Arline Taylor and her drama students have been scouring their closets for just the right accessories.
Taylor is costume designer for Lawton Public Schools’ production of “Grease”, which opens Thursday. The cast is composed of students and staff from Lawton’s high schools, making it a unique joint production.
The time period in which the play is set has presented its own unique challenges, most notably in obtaining costumes for a cast of about 20.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Taylor said. “The style of the period is very, very iconic. It transitions from the ‘50s to the ‘60s. It was an enjoyable challenge.”
Taylor said she spent hours online searching for just the right clothes. She has tried to guess what might fit the era the play is set in and tried to imagine what will fit the cast members.
“It took days and days of hunting. I had to look for not only the appropriate look but the appropriate size and stay within budget,” Taylor said. “Ultimately we want them all to feel like superstars on the stage.”
In order to achieve that superstar status, she turned to her personal closet and some of her drama students did the same. Some of the guys brought in little pieces of their own things and some of the girls had character shoes that matched the period. A couple of the boys brought in dress slacks and dress shoes; some girls brought in pajamas for the pajama party scene, Taylor said.
Even with all the help from her students, Taylor still had to order most of the items. As late as Tuesday she was still waiting, with fingers crossed, for an order of petticoats to arrive.
Being in charge of just costuming and makeup is a big change for Taylor, who has been drama teacher at Lawton High for the past 14 years. Normally, she puts on one production a year and she is in charge of everything. Because “Grease” is a collaboration among the high schools, she has been able to concentrate on just one piece of the show.
“I really have enjoyed doing costuming for the show. I’ve been able to focus on just that,” Taylor said. “Luckily we have been able to outfit everyone in the cast.”
Some of Taylor’s drama students will help as dressers the three nights of the play. The students have to figure out the sequence of clothing, assist actors if they need help changing and help figure out quick changes — putting a sweater or a belt with the outfit so it looks like a different one, Taylor said.
“If actors start panicking, clothing starts flying everywhere,” she said.
Other students will help move sets around.
“They are finding joy in their work, which is what I really, really love. It gives them a sense of pride,” Taylor said.
Taylor is not the only one in the LPS district to help with some aspect of the play, which has truly been an LPS production. Students in John Cullison’s Construction Trades classes built two of the sets and art students in Scott Smith’s classes made palm trees for the big dance number.
Community members also have gotten in on the act. Some members of Lawton Community Theatre will serve as ushers, Allee Passmore has done the choreography and Checker Wrecker donated a 1954 Chevy for the role of “Greased Lightning”.
“We are trying to be as inclusive as possible,” said “Grease” director Charlotte Oates. Oates said this is the first time all the high schools in Lawton have done a production together.
“Their personalities have to meld with other personalities,” Oates said. “That organically happens every time if the timing is right, if the casting is right. Kids have found people across town that have the same talents and interests. They create magic. I think a lot of the kids have found lifelong friends. They are brothers and sisters in arms to be in ‘Grease’.”