Canned Mary Poppins show sees volunteers switch course
Wintec fashion students Brydie Senior and Rose Sidwell are gaining experience by volunteering at the Hamilton Operatic Society in theatre costuming.
The show won’t go on, but two Wintec students are staying positive by volunteering at Hamilton Operatic anyway.
Wintec fashion students Rose Sidwell and Brydie Senior, who are working at the Operatic Society in the costume hire shop, were set to volunteer for the Mary Poppins show.
However, they were “gutted” that the Hamilton Operatic musical was cancelled when Founders Theature was closed because of an unsafe flying system.
“We knew that Founders Theatre was kind of unstable, but I’m sure we will get something better in the end,” Sidwell said. “I try and look at it as a positive.”
Sidwell was meant to perform in Mary Poppins and Senior had hoped to be on the wardrobe team.
“I was really excited for it, but with the next show hopefully I can sign up for the wardrobe team as well,” Senior said.
At the moment they are focusing on the shop, designing costumes for the Society instead.
The shop has an extensive collection of costumes all crammed into one room at Clarence Street Theatre. They supply for shows and performances as well as events like parties, work conferences, and fundraisers.
Wardrobe manager and teacher Joy Wright says the Operatic Society get a range of volunteers each year who help out in shows, the shop, or both.
The shop volunteers are usually students, and people who need experience for their CV or are trying to get back into the workforce.
“They learn lots of things about the types of materials that are available and the different time periods, which can really boost their knowledge,” Wright said.
The experience also allows volunteers to make contacts with people in the theatre world.
Brydie Senior says the opportunity has helped her confidence, and has allowed her to be more playful with her choices of fabrics and styles.
“I’m doing a fashion degree, but there is only so much people are going to wear out on the street, whereas in costuming you can put all sorts of doodackys on things.”
At the moment Senior is working on a roman soldier costume, and Sidwell is redesigning a 1920s beaded garment.
They both do not know exactly where this experience will take them, but hope it will “open other doors”.
