From Netflix to Drake’s Stage

After costuming Amy Adams and Mark Wahlberg in feature films, Virginia Johnson gave back to the university that “opened up a whole world” for her.

Person with long blonde hair and sunglasses reading a pink book on grass.

If you’ve seen the Oscar-winning film Spotlight, the Kevin Hart comedy Man From Toronto or the highly acclaimed new Netflix limited series American Primeval, you’ve seen Virginia (V) Bristol Johnson’s work. That perfectly disheveled button-up on Michael Keaton, a bloodied Henley on Hart, or a dramatic fur coat across Taylor Kitsch—they all came under the costume supervision or design of Bristol Johnson, AS’96.

Recently, she brought her big-screen expertise to Drake when she covered a spring sabbatical for another instructor and costumed the University’s production of Legally Blonde. When accepting the temporary position, her mission was to immerse Drake students in the same rigorous wardrobing process that fitted Amy Adams in Hillbilly Elegy and Mark Wahlberg in Patriots Day.

Paulette, as played by Drake theatre student Fiona Bilkey; and Rufus, as played by Griff II.

Photo credit Drake student AJ Speck.

A person pointing excitedly while sitting next to a bulldog wearing a sailor's hat on a bench.

Paulette, as played by Drake theatre student Fiona Bilkey; and Rufus, as played by Griff II.

Photo credit Drake student AJ Speck.

From Netflix to Drake’s Stage

After costuming Amy Adams and Mark Wahlberg in feature films, Virginia Johnson gave back to the university that “opened up a whole world” for her.

Woman with glasses holding a patterned fabric.

Drake alumna Virginia Bristol Johnson returned to Drake’s campus to share her expertise with the next generation of costume designers.

Photo Credit: Photo credit Mel Taing from the ICA-Boston Deep Dive Event: Less is a Bore, 2019.

“I’ve traveled all over the world doing film and television, and I always tell people that I would never have taken that path without my time at Drake,” said Bristol Johnson. “I’ve always wanted an opportunity to give back to the University’s theatre department.”

Bristol Johnson began sewing at age 6, learning from her grandmother during summers spent in rural Iowa. When she was set to attend Drake, Bristol Johnson planned to study biochemistry. However, a serendipitous gig at the University’s costume shop during her first year brought her back to the swatches and patterns that would define her career.

After securing the costume shop job, Bristol Johnson settled into a major in English and theatre with a concentration in cultural studies. That blend of liberal arts, she notes, provided an unexpected yet invaluable foundation for her success. The wide range of classroom experiences, from art history to political science, all informed her costumes, making them grounded and real. Constantly attending film studies screenings at the Varsity Cinema also fueled her love for visual storytelling.

“I think one of the reasons I’ve been successful in this industry is because I took classes in all kinds of different areas, and because a liberal arts college gave me the ability to write about and articulate my design ideas,” said Bristol Johnson. “It really just opened up a whole world for me that I would never have explored.”

“… a liberal arts college gave me the ability to write about and articulate my design ideas.”

Virginia (V) Bristol Johnson, AS′96

Person in a pink dress holding a binder, standing in front of a red-brick building.

Elle Woods, as played by Laura Breyen

Photo credit Drake student AJ Speck.

That exploration came full circle when preparing for Drake’s production of Legally Blonde. Bristol Johnson was able to reunite with fellow alum Napoleon Douglas, who directed the production.

Douglas is a seasoned actor and singer who also serves as artistic director for Pyramid Theatre Company, Iowa’s only Black theatre company. The two professionals sought to deliver students participating in the show a comprehensive, authentic theatre experience.

“I want them to know what it’s like in the real world,” Bristol Johnson said.

“I’ve traveled all over the world doing film and television, and I always tell people that I would never have taken that path without my time at Drake.”

Virginia (V) Bristol Johnson, AS′96

For Legally Blonde, that meant rigorous research into period-specific fashion and mood boards to match. An infamous all-denim 2001 red carpet look by Brittany Spears and Justin Timberlake arose as a key influence.

Once costumes were designed, Johnson’s students photographed them with the same process she uses on Hollywood productions—the same pro-level lighting, cameras, and backdrops. And when students arrived for a 7 a.m. call one Saturday, they found a full spread with breakfast and coffee like Johnson would have on any production.

“I want the students to be treated exactly the same way I would treat my professional team,” Bristol Johnson said. “I want them to know that the faculty and the design team care about them.”

Costuming Legally Blonde presents a unique set of challenges and rewards.

The large cast features 35 actors, including two canine stars–Griff II, Drake’s beloved live mascot, plus a plucky pomeranian named Zaire. It all requires Bristol Johnson to balance creative vision with practical considerations for costumes.

Still, her meticulous measuring process extends to every actor, human or canine.

“I was shocked to learn Griff II had a 20-inch neck,” said Bristol Johnson, who outfitted the Drake icon in a sailor hat for the show. The next-largest neck in the production, a human’s, measured a mere 17 inches. Zaire, the pomeranian, measures 7 inches.

“That’s a big, big span of inches,” Bristol Johnson said, who praised Griff II’s patience with the production—and with adoring students who stopped by for pictures.

“He was such a good sport.”

Drake Broadcasting System news editor Sadie Jones shares a behind-the-scenes look at the Legally Blonde production.

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