The Theater Company
This is Natalie Webber again. I am fascinated by all the lovely costumes I see on stage for IVRT and the Candlelight Pavilion. When I found out they all came from The Theater Company in Upland, I wanted to know more. Here’s what I found out from co-owner Barbara Hinrichsen.
Barb’s husband, Greg, a director, started TTC in 1972 with a friend who taught sewing at Chaffey College. Greg wanted costumes that met his standards. The company was first located in his dad’s garage. Barb met Greg when they were in “The Music Man” together in the ‘80s. Barb’s grandfather was a tailor for Coco Chanel. Barb learned to sew her own clothes on a treadle sewing machine. Barb joined Greg in the new company and helped to grow it by calling schools to let them know TTC could make their costumes. Eventually they were making all the costumes for the Welk theater in Escondido. In return, they were given the costumes from the Welk TV shows.
Now, from the original three seamstresses, there are eight, and one pattern maker, who make about 75% of the costumes sold. The Theater Company makes specialty theatrical costumes, not modern outfits (which production designers can find in shops like TJ Maxx).
TTC has an inventory of about 250,000 items. Every item pulled is noted in detail on the computer. Other ways to track rentals have been considered, but barcoding and scanning are just too expensive. Some TTC consumers are local theaters and schools, but costumes are also shipped all over the world. Shipments are increasing, and actually jumped about 80% when they created a website three years ago. Last October, three sets of ”Addams Family” costumes were all out at the same time, and in November, there were costumes for 42 shows going out.
I asked Barb how much does a typical outfit cost to rent and how long can they be rented? Barb told me the cost to rent a man’s outfit can range from about $45 to $65, and can be rented for up to 4 weeks, plus 2 weeks before a show opens. It is expensive to ship costumes and that cost is added to the total rental cost. TTC often works with theaters to plan for the most economic costumes, like sewing some at home, and using everyday clothes. In TTC’s inventory, the most expensive costumes are for “A Chorus Line,” with all the beading.
Barb shared fascinating details. Costumes are made with an extra 2 inches for alterations, and with extra-long zippers for quick costume changes. Magnets are even used now, for quicker and simpler sewing and costume changes in shows! Complicated costumes require a bit of algebra to construct, as Barb discovered for costumes in “The New Cinderella Show” for Citrus College. Finally, Barb advises that all actors should know how to sew. She once had to sew a girl into a costume at the last minute when her zipper broke.
Barb tells me one of her greatest challenges is to convince actors that we all come in different sizes, and to be honest about their measurements. She shared that her greatest joy is hearing from actors that they felt so good in their costumes. In spite of the stress, the long hours, and the last-minute requests, Barb feels blessed to be working in her dream job.
