Heavenly Host Rendering, 1981: Black Nativity Caribbean

Myrna Colley-Lee's 1981 rendering of the Heavenly Host is a beautifully detailed depiction of the famed angels. The women are shown wearing vibrant colors inspired by traditional Caribbean dress. Lee emphasizes the vibrant nature of the host by depicting the angels in dance. This highlights the host's role in the play, where the women deliver the message of the Nativity story through song and dance. Together, the angels hold two banners. The top banner reads "BLACK NATIVITY CARIBBEAN," and the bottom banner reads "HEAVENLY HOST." Lee often cleverly incorporates production and character names in her renderings. The satisfying interplay between the pale yellow paper and the angels' bold browns and yellows reflects Lee's tendency to embrace materials at hand.

The purpose of this exhibit is to outline Lee's design process from "Page to Stage." With that framework in mind, this rendering is a striking example of the former. The item demonstrates the factors that influence the production of a rendering. First, the item highlights Lee's proclivity to incorporate physical materials as inspiration during the design process. This tendency is observable in the relationship between the page's color and the colors of the host. Next, Lee's take on Caribbean island dress reflects her practice of historical research during the design process. Finally, this design exemplifies how a character's role and personality in a script can manifest in Lee's costume design process.

Overall, the design is not only a beautiful depiction of Black Nativity Caribbean's Heavenly Host, but also a window into Myrna Colley-Lee's design process. The rendering offers a look at the costume design process not available on stage.