Mizrahi was sparing when it came to designing the cast's attire. The designer said he thought of the costumes along the same lines as the nearly bare sets, which he described as "not even postmodern." Act 2 presents his favorite tableau, a pastural scene with shepherds and locals lolling on rolling hills and dressed in pastiche costumes, including 17th-century-type plumed hats, Fifties-inspired children's tabards and opera skirts that look like they reference track pants that can be found on 14th Street. There's a good chance some of this will work its way into Mizrahi's commercial designs. "It's hard to take oneself out of what one does. Everything influences each other," he said.

TO THE MAX: Max Minghella — actor and son of director Anthony — is ready for his close-up. At a dinner following a private New York screening of Minghella's latest flick, "Elvis and Annabelle," the thespian discussed his upcoming gig in an epic directed by Alejandro Amenábar ("The Others"). He left Monday for the four-month shoot in Malta. "I've never done a film this big before," the Brit said. "I'm very nervous." Minghella just wrapped "Hippie Hippie Shake," with Sienna Miller.

Also on hand at the dinner was Minghella's "Elvis and Annabelle" co-star, Blake Lively, on hiatus from "Gossip Girl." As Lively revealed before the curtain went up, the film (a quirky romance that involves, among other things, beauty pageants and necrophilia) was shot in just 24 days. "It was a f---ing nightmare," said Minghella. "I'd be shooting a scene in one room and Blake would be shooting a scene in the room next door."