Mark Zappone, the Costume Designer for Grassville
A Career in the Surreal
A Fall Series preview for Saint Louis Dance Theatre’s “Behind the Curtains”
Programming note: Start with our Q&A with Mark Zappone for a conversation about Grassville, then dive into this broader feature for context.
Audiences often leave a performance inspired by the dancers, yet costumes are just as vital to what we see and feel. Costume designer for Grassville, Mark Zappone, has spent decades shaping the fabrics, textures, and colors that support movement, amplify expression, and bring choreography fully to life.
From Architecture to Costume Shop
Zappone’s path to costume design began with blueprints, not bodices. Trained in architecture, he was drawn to proportion, line, and the way design shapes human experience. That eye for structure eventually brought him into theater costume shops in Seattle, where he discovered how fabric could become another kind of architecture, one that flexes and breathes with the body.
Early in his career, he left the Pacific Northwest for Europe, managing costume shops with Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo and even working on large-scale productions with Holiday on Ice. Those years taught him the rigors of building costumes that are both durable and dazzling, able to withstand nightly performances while still evoking theatrical magic. Returning to Seattle, he built his reputation with Pacific Northwest Ballet, where his skill in both designing and constructing costumes made him an indispensable collaborator.
A Career in Collaboration
Zappone is sought after by some of today’s most inventive choreographers: Christopher Wheeldon, Edwaard Liang, Yuri Possokhov, and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, among many others. His portfolio spans everything from Balanchine classics to surrealist dreamscapes, yet his throughline is collaboration. He thrives on translating a choreographer’s visual or emotional concept into fabrics that support rather than overwhelm.
This approach has led to close partnerships, particularly with Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. Over the years she has brought him daring images; while he has brought textures and silhouettes to support the dancers movement art. He has said before that “nothing is more pleasing than pleasing a dancer.”
Entering Grassville
For Grassville, Zappone faced a challenge distinct from many of his past projects: the costumes had to anchor elaborate headpieces that define the work’s surreal landscape. The solution: keeping the garments unified so that the focus would remain on the plant-based wigs or "hairactures." This is where artistry meets craft. The dancer feels supported, the choreographer’s vision remains clear, and Zappone shapes the garment so it enhances the performance.
Costume design and inspiration for Grassville
Why It Matters
Zappone’s career reminds us that dance is never just steps. It’s about the total world on stage—bodies, music, light, and yes, fabric. Costumes can tilt a ballet toward glamour, fable, fantasy, or surrealism. In Grassville, they tilt toward the dream-logic of Dalí, an off-kilter elegance that transforms the familiar houseplant, letting audiences see it as something new and exotic—and reminding us of life's mysteries.
Experience a World Premiere in St. Louis
Grassville premieres Nov. 14–16, 2025 at COCA’s Catherine B. Berges Theatre.
For more, read our Q&A with Mark and follow our rehearsal diary on Instagram and Facebook.