Each year hundreds of people take advantage of the fabulous costumes housed in the Norma Vecchio Costume Collection in the basement of the Capitol Theatre.
The costumes are cared for by Laurie Jarvis and Leslie Dickinson, who collect, clean, create and repair all of the items in the enormous "closet."
“Patrons rent costumes for many occasions,” reports Dickinson. “They may be looking for something for a theme wedding, a corporate event, or a murder mystery party in addition to renting costumes for theatrical productions. We charge a rental fee, plus a deposit to ensure that the pieces come home.”
Occasionally, however, costumes don’t get returned.
Jarvis explains: “Missing costumes make us feel sad. After the years that I’ve spent curating the collection, I’m pretty familiar with each item we have, and can usually pinpoint its location on the racks. When it’s not there, Leslie and I really miss it.”
This fall, the Capitol Theatre Costume Shop has declared a Costume Return Amnesty. If you (or someone you know) has a Capitol Theatre costume lurking in your closet at home, or languishing, forgotten in your basement, just bundle it up and return it to the Capitol — no questions asked.
“I’d really love to see our giant red parrot costume come home,” says Jarvis. “It was created by Mary Defeo for our Pantomime, Treasure Island. It’s a unique piece with a lot of sentimental as well as practical value. You wouldn’t believe how often we’ve had a need for a giant parrot!”
Lonesome costumes can be dropped off at the Capitol Tuesday to Friday between 12:30 and 4 p.m.