Theatre Alumn Phoebe Little Returns Home to Maddy’s Theatre with Mouse on the Move
“There’s no one way to be a theater kid and there’s a place for everyone in the theater... and the theater is better because you’re in it”
Costume Designer Phoebe Little
At 142 Free Street, Phoebe got her start with the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine as an assistant stage manager for Winnie the Pooh in 2011. After feeling bolstered by her experience with the rest of the cast and crew, she decided to audition next time and landed the role of Red Riding Hood in Little Red Riding Hood or: Grandmother Slyboots. She also appeared in The Jungle Book, Wiley and the Hairy Man, and The Boxcar Children. This led to her first experience with Costume Design on Sleeping Beauty in 2012, and now Phoebe has joined us in Maddy’s Theatre as the Costume Designer for Mouse on the Move!
Phoebe Little as Little Red Riding Hood and Evan Laukli as Young Wolf in Little Red Riding Hood or: Grandmother Slyboots in 2011
How does it feel to be returning to the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine in Maddy’s Theatre?
In a lot of ways, it feels like coming home. CMTM was so important to me as a middle schooler and it has been nothing but fun to be back as an adult. I went to school for environmental policy and journalism and now work full time doing communications and community organizing for an environmental nonprofit in Maine but I’ve never stopped loving theater. I’m really grateful to have grown up here and so excited about beautiful Maddy’s Theatre being here for the next generation of CMTM actors, designers, and technicians.
What has it been like designing the costumes for Mouse on the Move?
I love designing costumes for imaginary worlds and Mouse on the Move is a pretty sweet one. I’ve loved watching the actors create the characters of Ellie and Emilio and it’s been fun following their lead and designing costumes that enhance the choices they’ve made. Plus I’ve gotten to sew a ton of cute mouse ears! In this show, we had to convincingly turn two human actors without tails and fuzzy ears into cute little mice. And these actors tumble and move around a lot! My designs had to enhance their movement, not constrict it. I had to think creatively about how to securely attach ears and tails to costumes so the actors could somersault, march around, and fly freely!
Erica Murphy as Nellie and Nolan Ellsworth as Emilio
Production Photo by Katie Day
What did children’s theatre mean to you?
I was such a quiet and shy kid, but I always loved theater. CMTM really pushed me out of my comfort zone. I learned how to speak in public, how to present myself with confidence, and how to have fun onstage. I think Reba had me sing in every CMTM production I ever acted in which was SO scary at first. But eventually, I fell in love with it and gained so much confidence as a performer. That time on the CMTM stage led me to go on to join my school’s drama club, sing in choirs, and play the lead in my high school’s musical. And CMTM also gave me the chance to explore the technical side of theater which is really what eventually stuck. CMTM was the first experience where I was trusted with technical duties and given design input on productions. This experience empowered me to explore all sides of theater and really develop my costume design skills.
Phoebe Little in The Boxcar Children in 2012 with actors Sierra Aponte-Clark, Rosalie Bryson, and Hannah Duston
What advice do you have for someone interested in trying Costume Design? What kind of tools do you use to do your job?
Learn to sew! When I was really young I loved reading the Little House on the Prairie book series and, inspired by the protagonist Laura, I got really into hand stitching. When I was still in elementary school I saved up for a sewing machine and started teaching myself how to sew patterns from YouTube tutorials. Theatres almost always need help sewing and making alterations so I got my start designing costumes learning on the job while helping some of Maine’s best costume designers. Learning to sew improved my work as a designer because I can understand how clothing is made and how it fits different bodies. Having really solid sewing skills has gotten me jobs and opportunities, it’s an invaluable skill. Plus, it’s so empowering to have the skills to make, alter, or repair your own clothing! My first step is sketching out my designs in a notebook, always in pencil so I can go back in and make adjustments. I use my measuring tape to measure the actors so I can make costumes that fit well. When it comes time to start constructing the costumes, my sewing box is my best friend. A seam ripper helps me make alterations to clothes. My sewing scissors are super sharp because I use them exclusively to cut fabric. My trusty sewing machine helps me pull everything together and make any necessary adjustments.
“CMTM really pushed me out of my comfort zone. I learned how to speak in public, how to present myself with confidence, and how to have fun onstage.”
What message do you have for the next generation of young actors and theatre makers?
There’s no one way to be a theater kid and there’s a place for everyone in the theater. I learned so much from acting on the Dress Up Theatre stage but I’m equally grateful for the opportunity to stage manage, run lights, sew costumes, and have input in the design process! I fell in love with theater as a young person because of its collaborative nature and I relearn that collaboration with every new production. This is a team sport and it takes a wide variety of people with a wide variety of skills and interests. There’s a place for you in the theater, and the theater is better because you’re in it.
You can find more of Phoebe's work through her website: https://www.phoebelittle.com/
Catch Mouse on the Move in Maddy’s Theatre through November 14th to see Phoebe’s Costume Design in action! Tickets are $15 and include a special interactive, take-home suitcase for all little mice in the audience: kitetails.org/mouse-on-the-move