Masks of every kind line the walls at SCERA Center for the Arts's costume shop. Rows and rows of dress racks hold costumes from many time periods.

"We go from medieval to space uniforms and every imaginable animal and person in between," said Deborah Bowman, manager of the costume shop.

Until a little more than two years ago the costume shop was housed in the basement of the SCERA Center. Thanks to a generous donation by the Ray and Tye Noorda Family Foundation, a building adjacent to the SCERA Center was donated for the much-needed costume shop expansion and for a props and scenery shop.

"The donation of that space makes it much more accessible to the general public," said Adam Robertson, president of SCERA. "This is five to six times bigger and allowed us to organize our inventory."

The costume shop has been compared to the kitchen of a home. It is the hub where people gather to visit, walk by and say hi or volunteer their help as a big production gets closer and closer.

"We have 11 main productions and eight youth theater productions in a typical year," Bowman said. Currently they are preparing for "Thoroughly Modern Millie," running April 24-May 9.

After that production they will be preparing for the three musicals for this year's 25th Anniversary of the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theater. The first production will be "Beauty and the Beast," followed by "West Side Story," and "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat."

Bowman, the only full-time employee, is assisted by two part-time employees and several volunteers. The SCERA is also hosting Sarah Riffle, who is serving an internship from Ohio University in Athens. Riffle is amazed at what the shop does with such a small staff.

"There needs to be another full-time person to help with just the youth theater productions," she said. There are more than 300 children in SCERA Youth Theater, and all of them have spring productions.

Another big part of the costume shop's business is the rentals. Bowman said they rent costumes to high schools, junior high schools, professional and community theaters and colleges. Just recently they rented out a whole production of costumes to Tuacahn Amphitheatre near St. George.

"Everything is rentable, " Bowman said. "We do custom rentals to fit the person's needs. ... At Halloween I need everyone to take off their other jobs just to help people. We'll spend hours with people helping them find the right costume."

The costume shop rents everything from tuxedos to prom dresses and wigs to shoes. According to Kelsey Seaver, assistant costume designer, the cost is $5 and up on a weekly rental that includes cleaning and pulling fees.

Robertson said the SCERA is currently involved with a big project in photographing their entire costume inventory for their Web site, which will have an online catalog for rental purposes.

Like all nonprofit organizations, the costume shop is always happy with donations. All donations are tax deductible. They particularly need men's suits, bolts of cloth and buttons.

"I would love to start a button drive," Bowman said. "I love buttons. Give me buttons."

While Bowman is happy for buttons, Sarah Vein, the other assistant at the shop, would love laundry soap.

"I organize the shop and put everything away, and I do the laundry," she said. "We're constantly doing laundry. We go through a 64-ounce container of soap every two weeks."

With the 75th Anniversary of the SCERA Center for the Arts in full swing and the 25th Anniversary of the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theater this summer, the costume shop is keeping the sewing machines and sergers busy. Sometimes before a big production, they have been known to work around the clock.

For Bowman, it's the love of the costuming and seeing the finished product on stage that keeps her going.

"It's taxing and stressful some weeks," she said. "But it's fun and it's so amazing putting 60 people together in clothes you've made."

For information about rentals, donations and other services at the costume shop call the SCERA at (801) 225-2569.