Liberty Princess Co. ‘makes children’s dreams come true’

Home City News Liberty Princess Co. ‘makes children’s dreams come true’
Liberty Princess Co. ‘makes children’s dreams come true’
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Liberty Princess Co. Director junior Gianna Marchese hugs two students at Bailey Early Child Center on Friday while dressed as Elsa from Disney’s “Frozen.”
Breana Noble | Collegian

These days, being a princess means more than just wearing a crown.

The Liberty Princess Co. in Hillsdale — Director Gianna Marchese, a junior at Hillsdale College, said — focuses on exemplifying one of the most important characteristics of being a princess: generosity. Although it does attend private parties to cover the costs of running the organization, Liberty Princess Co.’s cast of college students seeks to serve the community through public events, free of charge.

“Hillsdale is such a deserving community,” Marchese said. “They welcome us so much as students, and it’s only right that we give back some way.”

Many children in Hillsdale County do not have the opportunity to travel to Disneyland or Disney World to meet their favorite princesses in real-life, so the Liberty Princess Co. brings the magic to their schools, libraries, and neighborhoods.

On Friday, the company visited Bailey Early Child Center to read a book, answer questions, perform sing-a-longs, and take photos.

“It’s a good thing for them to see and experience,” Great Start Readiness Program Teacher at Bailey Tami Oxley said. “I think the kids really enjoyed it. The kids were very excited about the visitors.”

The Salvation Army also held a princess day for the community to learn how to be a royal on Saturday. Marchese said the characters exemplify strength and virtue, becoming role models for the children in the community that may not have one otherwise.

“Princesses aren’t just superficial; they’re not princesses because they’re beautiful,” Marchese said. “They’re princesses because they’re kind and sweet and care about others, and they’re beautiful on the inside. We want to show them anyone can be a princess.”

Nine Hillsdale College students volunteer to make up the company’s cast, and they play the 12 princess characters the Liberty Princess Co. offers. They include the classical Disney princesses — Cinderella, Belle, Ariel, Aurora, Pocahontas, and Jasmine — as well as the more modern ones — Anna, Elsa, and Rapunzel. Tinkerbell, although no longer deemed an official Disney princess, is also a member of the cast.

And Liberty Princess Co. continues to grow. Most recently, the business added Snow White and Prince Charming, its first male character, to its offerings. The company’s website notes that Princess Sofia is coming soon, as well, but it may be difficult to book a reservation from the company any time soon — all weekends are full until June.

The work is rewarding and a dream come true, said senior Shena Albaugh, who wished to be Pocahontas or Jasmine as a child.

“When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a princess,” said Albaugh, who grew up in Hillsdale. “They’re independent, courageous, adventurous, smart. I want the children in the community to aspire to be like that.”

Liberty Princess Co. held casting auditions for the princesses at the beginning of the academic year, but since it is a volunteer opportunity, if someone had the courage to audition, then Marchese said she deemed them to have the courage of a princess, too.

The Liberty Princess Co. began during the summer of 2015. Originally, Marchese said the business was hoping to have donors to support the philanthropic efforts, but that effort fell through, turning the company to attend birthday parties to raise money for supplies and costumes to support its community service mission.

The company’s cast members make the princess outfits themselves — bedazzles, ruffles, and all.

But keeping track of the costumes and wigs and planning the schedule is not an easy task, Marchese said. As a full-time student, she said running her own business can be challenging.

“It brings you into the real world a lot sooner,” Marchese said. “The clients don’t know you’re a college students, so you can’t just use classes as an excuse. You have to find a way to balance your time.”

Sometimes that work can even overlap with her class schedule. Marchese recounted a time when she attended class with a blonde wig and makeup like that from “Frozen’s” Elsa — or the Snow Queen, as the company calls her due to copyrights.

“In my marketing class, I was just wearing a hoodie and jeans, but I swear, my professor kept doing this weird, sing-songy thing and moving her hands like she had powers,” Marchese said. “I think there’s just this weird, magical thing that happens when there’s princesses around. Everybody gets all wack, and that’s really cool.”

Although the work is hard, once Marchese steps into a crowded room of children dressed as one of the princesses and sees each of their smiling and eager faces, she said she finds the last-minute fixes to costumes and safety pin stabs worth it.

“It’s an honor to have the kids call you the princess’ names and believe that you are the real deal,” Marchese said.

The best compliment she said she received from a child happened during a storytime at the Hillsdale Community Library March 12, when a girl touched Marchese — who was dressed as her favorite princess, Belle — and said it surprised her that the princess was real.

“She said, ‘You made my dreams come true,’” Marchese said. “That’s the kind of stuff we live for.”