Sew long and thanks for the costumes

Amongst pirate, animal and Elvis costumes, you’ll find 82-year-old Coral Haussmann manning the Nelson Musical Theatre wardrobe department.

The volunteer has been involved with the theatre on Atawhai Drive for 30 years in many different capacities, but with her retiring at the end of this year, the theatre is looking for someone to fill her boots.

The theatre has the biggest collection of stage costumes in Nelson, and it is one of the only places left where the public can hire out costumes for themed parties or shows. Up until the beginning of this year, Barbara Lane, stalwart of musical theatre in Nelson, ran the costume department too - but for the majority of 2024, it has just been Coral running the show.

“We have been actively trying to find a couple of suitable new volunteers, but so far to no avail,” says the president of Nelson Musical Theatre, Hugh Neill, who says Coral will be “very hard” to replace.

“Ideally, it would be great if the role could be shared. It’s a big ask for one person, so if we were able to find a few people, they could spread the load, which would be tremendous.”

The wardrobe department operates from 10.30 am to 2pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10am to 12pm on Saturdays, and 1pm to 3pm on Sundays.

“But with Coral having to operate on her own this year, we’ve had to reduce the opening hours,” Hugh explains.

He says that a new wardrobe volunteer with sewing skills would be an advantage, as sometimes repairs are needed to a garment before it can be hired out. Coral was certainly not short on these skills, and it was her talent with needle and thread that got her roped into helping out at the theatre around 1994.

“I have always sewn as a hobby, I have made 29 wedding dresses,” she says.
She reckons Elvis is the most requested costume item she gets through the public hires.

“He never goes away,” she laughs. “There seems to be a lot of parties… you know, lots of 1920s, 1940s parties. And we’ve got it all here… gloves, belts, all sorts.

Dresses, long black robes, then we’ve got bikinis we used in Chicago.”

Many of the costumes are driven by the shows they perform.

She remembers a man coming in requesting an old top hat, and she loaned it to him for the very reasonable rate of $5.

“The hat was just about ready to throw out, but he promised he would tell people where he got it from - that’s part of our advertising.”

Many of the costumes are also donated by the public.

Although Coral is stepping down from the role, her sewing services are likely to still be in hot demand at the retirement village she lives in.

“There’s been this one and that one wanting things done, men wanting their trousers taken up, there’s always something. People want to pay me, and I say ‘no’ because it’s something for me to do.”

Coral says she will miss coming to work - even on the quiet days.

“I can sit here for three and a half hours with no one coming in, but, you know, I’m happy with that, I’d sooner do that than have people come in and us not be open.”

And there is always “lots of sorting out” to get done, too, she adds. Coral is hoping to retire in December but will wait for the right people to come along and take her place so she can “show them the ropes”.

Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Hugh at [email protected] or 027 551 1100.