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While working on Theater Camp, costume designer Michelle J. Li had the opportunity to visit her high school theater department to gain inspiration and authenticity for her designs. Li, who comes from a theater background and attended Carnegie Mellon drama school, always knew she would end up in a creative field despite the stereotype that Asian immigrant parents discourage careers in entertainment. Through her work on star-studded projects such as Nora From Queens and Shiva Baby, Li now finds herself as the costume designer for Theater Camp, a comedy film starring Ben Platt and Molly Gordon.
The film, set in upstate New York, follows the quirky staff of a rundown theater camp as they join forces with the camp’s “crypto-bro” son to save the beloved summer camp. Li believes that comedy is both overrated and underrated as a genre, as it has the power to address sensitive social issues in a lighthearted and amusing way. She finds the cast of Theater Camp, with their intense dedication to their roles, particularly amusing. Despite their young age, these characters treat their work at the camp as a matter of life or death.
Having grown up in New York, Li has always been surrounded by theater. Her family made it a tradition to attend Broadway shows every Christmas, providing her with a wealth of experiences and images to draw upon for her work on Theater Camp. To further immerse herself in the world of young theater enthusiasts, Li visited her former high school theater department to observe current trends in costumes. This trip down memory lane led her to reminisce about her own theater experiences, including her role as the Tin Man in a production.
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One of the highlights of working on Theater Camp for Li was designing the show T-shirts for Ben Platt’s character, Amos. In the film, Amos and Rebecca Diane, played by Molly Gordon, have been attending the camp for 11 years and create an original musical every summer. Platt provided Li with a list of fictional musicals and asked her to choose her favorites to turn into T-shirts. This collaborative process allowed Li to inject her own creativity into the project by designing the graphics and taglines for each T-shirt. Some of the chosen musical titles include “A Hanukkah Divorce” and “The Briefcase, The Door & the Salad.”
In addition to the T-shirts, Li took it upon herself to hand tie-dye all the camp shirts, rather than taking the quicker route of buying pre-made tie-dye shirts. She wanted to add an element of authenticity to the mockumentary-style film and envisioned the campers bonding over a tie-dye activity, with each shirt representing a unique creation. Li even painted her own hand and added handprints to the shirts to signify the fun summer activity.
Li’s journey to becoming a costume designer was not a straightforward one. Growing up, she was not aware that pursuing costume design as a profession was an option. Her immigrant parents, like many others, discouraged careers in entertainment due to financial instability. However, Li was fortunate enough to receive their support in pursuing her artistic passions. Throughout her career, Li has drawn inspiration from a wide range of influences, constantly honing her craft to become the talented costume designer she is today.
Working on Theater Camp has allowed Li to tap into her own theater kid background and collaborate with a cast that includes Ben Platt and Molly Gordon. This comedic film has not only provided Li with the opportunity to showcase her skills but has also allowed her to connect with other Asian-American filmmakers and experience personal and professional growth. By expanding her repertoire and taking on diverse projects, Li continues to make a name for herself in the entertainment industry.
