I Did That

I'm not generally a prideful person. It's not exactly that I don't take credit for things that I do, but I have a tendency to brush off compliments on something that's part of a group effort. But every now and then, I do something and I think, "Yeah. I did that."

Sometimes it's that I really did it all myself, 100%, no assistance from others. Sometimes it's that it was something a little bit outside of my comfort zone. Sometimes, it's that the final result really was exceptionally successful. And sometimes it's a mixture of some or all of those things.

Tonight, after watching a dress rehearsal of the Quannapowitt Players' production of Laura, I'm feeling more than a little bit of pride and thinking, "I did that."

This video is a mere sampling of this rarely-performed, film noir, stage version of the movie mystery Laura. But I must admit, my costumes look as great in black and white as they do in color.

This was by no means a one-person effort; nearly all of my actors provided some part of their costumes. A pair of slippers, a 3-piece suit, a dress and an apron, a pair (or two) of period- and character-appropriate shoes. I got feedback and ideas from the director and the cast.

It wasn't particularly out of my comfort zone. It was a small cast with very few costume changes. It was a period piece, but the 1940s are not especially difficult to costume, thanks to vintage shops and many 1980s styles which echo the 1940s very nicely.

It wasn't even that the final result was exceptionally successful, although I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't pleased with the results. The styles effectively contribute to the overall look the director and the design team was going for; they suit the characters and the backstories created by the actors; the colors work well together and with the backdrop of the set.

But something about this set of costumes makes me very proud.

Maybe it's that it was the first costuming project I did once my kids went back to school and I wasn't juggling childcare and costuming. Maybe it's that I was able to focus on the show while I shopped instead of making sure my kids weren't pulling clothes off the racks. Maybe it's the confidence I had in knowing that my husband was taking care of the kids rather than having a babysitter tuck them in while I was at rehearsal several nights a week.

But whatever it was, I'm proud. I feel like I've accomplished something. I've added to something. I've helped to make this a better show than it might have been without me.

I've created.

It's a good feeling.