Theatre troupe selling costumes

Fort Frances Theatre is having a giant costume and garage sale as the troupe is downsizing in order to move to a different storage location.
Weather permitting, the costume sale will take place this Saturday (Oct. 20) at 1 p.m. at the West End Hall (behind the Legion Park). If needed, it may continue Saturday, Oct. 27.
FFT member Cathy Richards said there will be a wide variety of costumes just in time for Hallowe’en, whether you’re looking to be a cowboy, peasant, bag lady, geisha girl, boy scout, Bride of Frankenstein, or even a character from “Beauty and the Beast” (like a giant spoon, vase, or clock).
“It’s been wonderful over the years. People show up with five prom dresses or bridesmaid dresses and say, ‘Do you want these?’” noted Richards.
“We’ve got this great collection, but when you go from show to show, you don’t always use from that. You end up buying stuff or going to the Sally Ann yourself,” she added.
“We’ve got this great collection, and we are going to keep some of it that we can’t let go. The rest of it, we’re going to put together for Hallowe’en costumes.”
There also will be lots of odds and ends (i.e., ladies’ hats, tops, and skirts) for people to make their own costumes, with lots of small sizes—perhaps appropriate for 10- to 12-year-old girls.
They also will be selling some props like goblets and candlesticks, added Richards.
She explained the group has to get its costumes and props out of the West End Hall because the town is going to level it as part of its outdoor rink plan.
Richards added the building had no heat or electricity anyway, and it had been broken into a number of times. During the most recent one (Aug. 11), the group had its commercial speakers stolen.
As for keeping its collection downsized, Richards said the troupe will approach each future production on an individual basis and so try to avoid stockpiling costumes and props.
“We have collected costumes and props for forever and tend to use very few show to show—we generally beg, borrow, or steal (not really) and we will continue to do that,” said Richards, adding the group is looking for a new location to store whatever they choose to keep.
They may opt for a trailer.
As for the future, Richards said Fort Frances Theatre has “a few shows on the backburner,” but that “the move has been a priority.”
Any questions? Call Richards at 274-9276.