The Magic Behind The Might Casey Costumes
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will perform The Mighty Casey from February 20-22, 2026, as part of America 250 with the PBT Orchestra. In 1990, PBT collaborated with Performing Arts for Children to create a new ballet based on the famous baseball poem, “Casey at the Bat.” Told in flashback, the story depicts Casey, who famously struck out in Mudville in 1888, redeeming himself 20 years later.
The Mighty Casey costumes are some of the many that former Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Costumier Janet Groom Campbell created in her 40 years in the role. In more than 200 productions, Campbell has brought to life the visions of countless costume designers and conceptualized and created her own designs for ballets such as The Mighty Casey.
Costumes must be designed to enhance choreography, accommodate movement and withstand constant body contact and quick changes. They must move with the choreography, but still flatter a dancer’s form; yield to partnering, but spring back to shape; appear rich and delicate, but withstand years of alterations and upkeep to be cost-effective for a ballet company.
We asked Janet Groom Campbell to discuss what it was like creating costumes for this iconic baseball ballet.
What was your inspiration for The Mighty Casey costumes?
My first inspiration when designing a ballet is the music the dancers will perform to. In The Mighty Casey, the score was being composed while the costumes were being built. I knew some of the music used in the production was by John Philip Sousa and Stephen Foster, so I listened to that.
I also need to go back in time to the ballet’s period to get a feel for the era. We had two time periods in The Mighty Casey – 1888, based on the poem “Casey at the Bat,” and 1908, based on the poem “Casey – 20 Years Later.” I visited the Carnegie Library and researched the periods and how baseball was addressed during those times. During those time periods, baseball games usually took place in the afternoon. Attending the games was a family affair, and people dressed up. I saw videos of men wearing topcoats and fedoras to the games, and women in dresses, hats and gloves. The catching mitts were more like padded gloves. We made them for the ballet even though they were props.
How did developing these costumes differ from other costumes you have created?
There was considerable excitement about creating The Mighty Casey for PBT in 1990. It was a brand-new ballet for the company. There was strong camaraderie across the PBT team. Every weekend, there was a softball game—a really wonderful time to be at the ballet.
We created separate costumes for the two time periods in the ballet: 1888 and 1908.
- Ladies: In 1888, typical attire included a petticoat, blouse, skirt, jacket, bustle and small hat. In 1908, during the Gibson Girl period, women removed their jackets and bustles and wore larger hats.
- Mudville & Bugville Baseball Teams: The Mudville team uniform consisted of a shirt, pants, collar, belt, bow tie, red socks, an M for Mudville, black jazz shoes and a striped hat. For the Bugville team in 1908, we removed the collar, bow tie and M, and changed the hats to solid red. We made the red hat so it would be period-correct. All hats available at the time had a half-moon in the back to indicate they were modern.
- Rival Baseball Teams: The other nine uniforms in 1888 featured a blue-striped hat and a shirt laced up the front; they also wore blue pants, a belt, blue socks, and black jazz shoes. For 1908, we changed their hats to solid blue and added a front placket to their shirts.
- Children: The little boys wore jackets (removed for 1908), shirts, pants, dark socks and jazz shoes. The little girls wore dresses, tights, hats and ballet slippers. In 1908, one little girl removed her pinafore, and another took off her hat.
- Betsy: Betsy wore a beautiful dress, a belt with a bow, a petticoat, bloomers, pink tights with white feet, white pointe shoes and a straw hat with pink satin trim, flowers and a pink satin bow in the back. In 1908, we removed the bow from her belt and put on a pink silk dupioni coat with trim down the front. We also changed her hat to a straw hat with ostrich feathers and a dove, and added a pink bow.
- Casey: Casey wore the striped uniform for Mudville in 1888, and in 1908, he wore a brown tweed suit, a cream shirt and his red socks. At first, I wanted to have him change his socks, but Lisa (de Ribere, choreographer) and I talked, and she decided to have him wear the socks because it looked like he never took them off, because he was so in love with the game of baseball.
Was one of the costumes your favorite?
I think that my favorite costume was Betsy’s. It was the most beautiful, embroidered organza, and I loved watching that pretty pink bow on the back of her hat dancing along. Betsy was loving, loyal, cute, supportive and she stood by Casey through all the ups and downs of his career.
When you build costumes, how closely do you typically work with the choreographer?
I have always respected choreographers and have done everything I could to deliver what they wanted. I always felt that they were hired to create a great ballet, and their wish was my command. Nothing was ever too hard, too expensive or too time-consuming. I always felt that the more I thought about a ballet, the better the costumes came out. Once I started a new ballet, it was all I thought about until opening night.
What aspects are important to include in costume designs for ballets?
Costumes for the ballet must always enhance every movement of the dancer. They have to fit better than any other costumes. Skirts have to be full circles. Sleeves must be fitted, but not restraining. Lines should be perfect and complementary to movement. Costumes must be comfortable and reliable, with no broken zippers, bent hooks or popped buttons. I always wanted the dancers to look perfect and not worry about anything onstage but their performance.
What is the process of creating a ballet costume?
I sketch and swatch the costume, then pattern, cut and stitch it. I then fit it onto the dancer and alter it as needed. I watch it in rehearsal to see how it moves, then modify it accordingly. After the performance, I clean it, determine the best storage method and inventory it, along with all accessories. I also create a costume “bible” for each production that details how to care for, wear, and alter the costume.
The Mighty Casey is underwritten by the David & Janet Campbell Family Foundation in honor of Janet Groom Campbell.