Quite Loverly

The Wick launches its new costume museum experience with an exhibition on the fashions of Eliza Doolittle

A new chapter is unfolding at The Wick Theatre in Boca Raton. Its lauded costume museum is now the Museum Club at The Wick, boasting enhanced facilities and technical improvements that enable visitors to fully inhabit a theatrical landscape augmented by the Wick’s massive costume collection.

Marilynn Wick, executive managing producer, says that the popular Van Gogh Exhibition inspired her and her team to transform the space and utilize large video screens to make the collection come alive. “At the Museum Club at The Wick, visitors will have an immersive video experience with our unmatched costume collection,” says Marilynn.

Marilynn and her two daughters, Kimberly and Kelly, have been building their costume collection since 1976. They initially designed costumes and later bought the contents of costume houses that were going out of business. Then, in 1990, they began acquiring Broadway wardrobes. Their collection is now the largest single grouping of Broadway wardrobes in the world, representing more than 100 shows.

In 2013, the Wicks opened their eponymous theater and costume museum in the former Caldwell Theatre. Year after year, Kimberly has shared their collection with the public, curating shows around a particular era or theme and pulling pieces from their stock to depict them.

The Museum Club at The Wick opened in September with an inaugural exhibition inspired by the character of Eliza Doolittle, beginning with her first appearance in George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion and honoring the actresses who have portrayed the Fair Lady on film and stage through 2018. Entitled Ascot!, the exhibition also includes more than 50 Cecil Beaton–designed costumes from the original Broadway show.

“I always wanted to do an exhibit about the Edwardian Era, and I thought, ‘Let’s pick My Fair Lady,’” says Kimberly. “The wardrobe is spectacular, the show’s amazing, and we happen to own the original 1956 Broadway wardrobe.”

As part of the Ascot! experience, guests sit down to a three-course meal and view a 360-degree, 25-minute video presentation on the Broadway show and its beloved main character. A singer also performs at every luncheon. And, each visit includes a trip to the Hat Room, home to 75 black-and-white ascot hats for guests to try on and pose with in front of backdrops.

“The mission of The Wick Costume Museum has always been to share our historic wardrobe in an entertaining and educational way,” says Marilynn. “With this new dramatic remodel, we are thrilled to welcome fans to enjoy our collection in a new, glorious fashion.”