The costume closet of the St. Paul’s Dramatic Society holds the uniforms of many notable characters, including Prince Charming, Sherlock Holmes, and Ebenezer Scrooge. These costumes document the history of the Society as they date from the 1950s to the present.
Fr. Murray designed and created many of the Society's costumes during his tenure as producer from 1952 to 1982. With the diversity of performances, the costumes were designed to be versatile. This versatility allowed costumes to reappear on the stage in later productions and many continue to be used today.
In the annual endeavor to outfit the cast, Fr. Murray was assisted by members of the Ladies Auxiliary (now known as the Parents’ Guild) and the Sewing Club. The costumes were often made using on-hand materials, including fabric, trimmings, and hardware.
Following Fr. Murray’s retirement, the costume department was taken over by several staff members. As the closet has maintained the extensive collection, costumes are not made as often as in previous years and new pieces are often purchased or received through donation.
Father John Murray S.J. joined the St. Paul's faculty in 1952. He became involved with the St. Paul's Dramatic Society within his first year at the school and quickly took over the direction of the plays before turning to focus on production. He designed the sets, sewed the costumes, and managed all elements of the semi-annual productions in the school. Under this management the Society presented many successful plays.
Father Murray retired in 1982 after managing 50 productions. His legacy in the dramatic program and the school continue to be felt as the traditions and practices he established remain an important part of Society productions.
To mark the significance of his contributions to the Society, the theatre space was renamed Murray Hall. The celebration took place during the production of Romeo and Juliet in March, 1987. This celebration coincided with the sixtieth anniversary of the school.
Father J. Murray Sewing Costumes
c. 1977
St. Paul's High School Yearbook 1977
St. Paul's College Yearbook
St. Paul's College Yearbook
St. Paul's College Yearbook
St. Paul's High School Yearbook
St. Paul's High School Yearbook
St. Paul's High School Yearbook
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection
St. Paul's High School Yearbook
St. Paul's High School Yearbook
St. Paul's High School Yearbook
St. Paul's High School Yearbook
St. Paul's Dramatic Society Digital Collection