Review: TIARA'S HAT PARADE at Orlando Family Stage
The art of hat making, or being a milliner, is a lost art.
Tiara’s Hat Parade is based on the 2021 book written by Kelly Starling Lyons and was adapted for the stage by Paige Hernandez. It tells the story of a girl named Tiara Rose who helps her mother in her hat shop, Tracy Rose Millinery. When a big box chain store opens in the mall selling hats at cheaper prices, it puts a damper on the business and leads to its inevitable closure. Once the shop closes, Tiara and her mother must navigate their world without it.
I have not read the book, but the excerpt I found online appears to follow the stage version closely. This production featured one cast member, Lydia Danielle, who played the title character along with several others. She not only portrayed a young girl, but also took on the personas of multiple adults, including Tiara’s mother and father. Danielle navigated these characters through carefully chosen mannerisms and vocal changes. While many of these choices come from the actor, there is always support from the director, Ke’Lee Pernell.
From the costumes to the sets, and the staging and projection effects used throughout the show, every moment felt thoughtful and detailed. The hats created for the production were visually striking and given clever, pun-filled names.
The majority of the audience was children and their parents, as this performance coincided with the Florida Children’s Book Festival. The show included moments of audience interaction. At one point, Tiara asked whether she should enter a room in her house that her parents had declared off-limits. It was interesting, though not surprising, how many young audience members encouraged her to go into the forbidden room.
Tiara’s Hat Parade ultimately explores themes of female empowerment, kindness, perseverance, adapting to change, and the challenges faced by small business owners. Though set in modern times, the story feels timeless.
The production has concluded its run at Orlando Family Stage, but it will next play at Children’s Theater of Madison in Madison, Wisconsin, from March 7–22. Orlando Family Stage is located at 1001 Princeton Street in downtown Orlando. While this show has closed, several additional productions are scheduled between now and May 10.
Hats off to the cast, crew, and creative team.
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