The fabric of the musical

The Samo theater program is always full of bustling moving parts that work cohesively as a well-oiled machine to put a fantastic show on stage. One of Samo’s most vital members of the theater community is Shannon Kennedy, the sole mastermind behind all the of the costumes worn in the productions. From last minute dress alterations to thrift shopping for vintage pieces, Kennedy’s day is full of hard work for the Samo theater troupe.  “In the earlier parts of the day I go downtown to shop for costume pieces, and then typically head to my studio at home to work before coming to Samo. The entire cast and crew is in the theatre from about four to nine, so I’m here, in my little working station, making costumes. We do fittings during rehearsal with the actors and, depending on how much work I have to do, I often find myself going home to work longer into the night,” Kennedy said.  Being the head costume designer on such an elaborate production is certainly a daunting task, and Kennedy has had to navigate many difficult and stressful moments throughout her years here.  “When there’s a cast that is this big, it’s often very difficult to get the actors that you need to come do fittings. Everyone is so busy and is hard at work, so it’s good to have the cast list. But even then, sometimes the musical numbers or the dance numbers will change, so getting all of that organized along with everybody’s measurements is definitely hard at times,” Kennedy said.  Despite the stress and long hours, Kennedy feels lucky to have the opportunity to design costumes for such talented young actors and actresses. The job is very rewarding, and she’s glad to experience it year after year.  “When the actors put on their costumes and you can see that all of a sudden it just adds this deeper insight into who their really character is, it all pays off,” Kennedy said.  Kennedy is no stranger to the theater. She grew up on stage, starring in shows throughout middle school and high school, and then went on to pursue designing in college. She’s been working professionally and with various high schools for over ten years.  “I’ve been doing theatre my entire life, so for me it was passion. I grew up on stage, decided to get a degree in school in design, and I’ve been working professionally now for something like twelve years. I love it! It always makes me so happy to see these kids excell,” Kennedy said. Creating costumes is no easy feat. Kennedy researches the time period and setting of the show before beginning her process, and uses her natural ability to build beautiful costumes that flatter the actors and actresses on stage. It is a constant collaboration between the cast, the director Kate Barraza and Kennedy, but there is no doubt that Kennedy is the mastermind behind the designs. She is beloved by the Samo theater students, who owe a large part of their success on-stage to individuals like Kennedy who work hard behind the scenes. Actress Parker Lauer (’20) is grateful for all Kennedy does to make their show vibrant and beautiful. “We are all so lucky to have a costume designer with such passion for what she does. You can always count on her to make us look fantastic in amazing costumes perfect for each show,” Lauer said. Kennedy is excited to see her costumes on-stage as the cast gears up to do their final performances. “I love the work and the cast is great. Every year I am beyond grateful to be a part of the making of wonderful productions, it is an amazing thing to watch a show come together,” Kennedy said.