Ursula’s Costume—A Behind-the-Scenes Peek

🧜‍♀️ Bringing Ursula to Life: The Marvel of Talented Volunteers

At Shine, the magic on stage is only part of the story. Behind every performance is a team of volunteers whose creativity and dedication make the impossible possible.

One of those remarkable volunteers is Beckie McCord, the costume designer behind Ursula’s unforgettable look in The Little Mermaid. Since she began volunteering with Shine in 2022, Beckie has lent her extraordinary eye for detail and creativity to multiple productions, helping bring characters to life with humor, heart, and serious craftsmanship.

For Ursula, Beckie pulled out all the stops. She transformed skirts, petticoats, dryer vent hoses, fabric tubes, and zip ties into a jaw-dropping, professional-level costume. She even engineered a magnetic removable tentacle so Ariel can dramatically sign Ursula’s contract live on stage.

Beckie laughs when recalling one of her most memorable moments:

“Imagine wrestling a dryer vent hose into a pantyhose leg — it was really a full body wrestle!”

That’s the kind of ingenuity and determination that make Shine’s productions truly special. And while audiences will see the magic under the lights, we love celebrating the passion and hard work that happens behind the scenes.

Beckie’s work reminds us that it’s not just the actors who make the show unforgettable—it’s the volunteers who pour their time, talent, and creativity into every detail.

🎟️ Want to see Ursula in action? Join us for The Little Mermaid Jr. this weekend and The Little Mermaid next weekend at the Courtyard Theater.

📅 May 9–11 (Jr.) | May 16–18
🎫 www.shineplano.org/tickets

🎥 See the costume and watch Beckie share her process here.