Costume cuirass for Tin Man in The Wiz on Broadway
date: label: Date
content: 1975
name: label: Designed by
content: Geoffrey Holder, Trinidadian American, 1930 - 2014
label: Created by
content: Fred Nihda, 1931 - 1997
label: Worn by
content: Tiger Haynes, American, 1914 - 1994
label: Subject of
content: Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
notes: label: Description
content: This cuirass is part of a costume worn by Tiger Haynes as Tin Man in "The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical 'Wizard of Oz'" on Broadway. The cuirass, or torso, is made from reinforced plastic and is painted with silver metallic paint. The cuirass is cylindrical in shape, with open armholes and additional, intentionally mismatched shoulder pieces attached at the neck.
label: Description
content: The main body portion of the cuirass is molded with deep grooves to look like a metal trash can. The body is hinged all along the center back. On the front, two (2) sections, both at the front waist, have been cut from the main body and then reattached with two (2) silver-painted leather straps riveted both to the body and to each flap. A flat panel is riveted to the body along the proper-left center seam, with the body opening at the center front and attaching with one (1) three-part hinge at the neck (pin is absent). A metal D-ring on a silver-painted leather loop is riveted to the body at the proper left front breast and is used to attach the prop heart for Tin Man. A small hammered metal loop is bolted to the proper-left front panel, in between the neck and armhole, likely for holding a microphone. Two (2) neck pieces attach to the main cuirass body, forming a v-neck neckline. The pieces are attached with silver-painted leather reinforced with black nylon webbing that is riveted from the interior to the exterior at the top of the main section and over the shoulders. Plastic foam padding is placed on the inside where the neck and the main portions join. At the proper-left shoulder, a shoulder wing is attached with adhesive and a leather strap. The name "TIGER" is engraved into the top of the wing. A spaulder is attached to the proper-right shoulder with four (4) silver-painted leather straps riveted along the top edge to the right neck piece.
label: Description
content: On the interior, the front half of the cuirass body and the underside of the spaulder are lined in gray felt. A brown rectangular plastic box with an open top is taped to the inside of the proper left front just above the cut-out for the front flap, likely used to hold a wireless microphone receiver. Six (6) rivets on the exterior proper-left front further secure the box to the body of the cuirass.
place: label: Place used
content: New York City, Manhattan, New York, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Actors
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Costume
label: Topic
content: Costume design
label: Topic
content: Design
label: Topic
content: Men
label: Topic
content: Musical Theatre
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: Black Fashion Museum Collection
label: Classification
content: Clothing - Costume
label: Exhibition
content: Taking the Stage
label: On View
content: NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 054
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2007.3.7.1.2
objectType: label: Type
content: cuirasses
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Unknown - Restrictions Possible
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: reinforced plastic, paint, metal, leather, felt, nylon, plastic foam, plastic, and tape
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 24 1/4 x 20 1/2 x 12 1/4 in. (61.6 x 52.1 x 31.1 cm)