Samuel Byck from Sondeheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Samuel Byck from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Samuel Byck and Nixon from Sondeheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Leon Czolgosz rendering from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Leon Czolgosz from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Charles Guiteau research board from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Charles Guiteau rendering from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Charles Guiteau from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

John Hinckly costume rendering from Assassins, design by Katharine Tarkulich

John Hinckley, Jr. from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Squeaky Fromme research board from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Squeaky Fromme rendering from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Squeaky Fromme from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Sarah Jane Moore rendering from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Sarah Jane Moore from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Sarah Jane Moore and Squeaky Fromme from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Lee Harvey Oswald Rendering from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Lee Harvey Oswald from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Giuseppe Zangara rendering from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Giuseppe Zangara from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Giuseppe Zangara and Proprietor from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Proprietor from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

President Rendering from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Balladeer and Abraham Lincoln from Sondeheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Sarah Jane Moore and President Ford from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Ensemble from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Emma Goldman from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Leon Czolgosz and Emma Goldman from Sondheim's Assassins, costume design by Katharine Tarkulich

Assassins

The costume design process began with in-depth research on each of the historical characters. The assassins wore black, white, and red: black and white for the way they viewed the world and red for their passion. The Proprietor was dressed in black and white because of his cold and calculating character. The ensemble wore shades of gray, both to represent the way they viewed the world and to allow them to fade into the background the way the rest of the population faded for the assassins. The Balladeer moved between the world of the assassins and the ensemble, so he wore elements of both. The President wore one navy pin-striped suit for the entire show, only changing hats and the color of his tie depending on the president portrayed.