LOCKPORT, N.Y. (WKBW) — It's been a grueling two weeks for the Buffalo community. Specifically for those who were impacted directly like Jason Arno's family, friends and the nearby buildings that suffered tremendously from the Main Street fire.
7 News reporter Sydni Eure stopped by a play rehearsal Tuesday night and spoke to members of Lake Plains Players, a theatre group who has been lending a hand to the theatre community following the loss of DC Theatricks which lost 40 years of blood, sweat and tears all in the span on hours.
"Costuming is really one of my favorite parts of a show," said Eden Villanueva, Actress with Lake Plains Players.
Gabrielle Montgomery, President of the non-profit theatre group out of Lockport said no production is complete without the proper look.
"It changes the way you walk and the way that you present yourself and it really helps a lot of the actors to really get that last push that they need," said Montgomery.
"I've had some really cool costume pieces that I've gotten but there hasn't really been a time where that hasn't come together at the last minute," said William Briggs, Actor with Lake Plains Players. "We try to be as prepared as we can in theatre."
However, no one could be prepared for the four-alarm fire that took the life of one firefighter, left millions of dollars in damage and totally destroyed long-standing costume provider DC Theatricks.
"It was a really sad thing because it means something it so many people in the community," said Villanueva. "To have a company and a place like DC Theatrics that had beautiful quality pieces for all kids of characters, all kinds of shapes and sizes and abilities is a huge loss to the theatre community."
"So there were a lot of theatres in the area that were counting on costumes and maybe going to get them the weekend of the fire for shows that we happening the next week and they were just totally left to their own devices."
But with a large selection of costumes and a passion for helping those in need, Lake Plains Players stepped in.
"The theatres in the area mostly schools, churches that sort of thing could come and ask us to use costumes for free," said Montgomery. "So when we heard about the fire I asked them hey can we open this up because I don't think everyone knows about this resource."
Montgomery said she took to social media and received several inquiries right away and before she knew it, many other theatres joing together to help too.
"The stuff that we weren't able to supply I was able to kind of us my network of people that I know from the theatre community and point them in the right direction," said Montgomery. "So I think everybody found costumes fro the shows that were opening which is, it's a good feeling."
The Lake Plains Players said there's no such thing as too many costumes, so if you have some old clothes that could do the job reach out to them and they'll share details on how to donate. You can find them here on social media.
