Costumer Snippets
The Little Mermaid is truly one of those dream shows to costume, and has been on our wish list for years. So. Much. FUN to finally be able to make it a reality! A few students from the costume crew began brainstorming ideas during the summer, and the excitement has continued through the months.
Because everything is made in our costume shop, the huge challenge has been to bring those fantastical over-the-top ideas into reality.
How do we really make that giant angel fish? How do we construct the seahorses? How can we keep the iconic Disney characters recognizable but add our own hints of 1700-(ish) fairy tale flair? How can the costumes be comfortable to move in and easy for quick changes? Where do we find materials needed—and stay within our budget? And how will we ever finish everything? The creative problem solving and challenges have been overwhelming for this show!
But these amazing, (hilarious) and valiant costume crew members are the hero’s who have stepped up and made it happen. Many of these young students have never had sewing experience. They’ve all been thrown into the thick of it and often waaaay out of their comfort zones. Within minutes students learned to use the sewing machines, found their hands in paint and glue, or mastered totally unfamiliar materials. Suddenly they became wig designers and headpiece makers and make-up artists and engineers with wire. And while they may have stared at me incredulously for a moment or two as I’ve handed them a project—-they jumped right in! And just look at what they did! I am beaming with pride for their work.
Thank you to my fellow directors for rallying to pull together our first public performance since February 2020.
Thanks to brilliant Joel Smith for sharing these visions and dreams, to my patient husband Don Cox for pvc bending, welding and late-night dinners, and to family and friends who took on last minute projects and just let me talk out loud and into my own solutions.
It’s been quite an adventure! Enjoy the show!
Kari Armstrong
PHS theatre costume director
