It has to be costume sorcery...

I always felt like I was born to entertain. As a 5-year old, I could be found performing on my "stage" (in front of our fireplace) with my jump-rope microphone and my footie pajamas. I did things throughout my childhood to pursue my love of expression - I took dance classes for 8 years, learned to play the flute, did a few acting classes at the local theater company. Still, I never really pursued any of it seriously. I didn't really know how, to be honest.

When I was in high school, I was still full of dreams but also anxiety and self-doubt, which often stopped me from doing the things that I really wanted to do. In my sophomore year, I worked up the nerve to audition for our high school musical, Anything Goes. This was my first audition for a show and so I didn't really know what I was doing. I picked a song I liked from Evita and sang that for my audition. I thought I had done pretty well, but the directors told me I should have picked an easier song. When I look back now, I know they were trying to be helpful, but at the time, my teenage brain with high rejection sensitivity, was absolutely mortified. I ended up doing the show in the ensemble, but after that I didn't audition for anything else for almost 20 years. I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

Through the years, while not performing, I found a number of other really awesome ways to express myself. Flower arranging, jewelry making, painting and paper crafts all helped me feel like I was creating and still putting beauty out into the world. It helped me still feel connected to my creative side. Throughout my 20's and early 30's I continued to explore new creative outlets and mediums to work with. This, unfortunately, put me into a bit of a "crafter's hole". So many different projects started, but very few finished. I know some of you can relate! My unfinished projects sometimes feel like they're just giving me some vicious side-eye from the corner of my craft room! I definitely had the passion for creating, but didn't really have the focus to learn anything in depth.

In 2015, I was in a bit of an activity lull in my life and feeling slightly more confident in myself, so I decided to audition again for the Delaware Children's Theater production of Jesus Christ Superstar. And I was terrified. I think I left the theater a couple of times while I was waiting to audition because I had such bad anxiety, and I almost left entirely. But I figured, what was the worst that could happen? So I auditioned (and I survived!) and was cast in the ensemble for the show. I won't drone on with details, but let's just say that show and the following show I did with The Brandywiners that summer changed my life.

Not only was I doing something that my heart had wanted forever, but I found an amazing, supportive community of people who encourage and teach each other and help each other grown. Both of the organizations I mentioned are non-profit organizations that put on theater with mostly volunteer cast and crew. And when you join a community theater family, you will find and interesting collision of crafting and performing. At least I did. And it was entirely unexpected.

During my first 2 years working with the Delaware Children's Theater, I ended up not only performing in shows, but also volunteering for makeup/special effects, stage/set crew and finally, head show costumer. Taking on the lead costumer role was not something I had ever entertained, but when you have back to back shows and the theater is mostly volunteer-run, sometimes the supply of people runs short. So I found myself as the lead costume person, with approximately zero sewing experience. I had help, of course, from some of the theater parents and other members of the costuming crew, but I very quickly found out that costuming is one of the most challenging parts of community theater.

Over the next 2 months, I got a crash course in basic patterns, sewing and costuming. It was awesome! I had always wanted to learn how to sew, but it seemed somewhat daunting to learn, so I never had. I also got an insanely different perspective on the costume volunteers in community theater. The things that I have seen these ladies do in order to get a show costumed in time for opening night is nothing short of sorcery. I've seen an entire scene re-costumed from scratch in one day. I've seen costumers take one animal costume, take it apart, and create something entirely different out of it. They're resourceful, they're creative problem solvers and the one thing they all want? Several decent pairs of fabric scissors in the costume room!

I have learned and gained so much from local theater and from working with the costuming team, I would really love to be able to give back to them by making sure they have everything they need to keep the show running smoothly. It's particularly important to me now, as community theater has been struggling after being shut down due to Covid-19 restrictions. Community theater relies on the money from shows and donations to keep running. Our local theater community not only provides a healthy creative outlet, but specifically the Delaware Children's Theater allows children and teenagers to participate and grow their talents.

During the last 5 years, I have not only personally grown in confidence and skill because of local theater, but I've had the privilege of seeing these really amazing kids grow their talents and self-esteem through performing and being part of a close-knit community of people with a passion for the creative. But we would not be able to do any of it without the help of our volunteers and the significant amount of time they put into making every show happen. If considered for this challenge, my intention is to donate the majority of the prize to the Delaware Children's Theater to help them get back up and running and to provide our costume team with some much needed new fabric scissors!