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Sewing Star Samantha O’Connell Creates Costumes for ‘Peter Pan’

Sewing Star Samantha O’Connell Creates Costumes for ‘Peter Pan’ thumbnail91307

For eighth-grader Samantha O’Connell, her love of sewing led to important role as the student costumer for the middle school’s recent play, “Peter Pan.”

“My dad told me that, since I sew, I should ask them if they needed help with costumes,” O’Connell explained. “So, I brought in my portfolio and showed it to them. They talked it over and came back to me in a few days and told me that I could help out.”

O’Connell created designs, purchased materials and sewed the costumes for six fairies, six mermaid tails, Peter Pan and Tinkerbell.

“I tried to do two costumes every weekend, and a bunch over winter break,” she said of her working method. “I’m really excited to see all of the costumes out on stage.

”The play’s success could be the beginning of a potential career for this young designer, who plans to pursue fashion studies in the future.

“The most impressive aspect of this production was that, aside from the three adults on the production team, the entire event was presented by middle school students,” said Vincent Green, the district’s director of fine and performing arts. “Many in the audience were certain that there had to be high school students in the background keeping things running, but it was all powered by 11-13-year-olds.”