The Function of Fashion

GVT is proud to bring you the jukebox musical The Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On. Featuring some of the most beloved classics of all time, this musical runs Aug. 24 & 25, Aug. 31-Sept. 2 and Sept. 6-9 at 7:30 p.m., with a Pay-What-You-Can Preview performance on Aug. 23 at 7:30 p.m. and a matinee performance on Sept. 2 at 2:30 p.m.

Saying farewell never had so much style. Four high school alumni rock out with some of the greatest hits of the 60s and 70s while saying goodbye to one of their favorite teachers. This musical celebration of that golden age features the songs “More Today than Yesterday,” “You’re No Good,” “I Can See Clearly Now” and many more.

Every year GVT invites Guest Costume Designer Sherry Harper-McCombs to add her own flavor to the season. After designing for the 2011 production of The Marvelous Wonderettes, and followed by favorites such as 2015’s Chicago and the 2016 world premiere production Cinderellish, this season will add The Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On to her list of costume creations.

Melissa Robinette*, Melissa Weisbach*, Elizabeth Doyle* and Kim Morgan Dean* in GVT’s 2017 production of The Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On. (Photo Courtesy / Greenbrier Valley Theatre) *denotes member of Actors' Equity Association

Any costume designer needs inspiration in order to create, and for this production it came naturally. Harper-McCombs used the musical’s time period, music and, of course, the singers themselves.

“Influences on the design were the characters of the women themselves as presented in the scripts,” Harper-McCombs said. “We learn a bit about their lives and that gives us important information that can be used to make costume decisions.”

The costume designer has been a guest at GVT since 2002, and her creativity and interest in many different art forms speak volumes about her capabilities. She has an MFA in costume design from Virginia Commonwealth University, and other interests include mask making and fabric painting, among many others.

As a designer, Harper-McCombs knows that the best way to utilize her talent and training is to work alongside the other designers to tell a cohesive story. The costumes should not steal this show but, alongside the lighting, sound and set design, highlight the music and talent onstage.

“I think this show is mostly about the music. The clothes and the visual story simply provide a backdrop for the music,” the designer said.

Melissa Robinette*, Melissa Weisbach*, Kim Morgan Dean* and Elizabeth Doyle* in GVT’s 2017 production of The Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On. (Photo Courtesy / Greenbrier Valley Theatre) *denotes member of Actors' Equity Association

Such a vivid visual aid is one crucial tool these talented actors will use to bring life and energy to these classics, using music and song to tell the story of such eventful and influential decades.

This fabulous and fashionable production will run Aug. 24 & 25, Aug. 31-Sept. 2 and Sept. 6-9 at 7:30 p.m., with a Pay-What-You-Can Preview performance on Aug. 23 at 7:30 p.m. and a matinee performance on Sept. 2 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 for general admission, $27 for seniors and $20 for children/students. For tickets or more information, call GVT’s Box Office at 304-645-3838 or visit www.gvtheatre.org.

This program is presented with financial assistance from the West Virginia Division of Culture & History, and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts.