By Kelly Schoessling
Entertainment Editor
The actors and actresses move around the stage gracefully, delivering their lines while the stage lights above shine down upon their clothing reflecting back into the audience with energy.
Sometimes their clothes express colors and themes while other times their clothes express more neutral tones.
Through all the acting, and sometimes even singing and dancing, it’s easy to overlook one of the most essential elements that ties a production together and keeps it vivid, the costumes.
Since the 2000 production, “Annie” Pat Doyle has been the mastermind behind the famous outfits that grace the stage during PHS productions.
Doyle says that creating costumes for a show is definitely a process, and that it all usually starts with the director.
After conversing with each other, Doyle sets off to find the perfect pieces to fit the particular characters she’s dressing at the time.
“They’ve learned their lines, they’ve learned their blocking–they’ve learned everything they need to do on stage and then the costumes come into it,” Doyle said. “It’s like you have coloring paper and they gave you crayons and you had to color it. It makes it come alive,” Doyle said.
Though playing around with fabric seems like a lot of fun, it’s also a lot of work.
“The hardest part is when they’re all coming in the first day to put all their costumes on and everybody needs attention,” Doyle said. “There’s one of me and there’s 50 of them.”
With the help of volunteers last year, Doyle found it much easier to focus on certain costume pieces while helpers fixed smaller ensemble pieces for cast members.
“We had a lot of people who stepped forward and took on those roles,” Doyle said.
Though creating different costumes for numerous different characters can become extremely stressful and worrisome, Doyle still takes on her job with pride and passion to create beautiful masterpieces show after show.
Doyle’s latest work of art can be seen in this year’s fall play “The Sparrow”. So keep in mind while you’re watching the show that those pants did not stitch themselves.
