Belle Vernon Area High School musical without costumes one week from opening day after fire at shop

BELLE VENON, Pa. (KDKA) - Like most high schools this time of year, Belle Vernon Area High School is preparing to put on their production of "Anastasia."

Opening night is Thursday, March 9.

"We open on Thursday of next week, so we're at crunch time," explained Michael Rozell, the school's musical director and producer.

Rozell said typically, at this point during rehearsals, they are focused on the small, last-minute details.

On Wednesday in Buffalo, New York, a massive fire broke out at three-story commercial structure in the city's Theater District, according to CBS affiliate WIVB.

The first floor of the building was occupied by DC Theatricks, the costume rental shop Rozell said he's worked with to outfit his musicals for years. The fire destroyed the building and gutted the costume shop, including all the costumes the cast of "Anastasia" was expecting to use.

"Thousands of dollars of costumes were boxed and ready to ship," he said. "Russian costumes with massive head pieces and whatnot, that's what was coming to us."

The show traditionally features era specific extravagant gowns, head pieces and military uniforms. Because of that, Rozell said finding replacements a week before the show opens will be a challenge.

"Unless somebody has 1907 Russian regalia in their attic, which maybe, I don't know," Rozell said with a hopeful laugh. "But yeah, that's where we are at this point."

That point is looking for help from the theater community and hoping for the best because, as the saying goes, the show must go on.

"When I told the students [about the fire] yesterday at rehearsal, I said to them, 'you will perform this show if that means you'll perform it in your cast T-shirts, you will still perform this show."

A 37-year-old Buffalo firefighter died battling a four-alarm fire Wednesday, according to WIVB.

Rozell said although the show is important to him and his students, he asked them to keep things in perspective and remember the real tragedy of the situation is that firefighter's death.

WIVB reported workers were said to be using torches on the exterior of the building, which may have started the fire.

Belle Vernon Area High School's production of "Anastasia" runs March 9-12.

Rozell, who has led the school's music and theater department for that past three decades, said he plans to retire at the end of the school year. This production of "Anastasia" will be his final curtain call.