Annie Jr.

Our intermediate school just finished up their production of Annie Jr.  I got the pleasure of being in charge of costumes again.  There were 97 ish costumes!  I should have asked before I volunteered.  There was a lot of sewing for this production.  I love it.  It's always a ton of work, but God delivers a few snow days and it's all manageable.    (Last year we did Peter Pan)

I have a decent budget and do buy some pieces from thrift stores and alter to make them work.  That's my preferred way to work.  

Other than the lead characters, there were 24 orphan costumes and 23 house staff costumes.  That's where most of the sewing time was spent.  

Here are a million pictures in no particular order. 

Sometimes the kids have a costume at home that they know will be perfect, like Roosters greyish suit above.  Other time, I pull from my own closet, like both Lilly St. Regis and Ms. Hannigan's dresses above. 

We also have a great friendship with a local production group that lets us borrow.  We were able to borrow a half dozen suit jackets with tails.  Score!

These orhapns made me so proud.  I gave them baskets of pieces and they helped me put them all together into outfits that made sense.  They added funky socks and boots to go with. 

Isn't Annie beautiful?  It's a pleasure to work with such a talented group of kiddos. 

The completion of the outfits for the house staff was my only fear.  They were done only hours before the practice dress rehearsal.  Is there a name for that, pre-dress rehearsal?

Our principal even joined in and served as the President.  The props department even found an antique wheelchair that they were able to borrow.  It was perfect. 

Sandy's dog outfit was recycled from Peter Pan!  I figure in a few years I'll have a pretty nice costume closet and won't have to make much at all!  We even have another group in town currently borrowing a few of the house staff outfits.  It would be neat it we were a group people wanted to borrow from too!

 
I cant get over these kids!  They are 5-8 graders, but most were 6-7 graders.  Annie was a 5th grader!

I just loved this show.  I loved being  part of it.   Ready for a break, but if I knew what show we were doing next year, I'd probably start looking.