After 34 Seasons, Barbara Young, Costumer Emeritus, Has Designed More Than 200 Shows and Over 10,000 Costumes.

 

Taking Flight

Costumer Barbara Young has made so many Charleston Stage shows take flight since she joined Charleston Stage in 1984. Here she is with the carpet bag and costume she created for Disney’s Mary Poppins in 2016.

 

 

 
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1984/2009)

Barbara’s first show was Sleepy Hollow. Her son Clay was in the cast and the director, George Loukides lived next door. Knowing she could sew he asked her to do the costumes and as mom how could she say no? Barbara’s never looked back. In the early days, though working part time she also created many props. With her husband Andy she even built the wooden horse for the headless horseman. This photo is from the 2009 production.

 

 

 

A Christmas Carol (1984-2017)

Barbara will tell you this is her favorite show. As Costumer Emeritus she will be designing this season’s revival of this holiday favorite—this will be Charleston Stage’s 20th production of Dicken’s classic.

 

 

 
My Fair Lady (1996)

This was one of the first of many large scale musicals Barbara has costumed over the years There were more than 80 costumes in this show, none lovelier than this beautiful white dress of Eliza Doolittle.

 

 

 
Man of La Mancha (2002)

Barbara’s costumes have run the gamut from elegance to rags as in Man of La Mancha set in a medieval prison.

 

 

 
Beneath the Sweetgrass Moon (2002)

From a Lowcountry Ramblin’ Rabbit to a backwoods Foxxy Fox, Barbara has create scores of imaginative creatures over the years.

 

 

 
Ragtime (2007)

This was the last show in the Dock Street before its 2008-11 renovation and Barbara pulled out all the stops. These are dancers swirl in ragtime piano player, Coal House Walker’s nightclub.

 

 

 
Greater Tuna (2008)

Produced at the American Theater while the Dock Street was being renovated this show featured two men playing dozens of characters.

 

 

 
Picasso at the Lapin Agile (2009)

Set in a French café at the turn of the century, Picasso at the Lapin Agile was produced at Memminger Auditorium.

 

 

 
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2009)

A swirl of color filled the Sottile Theatre stage in this Andrew Lloyd Webber classic.

 

 

 
Charlotte's Web (2010)

Barbara’s costumes often carry a touch of whimsy as in these imaginative geese from Charlotte’s Web.

 

 

 
Cabaret (2011)

The decadent Berlin of the 1930’s comes sensuously alive in these performers from the sleazy Kit Kat Club in Kander and Ebb’s classic.

 

 

 
Ferdinand the Bull (2010)
 
A young matador and his father in this children’s classic of the bull who wouldn’t fight.

 

 

 
Dracula (2010)

Authenticity and historical accuracy are hallmarks of Barbara’s designs. And yes that’s a real live rat!

 

 

 
The Original Peter Pan (2011)

Re-imagining is often the name of the game in great costume design. Here Barbara gives classic characters familiar but new looks.

 

 

 
Inga Binga (2012)

The classic 1940’s looks of Navy Lt. Jack Kennedy and his Danish girlfriend that he called “Inga Binga”.

 

 

 
Madeline's Christmas (2012)

A great example of a little show with big demands. Not one French girls hat and coat but 11!

 

 

 

The Wiz (2012)

This retelling of the Wizard of Oz called for fantastical costumes and Barbara came through with these delightful imaginative designs

 

 

 

Sherlock Holmes: The Final Solution (2013)

As Charleston Stage has grown, guest designers such as the College of Charleston’s Janine Marie McCabe joined our design ranks. Sherlock Holmes's costumes were guest designed by Janine with costumes built and engineered by Barbara and her professional, volunteer costume staff.

 

 

 

Gershwin at Folly (2014)

The vibrant and colorful costumes in Gershwin at Folly were modeled on the paintings of Jonathan Green.

 

 

 

Boeing-Boeing (2013)

Colorful stewardesses in this colorful French farce.

 

 

 

Disney’s Aladdin, Jr. (2015)

Each summer Barbara has costumed over 80 kids in their SummerStage musical and she gives the kids the full professional treatment as in these two delightful costumes.

 

 

 

Catch Me If You Can (2016)

In 2016 you can’t just buy 1960’s airline stewardess and pilot uniforms so Barbara and her staff had to create in them in Charleston Stage’s costume shops.

 

 

 

Hairspray (2016)

Another 1960’s musical, this one had more than 80 Barbara Young designed costumes.

 

 

 

A Year With Frog and Toad (2016)

Another delightful children’s musical.

 

 

 

White Christmas (2016)

Perhaps the most elaborately costumed show in Charleston Stage history. These 200+ costumes, guest designed by Janine Marie McCabe, lit up the Dock Street stage in 2017. Costumes were built and engineered by Barbara and her professional, volunteer costume staff.

 

 

 

Peter and the Starcatcher (2017)

Another guest design by Janine Marie McCabe. Mermaid’s with light up breasts were built and engineered by Barbara and her professional, volunteer costume staff.

 

 

 

Disney’s Mary Poppins (2016)

A circus theme was used for this stunning “Jolly Holiday” scene in Mary Poppins.