STAGE PRESENTS
"COSTUMES MAKE me feel like I'm special."
-JACK (10), RDCS
Stage Presents creates costumes for musicals, plays and choir productions at LAUSD schools, with a focus on underserved communities.
Stage Presents gives kids stage presence!
I am a mom and voice actor living in Van Nuys, CA. In January 2025, I pushed the pedal to the metal and made my first garment; it was one of those moments where you realize what you should have been doing with your life.
As a former theatre kid with a life-long focus on thrifting and sustainability, Stage Presents encapsulates my passions. Using materials I've thrifted, saved from estate sales, or what has been donated, I create costumes for LAUSD school productions.
My first project started with my son's 3rd grade class. Their teacher, Mr. Lasell, saw such potential in his students that he decided to bring music back to the school with Ozapalooza!, a review of music from The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz, and Wicked.
While I took on costumes, other parents donated supplies, time, or money.
I found ways to keep costs down by making the costumes serve as the "essence" of the character -- a cape, a hat, some flowers. I wanted the character to be instantly recognizable with minimal materials. Plus, I had no idea how to make a dress!
What could have been just another adorable choir performance, landed us on the local news! The passion and dedication was obvious and costumes helped the performance shine. (They even got a little shout of from one of the Good Day LA anchors!)
Ozapalooza! on Good Day LA.
With no budget and duplicate roles, I had to get creative.
I turned Dorothy's dress into an apron while Elpheba was represented with a sparkly cape and hat.
The Glinda's wore a tulle cloak and carried a hand-made wand. I covered three donated plastic crowns with pink ribbon and rhinestone trim that I pulled off a cowboy hat I knew I'd never wear.
At the end of the show's run, I let the kids keep their costumes. I was moved and delighted to see many of them wear their costumes again that Halloween.
Costumes aren't just for Broadway-caliber productions...they are the icing that helps to ignite the artistic spark in children!
“I loved having costumes because it made me think more about my character. I think the audience believed the story more, and it was very fun to wear the amazing costumes!”
-Amanda (10), RDCS
April of 2026, the RDCS Glee Club put on "Race Night!" a review of Andrew Lloyd Weber's Starlight Express.
I worked closely with another costume mom to create custom-made costumes for each of the 38 children involved.
The goal was that each child felt unique despite the size of their role. The challenge was whittling down the essence of each train to convey that in their costume.
COSTUMES MAKE KIDS JUMP FOR JOY!
