[iheartmusic2]

Hey all. Maybe you can help me with a problem.

I am currently playing Babs in my high school's production of BATB.

Ahead of time, the choreographer (whom I ADORE) told me she was worried I wouldn't be able to tango in the dress they were renting for me (because it's "very Morticia-Adams-y," according to her). I told our choreographer that maybe my mother -- who is an experienced costumer -- could make me a costume like the one on Broadway, complete with a slit. (Since they were renting all the costumes in bulk, this wouldn't affect the price of the costuming for the show -- in fact, it would be like me donating a costume.)

The choreographer got the okay from our guest director, and my mom and I went out and spent over a hundred dollars on fabric, and two days working on it non-stop. Then the producer (our drama department head, who dislikes me for weird reasons) found out I was getting a "special" costume and told the costumer to put her foot down. They cited the fact that the rented costume had been "tailored to my specifics."

Today I tried it on.

It's too small. It doesn't zip all the way up the back. The skirt is four inches too short. AND it is ripped all over, wasn't laundered -- it still has the deodorant marks from the previous actress, and the white feathers are light brown in places. I got hives on my arms and back after I tried it on!

My "special" costume is almost done. I'm wondering if I should finish it up and tell the costumer that I'm having too much trouble performing in the other one, and that it obviously doesn't fit me properly.

What do you think?

I think it's all reasonable, especially since my personal costume was designed to mesh really well with the other rentals, and also work for all my choreography and everything. Plus, it's very, very lovely. Since this is NOT a professional production -- in which I would just shut my mouth and take whatever they gave me -- and since I had such a terrible allergic reaction to the rental, would it be not SO bad to try and wear my own costume?

Thanks ahead of time for any responses!

[jackissensational]

You (or your mother, since she worked so hard on it) should explain to the producer and costumer that you and your mom spent a lot of time, effort, and money making the costume. It isn't fair that your performance be hindered by a poor costume. Have they seen your home-made costume? Maybe they'll prefer it over the rented one. I would try that. Good luck.

[iheartmusic2]

Thanks for your response, Jack.

[jackissensational]

[QuaxoCoricopat]

If I were you I would put your foot down and absolutely refuse to wear it. If you get hives after wearing it then there's something you're obviously allergic to on that costume.

The distress on the costume is something that happens to rentals, but if I were your costumer I would have read the riot act to the company for sending an obviously dirty costume. NAS-TAY. Who knows if the person who last wore it had some sort of skin condition?

Gross gross gross... do yourself and everyone else a favor and burn the rental.

[iheartmusic2]

[stagefrightdied]

You are incredibly justified in suggesting you wear your own costume. Have you tried to very sweetly explain the situation to him? And show him the difference between the two costumes?

And if it's a school show it's probably illegal to make you wear it if you're allergic to it.

[QuaxoCoricopat]

I think you're justified in wearing your own costume under the pretense that wearing the rental is a health hazard. If you were to catch something, say (to be extreme) MRSA off that, the school is liable. The last thing any school wants to be is open to lawsuit.

I know you're not union, but the fact that they had you try on an obviously dirty costume is a violation of so many rules. Those rules are for a reason, to protect YOU. It's a rule that even a high school shouldn't ignore.

Did the costumer see you try it on? I'm assuming they did. I'm hoping they also saw the hives. If they didn't TELL THEM. Show the costumer your costume and ask if they'll see if the director would accept yours instead. They'll probably be grateful not to have to worry about shipping or cleaning that monstrosity.

The costumer might have already taken this to the department head and director, I don't know how close you are to opening, but if you're in costumes I assume close.

When talking to the costumer just tell them that you don't feel safe wearing a costume that caused an allergic reaction. Don't mention that it's dirty (from your description it sounds like one of those 'impossible to clean' costumes, although they could have done a better job than they obviously did), or that you think yours is better. They'll just think you're trying to stand out or get your own way, which won't help you. They should take the matter to the director, who you might have to make the case in front of again.

Hopefully the director/costumer isn't completely cowed by the producer and will fall in love with the costume your mother made, and will allow you to use it in place of the rental.

I think the producer will back off of you if he hears you had an allergic reaction. If he doesn't, go to the principal, because he's risking YOUR HEALTH. You may burn some bridges in the drama department, but if they're willing to callously disregard your safety then you don't want to be there.

[Celeste_SM]

I also think you should bring in your "special" costume, but avoid all the drama that others are suggesting. Bring it in. Tell the costumer you brought it so that the artistic staff could consider it, but it isn't approved it. Tell the director you brought it, and that it fits you better than the rental, but mention that you know that there were issues with you wearing it. Emphasize that you don't mean any disrespect to the rental costume or the vision of the staff, but that you're hoping they'll consider this other costume.

If that doesn't work, then play the allergic reaction card.

But you'll come off much better if the first method works out, and if the costume is reasonable and you aren't causing drama among your cast mates over it (ie. "I have a better costume than you guys"), I don't see why they wouldn't go for it. You come out smelling like roses, AND with the better costume. And if you have to take the allergy route, then you're no worse off than if you hadn't tried the sweet and humble method first.

[QuaxoCoricopat]

[ConverseSneaker]

I can sympathize when it comes to hives. I have induced hives and break out too much. Seriously, if this costume is making you break out in hives, let your costumer know. I think the fact that it's giving you hives is more serious over the fact it's too small and disgusting.

Good Luck darling. Do try to find out exactly what caused the hives for your own sake.

[musikal_geek]

Any director worth his salt will let you wear a different costume if you get hives from the original one. Otherwise, he's an asshole.

[PappyCat]

Plus, it sounds like you got the Okay from the director... maybe get the director on your side and try to reason with the producer.

Our director was ecstatic when people had their parents make their costumes.

[iheartmusic2]

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THEIR HELP! I APPRECIATE IT SOOO MUCH!

[iheartmusic2]

So today was our first costume run-through. At the beginning of the day, I told the costumer all about how I got hives from the costume. The director was sitting next to her.

They both seemed really pissed, possibly at me. I told them I didn't know if it had been the (un-laundered) "enchanted" costume or the maid outfit (which had also seemed ... not clean), so I didn't wear either today. I ended up running around in my own skirt and regular shirt while everyone else was dressed up.

Girls in the cast are talking trash about me. A lot of people are unhappy with their costumes and they seem to think I should have kept my mouth shut -- which I WOULD have, if I hadn't gotten hives!

The costumer seems very against me bringing in my own costume, but I told her I'd bring it in on Wednesday for her to look at. Meanwhile, they are sending my two costumes out to be cleaned, and are then going to have me wear them both again to see if I get hives again!

I find THIS slightly inappropriate and negligent -- but I am ALSO feeling very pressured to just shut up and do as I'm told. Does anyone else think it's kind of irresponsible to make me wear the costumes AGAIN?

The choreographer made this passing joke about sticking me in a full-body "glove" for underneath this costume -- even though it doesn't even fit me that well to begin with, and I know they know I have a half-finished costume of my own.

It's all such a mess. I'm so embarrassed and uncomfortable with what's happened. I went into a bathroom stall and cried my eyes out.

I'm worried about what people will say about me if I do end up wearing a different costume, but I'm worried about being stuck with a costume that might make me sick. I've gotten hives only once before, and I went into anaphylactic shock.

(I told this to the director, and he seemed more preoccupied with how annoying I was by making things harder.)

The adults in charge don't seem very concerned with my health, and, coupled with the things the students (and possibly the producer and costumer) are saying about me behind my back, I'm feeling so misrepresented and attacked that it crossed my mind that I might be happier just quitting the show -- even though I love this production, love my part, and am really excited about performing.

I need to know how to handle this, because it's really surpassed my ability to sort this out on my own.

[mezzo_soprano]

I hate to say this but maybe you should get an adult involved on your side. This sounds like it is getting out of your hands. Don't be snobby about it or have your mom freak out on the director. Maybe have her just calmly call them and explain that you are allergic and that other times you have broken out in hives it has been dangerous.

[ConverseSneaker]

I can see it from both sides here. Judging by the state your costume is in, I'm going to guess that nobody else is that great either. So to a gossiping, little b****, it's going to look like you are a total drama queen. Don't listen to them, it won't do you any good. What is more important, your health or ill-informed opinions?

Don't take your costumer or director's attitudes to heart either. It's getting close to show right? They are probably stressed out enough already, and now this. It is a good idea to wash those costumes though, although I'm not liking having you wear them again, still it might help them figure out exactly what caused the hives. What if it's in other costumes too?

Don't worry too much, and hold on tight.

[wtfchuck]

i'd just like to add that if your best efforts fail, the Directors/Costumers/Producers are just trying to make the production as good as they can for everyone and wouldn't be deliberately against you on anything.

A quiet word or note from a parent Pointing out that this costume could actually ruin the show (you reacting to the costume and having a anaphalaptic (i know thats spelt wrong) shock on stage) as well as causing a health risk to yourself.

Good luck with making it work

x

[Celeste_SM]

I know others have disagreed with me here already, but I stand by my first opinion. You elected not to take that route, so now it is harder.

Based on what you've written, I think it's very likely that you are being seen by the staff (and possibly by your fellow cast members) as a drama queen. It seems like the staff wants to take a stand against a student attempting to manipulate the system to get what she wants. The manipulation started, in their eyes, with your "splitting" the staff and not having approval from all appropriate people for your mom to make the costume. Then when you were told that you couldn't use that costume, you got "sick" from your rental costume.

You're probably thinking, "But I got sick! That's not manipulation!" Unfortunately, the symptom of getting hives from your costume is easily perceived as psychosomatic. People get hives from all kinds of things, including stress. If no other students got hives from their costumes, and the costumes come from a reputable rental house, then that would only reinforce their perception that you are creating the illness in yourself, as a tactic to get what you want.

I'm not saying that's what you're doing. I'm just saying that I bet that is what they're thinking.

The problem is that the staff dedication to "teaching you a lesson" about who is in charge may be blinding them to what is best for the show. If you can remove the power-struggle aspect of this debate, I think you have a much better chance at being approved to wear the costume your mom built. So I suggest that you go with the full body unitard under the rental costume. Stop fighting about using the one your mom built (but bring it in and put it where the director/costumer can access it). Agree to wear the other costume with the unitard underneath, and give the staff the chance to see how much better the other one would work. Once they are more focused on the quality of the show than with this battle with you, then they are likely to choose to have you change. And when it's their choice, all the drama vanishes.

Now I can't tell the severity of your reaction from what you write. I have a severe allergy and I've had the joy of stabbing myself with an Epi-Pen to avoid anaphalctic shock. I feel that anaphylaxis is highly unlikely under these circumstances, but if you really fear for your life from this costume, then of course you have to drop out rather than wear it. Explain it politely (and know that it will be seen as the ultimate power play - making it VERY unlikely that they will change their minds at that point) and bow out gracefully.

Just my two cents. I've watched this exact drama play out in high school programs before.

[Celeste_SM]

I just re-read your last post. Since they're cleaning the rental costumes for you, so the hive reaction should be resolved. Bring the other costume for the costumer, but wear the cleaned rentals and let it go. I still think that if the power struggle ends, the staff will make the right choice for the show in the end.

[iheartmusic2]

I wanted to say in response to someone's post about all the costumes possibly being not-that-great -- actually, mine's THE worst. The director even announced publicly during a rehearsal a couple weeks ago that he was very pleased with the quality of the costumes, except for "Babette's." (He rarely refers to me by name.)

Also, my costume was the ONLY costume that arrived in a truly dirty condition, and I assume that's because if one regularly dry-cleaned feathers, the feathers would soon fall apart.

The director/costumer/producer also want me to wear a wig of feathers, which seems like the ultimate non-cleanable thing -- and it creeps me out, thinking about those feathers brushing up near my face and eyes and mouth, etc.

But what I really want to know is how a body suit would REALLY protect me from an allergic reaction. Any suitable material would be made of fabric that would "breathe" -- so even though my skin is not coming in direct contact with the allergens, it would be in very close proximity, and once I started to sweat through the body suit, my level of "protection" would get very flimsy ... right? And I'd be sweating a lot, because I'd have the whole extra layer on.

I am, obviously, not interested in being forced to undergo potential physical distress for the sake of some weird power-play on the director/costumer/producer's part. My mother -- a lawyer -- is NOT helping me, either -- she is so appalled by the way I am being treated by those in charge, she keeps telling me not to take crap from anybody and stand by my obligation to keep myself healthy.

Blegh. I don't know how this is going to end, but I am worried something really bad is going to happen.

P.S. I don't THINK my allergic reaction was psychosomatic. I get hay fever, and I'm allergic to dust and dander.

It MIGHT have been stress-induced, though, because I also am a little O.C.D., and the costume was very visibly dirty and stained and the wig of feathers grossed me out .... But if it WAS psychosomatic, then even if they dry-clean it, the hives won't go away, will they? So I'll just keep getting them, show after show. The idea of this happening really scares me.

The last time I got hives was in response to a certain medication, and the hives got increasingly worse over a period of three days until my throat closed up and I could barely breathe. Nothing -- no part -- is worth it to me if it means going home every night with big red welts all over my back and arms and face that might ending spreading to other places and maybe closing up my throat again.

[QuaxoCoricopat]

I'm pretty sure that the production staff isn't angry at you. And the costumer might be intimidated to go against the head of your department. Either way, you were right to come to them with your concerns, and if they can't take it like responsible adults and professionals, they're not worth wasting breath on.

I'm sorry people are being asshats at your high school. As someone pointed out earlier though, they will pick up on any piece of gossip that they could use to hurt someone, so your best bet is just to stick to your guns but ignore them. If they come up to you directly, just say you had an allergic reaction, and try not to let them get to you. I know that's hard, especially at your age, and especially since none of this is actually your fault, but try to keep your chin up.

I would try the cleaned costumes on, hopefully it was just dust/dirt that you were reacting to on the costume and that without it, you will be fine. They may look better once cleaned.

I honestly don't know how much the body suit would protect you from another allergic reaction. It would depend whether or not what you were allergic to were actually in the material, or was just on the material. If it was the latter then hopefully after wearing the body suit (and washing it) a few times the allergen would be gone (worn away on the outside of the suit). It should, in theory, at least keep the reaction down. The body suit might also help you "fit" the costume better.

I wouldn't bring up your costume to them any more until you find out definitely whether or not you're going to have a reaction again. This way they can't say "Oh she's just saying that to get a new costume...".

As for the OCDness.. .have you ever had stress-related hives before? There's not much I advice I can give you if it is stress OCD related (although I understand). Just take deep breaths and every time you think about how dirty it was think "It's CLEAN NOW" or something totally random like "Purple Monkeys".

Keep in there.

[ConverseSneaker]

Stress related hives....even the thought of that makes me shiver. Exercise and heat induced hives are bad enough!

[stagefrightdied]

I feel SO terrible for you!!!!
You are really really brave to even think about trying on the costume again. You should, of course, but still it's brave.
Good Luck! (I hope you don't need it!)

[kitty17794]

I'm so sorry things aren't going in your favor here! That's so horrible that your directors are seemingly just trying to win this arguement, even if its bad for your health! That's just awful. I hope it all works out for you in the end.

[iheartmusic2]

They didn't dry-clean it. When I went in to wear it, it was still dirty and covered in deodorant from the last actress.

I showed them and told them I couldn't wear it unless it was clean. Then they kicked me out of the show.

[le_moofin]

Are you serious?

Well I say, good riddance with them. If they want to be immature and put your health at risk, then that's their loss. Although I think you and your mom should fight it... it's absolutely awful what they've made you go through.

I'm so sorry sweetie.

[Musical_Obsessed]

Oh! That's sad that they kicked you out of the production... that's mean of them!

I'm so sorry that this happened to you!

[mezzo_soprano]

ARE YOU KIDDING??? Isn't this a high school show? You should report them to someone!

[QuaxoCoricopat]

You're honestly better off. It's okay to be upset and cry a bit, because you really got screwed over. It's unfortunate that they've taken the petty way out of this. Unfortunately it sounds like you might have burned your bridges with your high school theatre group, but I wouldn't be too sad about it.

You could take this to the principal and just 'notify' them of the incident, incase any of this gets uglier.

[mezzo_soprano]

Did you decide to do anything?

[The Duchess of Mint]

Dear iheartmusic2,

They kicked you out of the entire show? That's disappointing, especially when I was about to tell you to put the costume in a tight bag with some salt, and to shake the bag a few times.

I don't know if that would have worked, but I know that that's the best method by which to clean fake flowers. I wonder if that would have worked, with regards to the cleaning of feathers...?

I'm sorry that the people who are connected with your Drama department (and the students) are so petty, and so stingy, with regards to their committment to make the Drama experience the best experience for everybody.

I think that you were railroaded by everybody, but I don't understand why they would single YOU out. I wonder if everybody considered Babette to be too silly of a character to be worried about.

I don't think that ANYONE should have to wear a costume which is too large (possible accidental immodesty issues), too small (possible accidental immodesty issues; possible costume damage issues), disgustingly dirty (health issues), etc. Any theatre company/ Drama department which truly CARES for their actors will make certain that the costumes are at LEAST clean, repaired, odor-free, etc.

Thanks in advance for your reply, and good luck, with regards to your future in the theatre.

[broadwaybound96]

not only is that unfair ( since ur mom worked hours and hours) but it's also a danger to your health! if just trying it on after ten minutes you got hives, imagine show night when you'll be in that costume for atleast 5 hours ( i was) you might get a very serious allergic reaction and could be a hazzard!