Costumes That Speak: Roger Teng抯 Theater of Identity
You may have seen his costume designs on stage without realizing they came from the hands of a Taiwanese designer.
Roger Teng, currently based in New York, is an emerging designer in the theater world. A graduate of NYU抯 Design for Stage and Film program, he recently contributed to the costume team for Lincoln Center抯 production of Floyd Collins.
Broadway is known for its tight production schedules and low tolerance for mistakes since everything is live. Productions often favor seasoned designers and place high expectations on every team member. Professionals in this space must excel in design and character analysis, while also being strong collaborators. Still under 30, Roger is the kind of talent who meets and often exceeds those standards.
Behind his early success lies Roger抯 decade-long passion for musical theater and a unique philosophy of costume design that sets him apart.
Wicked: The Moment of Awakening
Roger抯 first encounter with theater came not backstage, but from the audience. It was his first-ever Broadway musical: Wicked. That night in the theater, he had an epiphany. The costumes weren抰 just beautiful. They were like letters written to the audience, narrating each character抯 story. Every detail spoke of a character抯 background, personality, and fate, from colors to silhouettes, textures to movements.
That night, he realized: 揅ostumes don抰 just look good. They tell stories.
From then on, he no longer wanted to just watch from the audience. He wanted to be part of the storytelling. He worked tirelessly and was accepted into NYU抯 prestigious graduate program in Costume Design. In a twist of fate, he eventually became a student of the very designer behind Wicked.
But the real challenge began after graduation. Roger quickly discovered that passion and instinct were no longer enough. In the professional world, designs need to be logical, persuasive to directors and creative teams, and capable of solving technical issues on the spot. 揑t used to be about drawings on paper. Now it抯 about fabrication and being able to realize the choices.
That awakening fueled his passion, while years of training sharpened his skills and helped him form his design philosophy.
To Roger, costumes are never just surface-level decoration; they抮e extensions of the character抯 soul. 揥ho are you? Where are you from? What do you believe in? All of that flows into his designs.
Costumes That Breathe: Storytelling Through Fabric
In Roger抯 world, every outfit carries a story.
He once designed a production of The African Company Presents Richard III, a play based on an authentic 19th-century Black theater troupe in New York City that staged Shakespeare as an act of resistance against racial barriers. As an Asian designer, the story was far from his own experience, so he dove deep. He researched the neighborhoods where Black communities lived in 1820s New York and the cultural nuances visible in their clothing. He believes these seemingly minor details are what help audiences truly understand who a character is.
For Roger, historical accuracy isn抰 just about replication. It抯 about interpretation. Coarse stitching, reused curtain fabric, limited tailoring techniques梩hese choices speak volumes about a character抯 life onstage.
揂 good costume shouldn抰 just be 慴eautiful,挃 Roger explains. 揑t should help actors embody their characters and give the audience instant insight into who they are.
Beyond research, collaboration with actors is a crucial part of his process. Once the costumes are built, Roger invites actors to try them on and explore the characters habits. 揑抣l ask, how does this character sit? Do they touch their skirts or tug at their pants? These tiny gestures can change the direction of the design.
He believes the way people move, their habits, and quirks should all be reflected in their clothes. 揃ecause in real life, no two people wear the same outfit the same way. That authenticity brings the character to life.
Chinese Aesthetics: Reimagining Western Classics
What truly sets Roger apart is his distinctive use of Chinese aesthetics.
To him, Chinese culture isn抰 just decorative, but an entire worldview, a narrative approach. He抯 careful not to insert symbols superficially but to thoughtfully integrate them in a way that speaks to the script and context.
In a design project, Roger reimagined the classic musical Cabaret, originally set in 1930s Berlin, as a story unfolding in 1940s Shanghai, a city caught between war and decadence. 揝hanghai at that time was the Berlin of the East, complete with nightclubs, collapsing social orders, and the looming threat of war.
He aimed to make that era accessible to Western audiences while bringing an Asian narrative style and aesthetic to the stage. 揟he feeling that 慾oy is just a temporary escape connects this project back to the heart of the original show.
This kind of cultural translation and reinvention isn抰 just a one-time experiment. It抯 a reflection of Roger抯 entire approach to design. He抯 not just designing costumes; he抯 designing perspectives梐 new way to interpret the story.
A Dream for Halloween Night
揅ostume design is my emotional response to the script, Roger says. After reading heavy scripts and untangling the characters relationships, his designs become his way of expressing everything he抯 felt and understood.
That抯 what makes his work so moving. It抯 not about showing off but about connection. It抯 the voice that says, 揑 understand this character.
Toward the end of the interview, I asked if he had any goals. Roger smiled and said, 揑 have a dream that抯 both silly and serious. I want to see a character I designed show up on the streets during Halloween.
Not commercial success, not an award, but the purest kind of audience response. To Roger, if a character from the stage gets portrayed in real life, it means they truly lived.
He points to Suicide Squad抯 Harley Quinn, whose rebellious punk look became the go-to Halloween costume after the movie抯 release. 揝o many people wore her look that year, with her signature particolored outfits.
If one day the streets were filled with costumed crowds, and one of them were his creation, that would be Roger抯 most fulfilling moment.
From that first awakening in the audience seat to becoming a costume designer in New York, Roger has found his voice through clothing. For him, costumes are not just a character抯 appearance. They are the character抯 soul, a cultural imprint.
Between the fabric and the sketches lies the essence of Chinese aesthetics and Roger抯 deep reading of each script. His designs are not just clothing, but living, breathing people, each longing to be remembered.
Article by: Kerwin Teo
Photo by: Jana Schuessler
