Costume Information

This is a very long message. It contains lots of details about the last days of rehearsal, the performances next weekend, costumes and hair styles. Please read it carefully. If after reading it, you have any questions, please feel free to call.

Please be assured that the costume design for the show takes into account, as much as possible, your child’s comfort and sensibilities. Sometimes children or parents are unhappy with the “look” of a costume. While a sense of style is a wonderful attribute in the social development of children, please keep in mind that this is a cooperative and integrated effort. Changes in costumes are not allowed unless cleared through me or the director, Michelle Wood.

Smiles and Frowns Playhouse generally provides all the necessary costume items for your children. We ask you to provide socks/tights and underclothing. However, there are some actors in this show who were to provide their own shoes. MONDAY, November 6th, please bring them to the theater with you. I would like to make sure that we have everything that is needed for each costume. They will be returned to you on Tuesday with the other parts of your costume.

Tuesday night (don’t forget to wear your pajamas for pajama night!) costumes and shoes will be handed out to the actors as they leave. If a part of an actor's costume is not ready, none of that actor's costume pieces (including shoes) will be distributed. In that case, report to the theater on Wednesday in street clothes for the technical rehearsal.

The shoes you will be given are not designed to be worn outside, especially not when it is wet. Please keep their use on exterior surfaces to a minimum and wear other shoes and bring your costume shoes with you if it has been raining or rain is forecast during the performance.

Please do not eat or drink in your costume, except for the snacks and water provided backstage during the show.

Please be sure to wear antiperspirant while in costume. We do not wash the costumes until after the end of the performances.

Hats, aprons, capes, outerwear, hair bows, jewelry etc. are considered props and will not be sent home with you on Tuesday. They will be available for you to put on when you arrive at the theater. They will be placed for you along the bottom level of the bleachers in alphabetical order on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Wednesday they will be on the front row of seats in the auditorium. Please return them to their correct place before leaving the theater.

Clothing for costume changes will be found hanging on racks in the gym next to the stage right door Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Their exact placement for the dress rehearsal on Wednesday hasn’t been determined yet. More details will be announced soon.

Wednesday night — You will wear your costume to the theater for the technical dress rehearsal. That includes your socks and shoes. Your hair needs to be styled as requested. You do not need to wear your makeup. If we get the paper to send a photographer, they will be there on Wednesday and we want everyone properly attired!!! Please bring a set of clothes to wear home Wednesday night in case we have to keep your costume to make last-minute alterations.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday— report to the theater in costume with hair styled and make-up completed at your assigned call time. (Information about makeup and call times will be posted separately.)

Hosiery Notes

  • Actors wearing knickers need to wear dark or off-white opaque trouser socks. They need to stay up and cover all the skin of the lower leg.
  • Other actors, male or female, need to wear dark trouser socks that do not stand out in contrast with their black shoes and pants or dresses and skirts. I would encourage black ones as they will blend with the dark shoes.
  • Maggie and Jude (Want and Need) are wearing nude shoes and do not need socks unless they would like to wear extra-low cut ones that are not visible above the edge of their shoes.

General hair notes

  • If your hair will not stay in place when it is pulled back or braided, please use bobby pins and hair spray to immobilize the wandering strands.
  • Actors playing adult women: your hair needs to be pulled back into a low, formal bun. Keep in mind, it needs to allow you to wear your hats, so keep the shape more disk-like than rounded.
  • Actors playing boys and adult men: your hair needs to be well-groomed and not hanging around your face or into your eyes.
  • Female actors playing boys and adult men: your hair needs to be restrained in such a manner as to disappear into your shirt collar down your back or under your hat.
  • Actors playing girls: your hair needs to be pulled back into single or double French style braids.
  • Jude and Maggie: in keeping with your characters, your hair should be mussed and unkept looking.

Final Costume notes
Pants must be worn around the natural waist, higher on actors playing adult men, and shirts are to be tucked in. Remember, extra pieces such as hats, aprons, shawls are considered props and will not be sent home. Please do not wear your own jewelry. NO earrings, watches, bracelets, necklaces, etc. If you wear corrective glasses, please consider leaving them backstage during the performances unless you require them to avoid tripping and falling on stage (Safety First).

TO RECAP: Final thoughts/reminders.....
Come dressed in your costume (no makeup) on Wednesday night with your hair fixed and the right socks and shoes. Please also bring "street" clothes in case there are any problems with your costume. All costumes assigned to you remain the property of Smiles and Frowns Playhouse. As such, they are to be treated with care. We do not launder the costumes during the run of the show. They are cleaned after the show closes.

Thursday night is a full dress rehearsal. Actors will need to report at the theater in full costume and make-up as indicated in a separate communication about call times.

No eating or drinking while in costume. Please be sure to wear antiperspirant while in costume.

Be sure that you come to the final performance on Saturday with “street” clothes. You will not be allowed to leave before returning your costume.

Scripts must also be returned after the final performance. Actors will not be allowed to audition again until scripts and costumes are returned.

Thank you so much for reading all the way to the end of this very long document. Like I wrote earlier, if you have any questions about this information, please feel free to call me. I'm looking forward to another amazing show.

Susan McCrea

Show: 
A Christmas Carol