"In a lot of theater, costumes create an illusion, but these things are beautiful up close," said Mark Robinson, musical director. "They are beautifully constructed and gorgeous to look at. When we get 100 kids on stage in these brightly colored kimonos, it is going to be something to see. And when they open their mouths and sing that will be stunning, too. I think it will be pretty cool."
The Japanese setting of "The Mikado" inspired theater director Lance Petersen to consider obtaining "yukkattas," a style of colorful robes, directly from Japan. Knowing that some Japanese lodgings provide them for guests, Petersen anticipated finding a Japanese company from which the clothing could be purchased, and enlisted the help of Joe Reinhart, of Homer, who lives in Japan part-time.
"I searched places I knew of in Japan, but couldn't find them at a reasonable price," Reinhart said. "It turned out that most of them were made in China and my cousin has a company in China and they found a company that was more than happy to do it for us."
Delle Sheen, an employee for Asia-Tronics, the company owned by Reinhart's cousin, worked as the go-between, e-mailing color samples from which Reinhart could select.
"When they came, I was actually very surprised at how detailed and nicely printed they were compared to what I saw in the pictures," Reinhart said. "They are stunningly beautiful."
Sheen arranged for an export license so the textiles could be shipped out of China in the volume needed. Because the 180-pound order of 90 cotton yukkattas had to clear U.S. Customs, they were shipped to a custom brokerage house in Los Angeles.
"And then they were shipped up to my doorstep in Homer, Alaska, into my car, into Lance's car, and we're all happy," Reinhart said.
Total bill for the one-of-a-kind costumes, with shipping: $2,300.
Robinson, who in previous years has directed Homer High School's productions of "West Side Story," "Les Misérables" and "Fiddler On the Roof," said that Reinhart, as well as all of Homer, is in for a treat.
"I have the right group, the right combination, just the right tone," he said. "It is going to be lots of fun. Lots and lots of fun."
McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.
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