TAMPA, Fla. — What started out as a hobby, making outfits for cosplay, has flourished into a professional career with the Straz. This costumer is now preparing the cast of Nunsense for opening night.
“Growing up as a child I always wanted to make costumes and my mom would help me,” said costumer Anne Acosta. “One of my earliest memories was my nana knitting and crocheting something for my barbie dolls so I was always interested.”
It was just a few years ago that Acosta was dressing up like her favorite Game Of Thrones characters for some cosplay fun, and now here she is, in charge of costumes that will be seen by thousands under the bright lights of the Straz.
“I just really have come to appreciate and enjoy every second of it, of course there is times where it is very fast-paced and you just have to dive right in and go,” said Acosta.
She remembers coming to the Straz as a child. While many dreamed of being on center stage she imagined working behind the scenes in the dressing room.
“I’m attracted to shiny things, so that is my favorite part, is to come to the shows, and see the costumes, and see the glitz and the glamour, and the fun things that can be done,” said Acosta.
Nunsense marks Acosta’s third professional production at the Straz since graduating from USF with a degree in theater design.
“I always think of every show as a learning experience, so there is always going to be something new I’m going to learn that I’m going to put in my seamstress tool kit,” said Acosta.
As for the nuns in the cast, they say it would have been a sin to take the stage without Acosta’s eye for detail and hand for perfection.
“We are wearing nuns habits right now, these are pretty accurate, and there are so many pieces to them, and I think that Anne not only making sure that they fit us well and they are all tailored to our specifications,” said actor Mathew McGee who plays Mother Superior.
Nunsense runs July 13 to August 7 at the Jaeb Theater.
