September 14, 2016 – Colfax High School is excited to announce a new Costume Design Club being offered to Colfax High School students through a partnership between Colfax High School and Placer County 4-H. The Costume Design Club will focus on providing quality costumes for the two Colfax High School Theater productions performed each year. The inaugural costume support will be for the fall production of the “Frankenstein”, performing November 10-12, and November 18-19. “Frankenstein” will be set in the mid-1800s, and will require over 50 costumes. Members of the Costume Design Club will not only sew/create these costumes but learn how to research the local and period correct attire per character by scene, as well as manage schedules, budgets and be in charge of dressers during the production.
The Costume Design Club is the brainchild of Dolores Ramsay, 18-year Colfax resident who has volunteered as the Colfax 4-H sewing project leader for the past 8 years. Ramsay approached Jonathan Mazer, the new Colfax High School Drama Teacher, to partner on the Costume Design Club to support the need for costumes. Mazer jumped at the opportunity, agreeing that an upgrade in costumes would be a tremendous boon to the Colfax theatre department. This year’s fall production of “Frankenstein” was adapted by Mazer from the novel by Mary Shelly with the purpose of providing a script that allows for a highly collaborative experience for the acting and technical students. “It is important to me to choose work that will appeal to the broader community, as well as provide the students with an optimal collaborative, and educational experience,” states Mazer. “The community involvement in Colfax High School’s theatre department is extraordinary, and I am thrilled to involve Colfax community members in the process of creating professional level theatre for the entire Colfax community.”
Meetings will be held at Colfax Elementary in the dedicated sewing room with the support of Superintendent John Baggett, who is thrilled to extend the use of the sewing room to the High School club. The sewing room includes 8 Singer sewing machines, fabric thread, bobbins, tools, scissors, and space needed to produce the costumes.
If you would like to join the club and learn new sewing skills, or if you are an experienced seamstress and would like to help create costumes for the upcoming production of Frankenstein, please contact Dolores Ramsay at doloresramsay@gmail.com. Anyone who wishes to contribute a machine, sewing notions, fabric, or make a cash donation for the class can contact Jonathan Mazer at: jmazer@puhsd.k12.ca.us.