by Barbara Young, Charleston Stage Costumer
When we decided on The Producers, I researched the original show costumes and was astounded to learn they had more than a half million dollar budget and 6 months, as well as a huge staff to put together this mega show. I wondered how on earth we could make this happen? In the original production, Roger Debris’s “ Chrysler building” dress alone cost 20,000 dollars! That’s more than our entire yearly costume budget!
And we only had about a month to build the costumes for the show with only a staff of TheatreWings High School Apprentices and our costume shop assistant, Barbara McGrath.
Of course I’ve never had a show go to stage without being fully dressed, so I put out the call for volunteers. Many of the Resident Actors volunteered, as did others, including many family members! So we began painting stripes on prison uniforms, making a dozen identical Little Ol’ Lady costumes (complete with bloomers, pearls and hats ), not to mention, a brigade of storm troupers, hordes of Bavarian peasants and more! Altogether, there are over 400 costume pieces in this show!
I think my favorite, has to be Michael Lasris’s “Chrysler dress”. Though we didn’t have $20,000, we found vintage trim for this spectacular costume piece, including a trim from a costume once worn by an early Miss America contestant! How fitting that it should grace the stage once more!
(Far Left: Charleston Stage Resident Actor Michael Lasris as Roger Debris wearing the “Chrysler dress”)
(The Producers cast members wearing the Little Ol’ Lady costumes)