Mouse Queen Headpiece

In Nutcracker, there is bad Mouse King.  It's usually played by a male dancer with a big mask.  But there   is serious shortage of male dancer....  especially students at studios.  I thought it was such a clever way to make the Mouse King into Mouse Queen.

She was supposed to wear black unitard and a slim black jacket.  More modern costumes.  But she needed headpiece that tell audience that she is "Mouse Queen".  

I never liked ears on a head band.  So I incorporated the ears to an old fashion looking hat.  The hat has comb sewn in, and it also has loop to pin it onto the head securely, so even the mouse queen's choreography was pretty elaborate, it work well.

But she needed Crown for Queen.  However, the crown has to come out from her head when she is defeated.  Moreover, Marie was going to put the crown on her head to exit the stage.  So it has to be somewhat secure on Marie's head.

It sounded impossible at the time.  

I put a comb in the crown and sewn a pocket on the mouse headpiece so it will be secure on the Mouse Queen when she dances.  But it could be easily taken out from the pocket and the comb will catch Marie's hair so she can exit the stage without holding the crown with hands.