These are some of the important elements that go into making Show Business so magical. We've got a terrific "magician" working on this year's production - Ilana Epstein - who is coordinating all of this year's costumes.Today Ilana, plus production manager Eudice Spitz and director Toby Greenwald, walked through thorns and overgrowth to visit Raise Your Spirits' costume caravan. I popped in with my daughter Bati, as well.
Visiting Raise Your Spirits Costume Caravan was like a trip down memory lane.The shelves at the end of the caravan were filled with the animal heads from NOAH! Ride the Wave! and the cows from JOSEPH & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
There were field hand tunics from RUTH & NAOMI in the Fields of Bethlehem and the dress that Queen Esther wore when she was too pregnant to wear her original costume in ESTHER & the Secrets in the King's Court.Hanging alone in a white bag were the slippers that I had worn as King Achashverosh in ESTHER ten years ago, along with my scepter. My poor scepter had faded. The globe that showed my (Achashverosh's) domination over the known world had returned somehow to its original form - a tennis ball surrounded with two Slinkies.
The backdrops for JOSEPH were rolled up against the wall, as were Achashverosh's palace, and the harem of Vashti.
The dancing fish of NOAH! lay motionless on a box, their eyes quizzically wondering why they're not flapping once more.
In the NOAH! section, I discovered my black wig and crown, plus my purple costume for Og, King of the Bashan. Against the wall were the colossal feet with which my fellow giants danced. (That number always terrified my granddaughter, and she couldn't enter the theater until it was over.)The caravan is filled to the rim with treasures. Toby said that she always hoped our beautiful costumes were hang one day in a museum. They would have hanged in a Gush Etzion museum if the Judaica Center hadn't closed. One day maybe something else will spring up, IY"H, especially since over the past 11 years Raise Your Spirits has been such an important part of Gush Etzion history and life.
As we packed costume possibilities into plastic bags, a painting caught my eye - King Achashverosh and Queen Vashti (in happier days).
One day when we all have time :), we're going back to the caravan, and take another trip through 11 years of Raise Your Spirits history. Perhaps we'll make it an organized tour.I like the sound of that.
For more photos, visit: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.420023331367447.86661.295615200474928&type=1
