Cynthia Nordstrom always wanted to be in entertainment. Little did she know the theater bug would one day lead her to design superhero costumes in Marvel Universe Live!
Born in Cranford and currently residing in Chatham, Nordstrom’s initial hopes were to be an actress, as she frequently performed in Middlesex County’s Plays in the Park every summer.
Her passion soon turned towards fashion and she studied design at Drexel University. “The compromise was I had to be a designer in entertainment,” she says.
Design she did. Nordstrom’s work has been featured in Disney World stage shows, Disney on Ice productions, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey as well as off-Broadway productions, including a stage adaptation of the cult-classic film, Evil Dead: The Musical.
Marvel Universe Live! is a stunt show incorporating many beloved comic book heroes and loathed villains. A number of the show’s characters have made appearances in numerous Marvel movies over the past few years—like Spiderman, Black Widow, Loki and Captain America—but there are plenty less-known characters who only exist on the page. U.S Air Force pilot Carol Danvers, better known as Captain Marvel, makes her debut alongside the evil Madame Hydra and the mysterious Black Cat.
Nordstrom was presented with an intriguing challenge: how would she adapt these colorful characters to the real world? She says having the classic comic art as a blueprint was a great asset, allowing her to build something new and modern off the original design.
“There’s a lot of research involved,” she says. “I used the classic animation and illustration as a starting point, but these old, streamlined designs don’t have a lot of detail. I had to take that to modern day, so a plain belt becomes a utility belt that will help the hero fight. You incorporate items you’d use every day.”
Another job hazard has been converting characters who have only existed on screen thanks to digital effects. Nordstrom was most proud of how she adapted Killian, an Iron Man foe who is portrayed as a burning ember. She wouldn’t reveal his final costume, however.
“You’ll just have to come to the show and see,” she says with a laugh.
Nordstrom’s work is the closest thing to a real life superhero costume since the live arena show incorporates stunts, pyrotechnics, fights and flights. While designing, she utilized material that absorbs shock but is wearable through abrasion—like Kevlar. Each actor’s outfit must have a layer of safety equipment and harnesses, so Nordstrom was challenged with keeping the costume designs true to the originals without making it look cumbersome.
“The trick is to not let it confine you too much,” she says. “The audience has a certain expectation when they come to our show. Unlike animation, the real world gives you much more options in terms of accessories and equipment. They’re not there to see jumpsuits.”
Marvel Universe Live! will hold performances through August 10 at Metlife the Izod Center. If you can’t make it this time around, never fear: the show returns to New Jersey December 10-13 at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall.