Interview: Aurra Sing of the 501st [Costumes]

Last month, we profiled Debra Fowlkes, who turned her birthday party into her own private Star Wars convention. She also mentioned her costuming for the 501st Legion, which we felt deserved its own separate post. Here’s the second interview on her transformation into Aurra Sing, induction into the 501st, and costuming for her kids.

Q: How and why did you join the 501st?

A: I saw the Rose Bowl Parade back in 2007, and George Lucas was the Grand Marshal. Hundreds of 501st (Storm Troopers) members were also marching in the parade. That was how I heard about them. A year later I went to ComicCon in San Diego, CA. The 501st had a booth at the convention. That’s how I got into contact with local members from San Diego. I thought they were really awesome! I just didn’t think I could afford a costume to become a member. Every year, I went to ComicCon and met up with the 501st.

July 2009, at ComicCon, is when I heard about Star Wars Celebration V being held in Orlando, FL in August of 2010. That’s when I knew I had to become a 501st member. For that Christmas, I got tickets to CV! January 2010, I started working on my costume for approval with the 501st! I was approved in June right before Father’s Day weekend.

Q: What made you decide to dress up as Aurra Sing?

A: Oh, honestly, I thought it was going to be an easy and cheap character to do, ha ha. I have a theater make-up background and thought I could pull off the look.

“Make-a-Wish” birthday for Wes Pak, just finishing second round of chemo for neuroblastoma cancer at only 6 years old

Q: When and how did you first get into costuming?

A: As a child, my mom would make my costumes for Halloween. She would ask who I wanted to be and make it. My two favorite costumes she made me was Kira, Olivia Newton-John’s character from Xanadu (1980), and Medusa from Clash of the Titans (1981). I won a lot of costume contests as a child because of my mom!

After becoming a parent myself I started making my children their costumes. We would dress up as a theme though like characters from Peter Pan, 101 Dalmations, Disney Princess (me the Evil Queen), Power Puff Girls, etc. My older children are into Anime and I now make their cosplay costumes.

Q: Besides Aurra Sing, what other characters have you dressed as?

A: I have about 4 different Aurra Sing outfits from the movie, comic books, and The Clone Wars series. I am currently working on a Female Tusken Raider, Royal Guard, and Rystall Sant (a backup singer at Jabba the Hutt’s Palace) all for approval with the 501st and for the up and coming Star Wars Celebration VI in August of this year in Orlando, FL.

Q: Do you make your own costumes or purchase costumes or both?

Aurra Sing, Cade Bane, and Boba Fett at CV in Orlando, FL August, 2010

A: To be approved with the 501st they have to be self made. Store bought are not up to the standards set for the guidelines. There is a lot of information on the 501st site that helps locate items for a build. Some things like my bald cap, make-up, and hair for extensions are store bought, though.

Q: What is it about costuming that keeps you in the scene?

A: Being able to be someone else. ha ha! I met people at Star Wars Celebration V a year ago dressed as Aurra Sing to later bump into them as myself, they couldn’t beleive it was me. Honestly though, dressing up as Aurra Sing at an event and having a child know who your character is and the excited look on their face, that’s what it’s about.
That’s the FORCE!

Thanks to Debra for the interview! Any thoughts? Other questions for her? Let us know in the comments

[Image Source: Debra Fowlkes]