The CHS Drama Club puts on two successful performances per school year, and what the audience sees on stage is much more than the performers interacting with each other. The set, lighting, sound, and costumes are what really bring the story together and catch the audience’s attention. When the cast of bows on stage, the audience does not see the whole Drama Club. Behind the scenes is the crew, which makes the most impact on the show even though they do not get the spotlight on stage. In this article I would like to notice one of CHS Drama Club’s most hardworking crew members: costume designer Kim Luzier.

Kim Luzier has been designing costumes for the CHS Drama Club for about seven years; however, she has only costumed six musicals because the club took a break along with everyone else during the COVID-19 pandemic. She makes costuming a huge part of her life, and she costumes plays and musicals for other schools as well. Kim Luzier expresses her favorite aspect of costuming for shows when she says, “I love working with and getting to know the cast members.” She has been part of the theatre industry for long enough to see generations of student actors grow throughout their high school careers.  When asked how it feels to watch these student actors improve over the years, she responded, “It is exciting to see everyone grow! I love seeing performers who have had ensemble roles get better and better roles. I am always happy when students talk to me about their plans for theatre participation post-graduation. I also love to see them participating in local community theatre at Front and Centre Productions or at CAST!” To Kim, being the costume designer is just part of her job. Really, she is interested in the futures and the growth of the student actors. This makes her a pillar of support for the actors, rather than just a costume designer.

The cast, crew, and audiences of each show can contest that not all shows run smoothly; however, it is also true that each performance has its dazzling moments. Just like the actors, Kim has her ups and downs when costuming. Her favorite part about being involved in productions is getting to know the cast members. She has the opportunity to meet so many enthusiastic student actors, and each one of them has their own history of being involved in the arts. On the other hand, the biggest obstacle Kim has is finding the best fabrics for specific costumes. She knows what she wants each costume to look like, but finding the materials that match her bright ideas is a hurdle she often runs into.

With each performance put on by the Drama Club, a sense of community is built. Every single detail of the show is impacted by someone, whether it be the costume designer, set builders, the stage manager, the director, hair and makeup crew, lights and sound crew, or the actors. When asked why it is important to acknowledge a show’s crew, Kim Luzier responded, “Every part of a show is important! Performing and directing are of course, the biggest parts of the show. However, set, sound, costumes, and so on are important for the look and feel of the show. There are so many talented people among the cast and crew and everyone contributes in their own way. Everyone works together so that a great show is presented!”  The Drama Club recognizes that the talent on stage is not the only talent there is. The crew that is hidden behind the curtain makes their appearance in the show through their visible contribution. The Drama Club shows would not be as great as they are without Kim’s flashy and bold imagination. Come see Kim’s creations in Mamma Mia the musical on April 13-15 at 7:00 in the CHS auditorium!