As the opening night of Mercy’s spring production, Beauty and the Beast, draws near, the costume crew works tirelessly to perfect all the last minute details. 

“It’s a very stressful job,” said sophomore Grace Grady. “At one point in the show we have 13 quick changes with only six girls, and each change requires about two to three people.” 

With a small crew and over 150 costume changes, the girls have developed a strategy to get the cast dressed efficiently and have practiced extensively to make sure everything goes smoothly on opening night. 

During performances, the costume crew must account for quick changes along with hair and makeup touch ups of each cast member. After a performance is complete, the crew has to hang up all the costumes, check for damage, and spray them down with disinfectant and fabric freshener.

To make for a seamless performance, the crew has been watching rehearsals for the past two weeks to make sure their cues are correct and determine who is responsible for each quick change. The crew has also been cleaning backstage to keep organized. 

The costume crew members began preparing for this production in December. They started by collecting measurements of all the cast members, then they began to search for costumes. For some, they were able to find pieces that worked in the school’s costume closet. For the rest, they had to turn to rentals.

“I am excited for the show,” said Grady. “I can’t wait to see everyone in costume and how it all comes together. Without good lighting, set, and costumes it just doesn’t look right.”