MANSFIELD — Tammy Wertz thought it would be a good little fundraising effort for the Mansfield Playhouse — which could also help parents find affordable Homecoming Dance dresses for their daughters.
Social media agreed with the idea — and then local residents quickly amplified it.
“We put out a post on Facebook thinking it might get shared by our own people like 20 times. Within 24 hours it had been shared over 700 times and other organizations were posting it, too,” said Wertz, the long-time Playhouse manager.
“It went everywhere.”
The idea was to sell more than 100 dresses, most of them brand new, that the community theater knew it could never use as costumes in shows.
“We were contacted by a company from Columbus, who was moving into a new location and said they couldn’t take all of the dresses with them,” Wertz said Monday.
The company invited the Playhouse to take 300 dresses for potential costume pieces, many of which still had tags on them for sale.
“We have used a lot of them. But we knew right away that some of these really short dresses were not going to be good costume pieces for us.
“We knew we couldn’t keep everything because we just don’t have the space,” Wertz said.
Wertz saw a Facebook post about upcoming Homecoming Dances. She talked to longtime theater costumer/volunteer Candy Boyd and they developed the idea of selling some of the dresses.
Her husband, Doug Wertz, the Playhouse artistic director and the theater’s only full-time employee, said Monday evening the original Facebook past had received 37,000 impressions.
The response from the public has been gratifying and rewarding, Tammy Wertz said.
“We’ve had a steady stream of people coming in,” she said. “They are beautiful dresses and they are each so unique. It’s been really fun to watch the girls try them on and pick their dress,” she said.
Dresses are available in all sizes, colors and styles. Dressing rooms at the Playhouse can be used to try the dresses on before making a purchase.
Most importantly, there are no price tags.
“In order to help people who maybe can’t afford to buy a new Homecoming Dance dress in a story, we are letting them come in and pay by donation only. There is no minimum amount,” she said.
“Whatever they can pay at their discretion is accepted,” Wertz said. “So many people are struggling right now. We decided instead of setting a price, we tell them give us what you think you can afford.
“Then, enjoy your dress and enjoy your party.”
She said other organizations have donated more dresses when they heard about the Playhouse efforts.
Shopping continues this week through Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. each day at the 95 E. 3rd St. theater.
“We will do it through Saturday and then we’ll see what’s left by then,” Wertz said.
