Florence Foster Jenkins was a real person.  The show – Glorious! The True Story of Florence Foster Jenkins, the Worst Singer in the World – is set in 1944.  From a Costumer’s perspective this is an opportunity to bring a realistic look to what the actors are wearing.  It takes research.  What were the fashions, the skirt lengths, the width of the men’s lapels and many other details? 

When we start a production, the first stop is to the Players’ Costume House: a treasure trove of clothes, hats, shoes and every other piece we need.  But there are always items that aren’t available and need to be sourced.  In the case of Glorious!, gowns were especially needed.  And this time, Sharon Ablett, Margaret Burrows, Alda Staples and I sewed 4 dresses, a skirt and a suit from scratch just to get the look right. 

And then there were the wings.  They flap and fall and return to her shoulder.  Our wing master Norbert Schieweck took hours to make that happen.  And the feathers are all individually cut.  Estelle Cortesis was in charge of the icing on the cake: hats!

We hope that our costumes help to transport the audience back to New York in 1944 as we marvel at Florence Foster Jenkins and her performances. 

Glorious! The True Story of Florence Foster Jenkins, the Worst Singer in the World plays at the Best Western Cobourg Plus Inn & Convention Centre April 19 – May 5, 2024. Get tickets by calling 905-372-2105.