What is costume? When you first hear the word, thoughts tend to lean towards costumes: colorful assortments of frivolous or wild clothing, usually worn during some sort of theatrical production or special event. Why is this though? Because since the dawn of time people have used costumes to help tell their stories, myths and legends. Costumes were used to enhance a person's understanding of the stories they were told, making it easier for a person to remember the story and thus making it easier to tell the story again and again. This is how the foundations of theater were formed, and from those stories of thousands of years ago theater evolved into the source of entertainment we all know and love today. Costumes also evolved along with theater, and today there is no show or film on earth that doesn't involve a flashy display of dress somewhere within it. Unlike theatre, however, costume has remained true to its roots throughout the centuries, these roots being its overall purpose, to help the audience understand the story being told. That is why, for me, the use of costumes in theater production is an invaluable element in any type of play, musical, film or drama that is to be performed or shown to the audience. A Brief HistoryThe theater productions we all know so well actually began in 550 BC, in ancient Greece. In Athens, during the Dionysia Festival, live performances were performed which included dancing and re-enactments of popular myths to pay homage to the god of wine, ecstasy and ritual madness, Dionysus. These celebrations usually lasted about a week, after which the best performers were nominated and received some sort of prize. As the celebrations went, the Festiva...... middle of paper....... (ND) A Brief History of Costume in the Theater Retrieved from http://www.clancy.uk.com/cdw /cdwhist6.htmlTheater History Resources (ND) Retrieved from http://www.fragrancex.com/fragrance-information/theater-history-resources.htmlTrumbull E. (2007) Roman Theater and Theater Retrieved from http://novaonline.nvcc .edu/eli/spd130et/roman.htmEagan M. (2014) Iconography as Scenography: The Power of the Iconic Image in Stage Design Retrieved from http://www.artsalive.ca/collections/ costumes/iconografia.php?lang= en&page=1Movie M. (2008) Lessons in Costume Design: Symbolism and Color Retrieved from http://moviemavencostumedesign.blogspot.com/2008/06/lessons-in-costuming-symbolism-color-or.htmlReflecting Historical Periods in Stage Costumes ( 2014) Retrieved from http://www.vam.ac.uk/content /articles/r/reflecting-historical-periods-in-sceno-costume/