Straying from traditional staged versions of the show and with the director’s permission, I created a “fantasy dance sequence” where each inmate and actor showcased their personality through their choice in clothing.

For this production, I was tasked with costuming several group numbers that called for up to 16 “matching” outfits. To meet this challenge, I reached out to our band, choir and drill team sponsors asking them to open their uniform closets to source base pieces for cost-effective alterations and upstylings.

For Billy, the main functional requirements centered around ease of movement for dancing numbers and re-enforcement of pants for a dramatic knee slide. While my original plan was to take on the creation of a bespoke burgundy pinstripe suit, I opted to simply alter an existing vintage 3-piece suit I had in my own wardrobe, pairing the black and white suiting with a red satin shirt and white tie for an element of color and “razzle-dazzle” shine.