From Tom Cruise to Beaufort’s kids, costume designer paints a ‘picture that moves’

“Painting a picture that moves,” is how Pat Willcox describes her work designing costumes for various Beaufort Children’s Theatre productions. You will have a chance to see her philosophy in action this weekend when “Elf, Jr.” is performed at the USCB Center for the Arts.

The color palette will be bright and memorable, as it has been since Willcox’s first time working on a production in “Mulan, Jr.” in 2010.

Willcox owned a sewing business in North Carolina that claimed independent designers and Hollywood studios as clients. The flame-retardant race suits seen in 1990’s “Days of Thunder” were made by Willcox and her staff. Her main job, however, was getting up close to ensure that star Tom Cruise was “absolutely gorgeous.” Also, that his race suit fit.

When her husband sold his business and the couple moved permanently to their summer home on Fripp Island, Willcox wasn’t quite ready to give up her passion for costume design. While producing a runway show at the end of her Art of Couture classes competition at the Center for the Arts, she was introduced to theatre director Bonnie Hargrove. A fruitful partnership was born and Willcox soon turned her attention to considerably younger stars-in-the-making.

“Finding this opportunity with Bonnie was the best thing that happened,” said Willcox. “This is such a good opportunity for children, and there are such talented people on the production team.”

Hargrove returns that praise. She calls Willcox a “wonderful blessing” and points out that the costumes are designed to make each child feel special.

That process starts with Willcox reading the script and getting an idea fixed in in her mind of what the character should look like. Though she spends most of her time on the main characters – Snow White, Annie, Peter Pan – the minor characters also get a chance to stand out. Anyone who saw the White Rabbit or Humpty Dumpty in this spring’s “Alice in Wonderland” knows that phenomenon.

Though not as stressful as running a sewing business, the push from announcing a production to having to make costumes for up to 75 children is not exactly, well, child’s play. By the final performance, Willcox is ready to sit down and enjoy the show like the rest of us.

“The children always blow me away with the dedication they put into it,” she said. “It’s the best program I’ve ever worked with.”

She also relishes the opportunity to indulge in her creative side by “playing dress-up” with the kids.

“I love the art and challenge of character development,” she said. “They are good about leaving me to my imagination in terms of vision or interpretation.”

It has certainly paid off since Willcox is helping bring costuming – along with set design and music production – from the background to the forefront of children’s theatre.

“It’s all the things you don’t necessarily see that makes a production,” she says.

You might be coming to a performance of “Elf, Jr.” because the music is good, or you liked the movie, or your child is in the performance, or your neighbor’s cousin’s grandchild is the star, or you just love good theatre.

No matter the reason, stay for the costumes. They’re worth the seeing.

This story was originally published November 17, 2016 at 6:09 AM with the headline "From Tom Cruise to Beaufort’s kids, costume designer paints a ‘picture that moves’."