From Rags to Ballgowns
Beautiful costumes abounded in Cinderella. Gowns swayed with the actors as they waltzed across the “ballroom”, immersing the audience into the scene. This was a stark difference from the ensemble’s more naturally colored peasant costumes, adding to the theme of division between the peasants and nobility throughout the show.
Cinderella’s dress transforms from rags into a ballgown.
“[Our costumes] really bring the aura of everything alive,” co-head of costumes crew Liv Overton said. “It makes the show feel complete.”
Cinderella’s iconic dress transformation relied on costuming to bring its magic to life. The theatre department rented a transformation dress made specifically for Cinderella. Junior Michelle Yoder, who played Cinderella, worked to make it happen in seconds.
“Practicing the transformation for the first time was pretty nerve-wracking but after a few tries I got it down,” Yoder said. “It’s now one of my favorite parts of the show. The transformation really made the show feel complete.”
Many of the pieces were created at Liberty.
A group of freshmen working in costumes created her glass slippers using holographic tape and glitter on a pair of character shoes. Ms. Genenbacher created a gown that was torn up by Madame (the stepmother) in Act Two. The fabric was re-attachable so the dress could look new each night. These are some of the program’s first homemade costume pieces, ones that they hope to rent out or use in other productions in the future.
“We’re really having to work together as a team,” Overton said. “[It takes] a lot of hard work and dedication to get the pieces together, but it’s worth it.”
