Kim Simons Condon Memorial

On Saturday afternoon March 5th, a memorial observance was held at the B Street Theatre for designer and theatrical costumer Kim Condon. Many of Sacramento's leading theatrical personalities were on hand for the observance.

Marcus Crowder was chosen by Kim's husband Frank to host the event. Crowder spoke of the surpassing strangeness and irony of being chosen for the role. Crowder, of course, is a theatrical critic for the Sacramento Bee, and here he was, alone, on stage, in front of an audience filled with actors and actresses. It was a jiu-jitsu role reversal that Kim Condon would have relished.

After beautiful music (I missed the names of the talented duo who played), Kim's friends and family spoke movingly of her life. I had only just met her, so I didn't have a good fix on her personality, but after a while, a picture emerged of someone who loved transformations; someone who could take ordinary everday materials and create magic from them. It's no wonder that someone with such a love would end up in costume design.

There were references to interesting costumes - the 'Lobster'; the 'Dalmatian.' Martha Omiyo Kight spoke warmly of a purple taffeta dress. Kim apparently carried an Land of Lakes Indian maiden emblem with her at all times, to show the uninitiated what a few folds in the emblem could accomplish in the way of transformation. Basically, Kim was a warm, funny, high-spirited theatrical artist. At the end of the testimonials, and in honor of her life, the audience of her friends and peers offered the warmest accolade a theater person can earn: a standing ovation!

Donations can be sent to the Kim Simons Condon Memorial Costume Program scholarship fund at Cosumnes River College, 8401 Center Parkway, Sacramento, CA 95823.