Brad Musgrove started his career in theater as a dancer, but a hip replacement about a year ago sidelined him. Now, he’s following another love: costume design. Over the years, he taught himself how to make dance clothes for himself and others, and now co-owns a dance wear company.

The Providence Journal / Sandor Bodo

Brad Musgrove loves making debuts. Last year, he made his debut as choreographer for Theatre By The Sea’s uproarious take on The Producers. Now he is back in Matunuck as a first-time costume designer for Crazy For You, which opens Wednesday in previews.

“Next year I plan to do the lights,” he quipped during a break from sewing.

Musgrove, who is forty-ish, has spent most of his life as a dancer. But a hip replacement about a year ago sidelined him. So now he is turning to his other love — costume design.

Musgrove has been making his own dance tights for years. He remembers enrolling in a dance class with Gwen Verdon when he first moved to New York. The veterans in the class suited up in vintage dance pants that Musgrove just loved, but could no longer find in stores.

So without any experience, he set out to make his own pants on an inexpensive sewing machine his mother had bought for him at Wal-Mart. After a bit of trial and error, using pants he had purchased for a pattern, Musgrove produced something wearable. And for years after that he would make pants for friends and colleagues.

Then he found himself as dance captain for Mel Brooks’ The Producers and being handed an ill-fitting pair of purple, crushed-velvet jazz pants. He mentioned to costume designer William Ivey Long that he had some experience making dance wear, and he wondered whether Long minded if he made his own pants for the show.

Long, a five-time Tony winner, told Musgrove he was more than familiar with his work, since so many dancers had turned out to audition in Musgrove’s pants. He said he would be glad if Musgrove made his own clothing, as long as he outfitted the rest of the cast. It turned out the show went on national tour with Musgrove’s pants.

That led to continued work with Long, who has designed costumes for some of Broadway’s biggest hits. Musgrove, for example, designed the Igor costume for Young Frankenstein and has done work on the Dolly Parton musical 9 to 5.

“He has kept me busy and let me explore a lot,” he said.

Musgrove, who a couple of years ago took on two business partners and started his own dance wear company, had never designed his own show before. But he loves Crazy for You, and last year when he was in Matunuck, he let it be known that he would be interested in designing costumes for it.

After opening night of The Producers Musgrove went home to New York and started sketching. When he came back for the final weekend of the run, he already had a lot of the show drawn and was able to show his ideas to producing artistic director Amiee Turner.

By the time he got the job, he had the entire show sketched.

Musgrove was just 10 years old when he decided to become a dancer. His folks had taken him to a musical about showman Bob Fosse in his native Kansas City, Mo., and the next day he announced he wanted to take dance lessons.

He started out with jazz and tap, but realizing the importance of a classical foundation, took up ballet. He attended Oklahoma City University, where he was a classmate of singer-actress Kristin Chenoweth, but left after two years to start working. The life span of a dancer is too short not to jump at opportunities.

Musgrove has been spending the past couple of weeks in Theater By The Sea’s Wakefield costume shop helping stitch the more than 70 costumes used in the show.

“I hit the ground running,” he said. “I crammed the car with every spangle and bead I could find.”

One thing that has attracted Musgrove to Crazy for You is that it’s set in the 1930s, one of his favorite periods when it comes to dress. He loves the detail in the clothes.

But the Gershwin-composed musical is also about a guy, Bobby Child, who has always wanted to dance on Broadway, just like Musgrove. Bobby, who’s from a wealthy New York banking family, wants to be in show business, but his bossy mother has other plans for him and sends him to foreclose on a rundown theater in Deadrock, Nev. Rather than close the place and alienate his love interest, Polly Baker, Bobby decides to put on a show to pay off the mortgage.

Among the hits from the show are “I Got Rhythm,” “Embraceable You” and “Someone to Watch Over Me.”

Musgrove thought Matunuck would be an ideal place for this latest debut of his. He fell in love with the historic summer theater when he was here last year and thought it would be a “nice safe place to try it out.”

But if it weren’t for Crazy for You, a show he adores, he probably wouldn’t have returned, he said.

“If it was a show that didn’t speak to me, I wouldn’t be here. I’ve been fortunate in my career that I have not had to do shows to just pay the bills. It’s never been a chore to go to work.”

Musgrove is hoping costume design might be the next chapter in his life in the theater. He said even though his own dancing career appears over, he still wants to be close to the art form he loves so much. Besides, he can’t see himself in an office job.

He said he hopes costume work will be as fulfilling and challenging as his dance career.

Crazy For You opens in previews Wednesday and runs through July 11 at Theater By The Sea, 364 Cards Pond Rd., Matunuck. Tickets are $35 on June 17 and 18, and $39-$49 for all other performances. Call (401) 782-8587, or visit theatrebythesea.com.

cgray@projo.com