West Side Stories: Casaday Costume Co.

“What is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.” - Hamilton the Musical

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - James Lewis Casaday couldn’t have known what he was leaving behind as he stood in front of South Bend high school students in the 1930’s.

The man with an eye for art and detail was leaving more than just scraps of fabric and a few dozen theatre productions in his wake.

And now, 80-some years later, communities across the state and the Midwest can reap the fruit of his labor: the Casaday Costume Company.

Casaday developed an appreciation for theatre early on, all thanks to the influence of his mother and aunt, according to The History Museum. After graduating from college in the 1920’s, Casaday returned home to South Bend, and started a career teaching drama at South Bend public schools.

His collection, and the Casaday Costume Company, started in 1938, when Casaday began teaching at Central High School.

During his tenure as drama director at various high schools, Casaday would costume productions using donations or with the help of sewing parents and students. In fact, many costumes sewn by Casaday himself are on display today, boasting bright colors and textures that reflect his personal taste.

“He famously was trained as a tailor,” said Greta Fisher, Executive Director of Casaday Costume Company. “And didn't use a pattern and didn’t measure anything. He would look you up and down, rip the fabric and hand it off to somebody, and it would be perfect, supposedly.”

Measurements are a little more precise nowadays, but the company collects garments in much the same way, enlisting the help of volunteers, staff and interns to get the job done.

In its early years, Casaday Costume Company was also home to props. Over time, the collection got away from large props, save for Audrey II of the musical Little Shop of Horrors and a few others created in-house by the Casaday troupe.

Another change? Where the collection is housed. After years of moving from building to building, the collection settled at LaSalle High School in 2015. It’s a fitting home given its origin story, and who the collection serves today.

A portion of Casaday’s clients are high school theatre departments. Fisher and her team just wrapped up Summerfly, a seasonal production that brings together high schoolers from across Michiana. The show is the only one Casaday designs costumes for, because most of the time, Casaday acts as a liaison for people wanting to use items in the collection.

The other clientele for the collection is community members renting out looks for their events. From plays to parties, Chicago to Bloomington, customers from across the Midwest can rent costumes and vintage clothing from the collection. With a near-constant rotation of items, renters and theatre departments always have something to choose from.

“In the collection over two years, 10,000 items have changed over. So, for a collection, that’s probably about 100,000 items total,” Fisher said. “A good portion of the collection is in flux all the time.”

Casaday accepts both vintage clothing and costume donations. The line between what’s considered vintage and what’s costume is determined by the age of the garment, and its purpose depends on how well the fabric holds up.

Most clothing from the 1940s to now are true vintage but anything before that is likely a costume, which look like the real thing but were made recently because actual 100-year-old fabric is no longer durable enough to be worn, let alone be in the spotlight during a play or musical. Fisher and her team do, however, repair damaged clothing as best they can without comprising its foundation or history.

“We can eke a life out of something for a little bit,” Fisher said. “But at some point, you don't want a 16-year-old to find themselves without their dress on stage.”

When the garment reaches the point where it can no longer be repaired, the Casaday team sends it to a new home, often where it can be put on display as a piece of history.

They also sell clothing to vintage collectors and at community events, like Art Beat in South Bend.

The last resort is throwing it out if the fabric is beyond use or repair, which Fisher said they never feel good about. Most garments, however, can have another life in a place with more use for it, like exhibits at The History Museum and public library.

When considering how to preserve Casaday’s legacy in Michiana, Fisher said that, just by existing, Casaday Costume Company is carrying on his passion for student exposure to fine arts. With shrinking art budgets at many schools, Fisher said the organization offers deeply discounted rentals for theatre programs to put on productions.

“Supporting students, mostly youth involvement in the arts, was just hugely important to him because he thought it taught you skills that weren't about the arts at all, about being responsible and being a good team player and showing up on time and all of that stuff, and just that it made your life richer,” Fisher said.

And as for Casaday himself, his presence is still felt amongst the staff.

A mannequin stands near the doorway of the company’s main workspace, donning a cardigan Mr. Casaday wore when he was working in the theatre. Fisher and her staff joke that it’s him watching over them.

“He was a very demanding guy, and so I think sometimes, when we’re struggling, we look over at that mannequin that’s dressed like him in there and just think, ‘don’t look, Mr. Casaday.’”

Casaday Costume Company is currently operating on appointments only. If you’d like to rent a piece from the collection, visit the website for more information.