The curtain has closed on Hamburg High School’s Mary Poppins, which wrapped for good on November 24, leaving many of the actors wondering what to do with their newfound free time. The lights have turned off, the microphones are back in their cases, and the costumes are safely away. For Beth Borkey, the show has not ended quite yet.
Mary Poppins was Beth’s second ever time costuming an entire production and as she puts it, “Very rewarding but very exhausting.” As she got an ensemble of over 50 students practically perfect outfits.
“At first I didn’t know much about costuming at all, but it required a lot of creativity, and I knew I could at least deliver there. I watched the movie probably about twice trying to see everyone’s unique pieces and how I could somehow make it happen.”
To fully transport the audience back into 1910’s England, Mrs. Borkey took inspiration from none other than Hamburg’s very own costume closet. She spent multiple hours up in the historic wardrobe, searching for hats, gloves, and all things Poppins. Then, when she received an opportunity to visit the Fulton Theater in Lancaster, she made the drive to see what they had to offer. Luck was on her side as she found the perfect coats for Mary in her iconic red and blue, as well as some beautiful gowns for Mrs. Banks and a letter skirt perfect for Mrs. Corey’s “Supercalifragilisticexpilaidocious.” From statues to toys, Mrs. Borkey put in the hours to find the right fit for everyone.
Once the show had wrapped, all the costumes went back up into storage for the future theater students to use in their productions. Mrs. Borkey drove all the rental costumes back to Lancaster where they will stay until another school decides to put on the show. Although she is enjoying her free time before holidays, Mrs. Borkey has confirmed she will be costuming again next year with help of Mrs. Grim.
