DECATUR, Ill. – For Greg Schreiner, Millikin University alumnus from the Class of 1970, it was a love of old movies that eventually blossomed into a career and calling.
“It started way back in Illinois, growing up in a little town called Orangeville in northern Illinois. Because it was tiny, I think all I did was spend my time watching old movies on TV,” he said. “When I moved to Los Angeles to go to school at UCLA (for graduate school), I was right in the heart of all of that. I thought why not own a little bit of movie history?”
Over decades, Greg assembled one of the finest private collections of screen-worn Hollywood costumes from the 1930s through the 2000s.
But he didn’t stop at collecting; he turned the collection into a living theatrical experience. His musical revue, “Hollywood Revisited,” in which Broadway-level singers and dancers wear the original costumes, perform iconic film numbers on stage, and connect them to the very scenes where they appeared – all while Greg accompanies on piano and narrates the story behind the gowns, suits and stars – combines his dual passions for performance and cinema in a unique way.
“I thought, let’s do something with all of these costumes, and it’s been a great adventure with my musical background,” he said. “I put on a show now with singers, dancers wearing these incredible clothes and creating a bit of the old magic of Hollywood.”
Greg returned to Millikin in October for a performance of “Hollywood Revisited” at the Kirkland Fine Arts Center, bringing not just a performance, but a homecoming. The production used original costumes worn by stars such as Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, and Liza Minnelli.
Greg was also joined on stage by fellow Millikin alumnus Dr. Kimm Hollis, Class of 1972, for a piano duet in honor of their former Millikin instructors, underscoring the deep ties he feels to his alma mater.
During his visit, Greg also shared his experience in a Masterclass with Millikin College of Fine Arts students. For students, Greg’s story beautifully intersects with the importance of Performance Learning. As a Music Performance major turned concert pianist, narrator, and producer, a collector whose archive becomes a live show, and an alumnus whose work brings national attention to Millikin, Greg is an outstanding example of the breadth of career possibilities that they can aspire to.
With “Hollywood Revisited,” Greg continues to tour, exhibit, and share his collection of over 300 original Hollywood costumes. Whether he is on stage, in a lecture hall, or through museum-style exhibits, he invites audiences to return to the era of glamour, storytelling, and craftsmanship that made Hollywood a dream factory.
“My return to Millikin was one of the highlights of my life,” Greg said. “Being back on the campus brought back so many wonderful memories and made me so grateful for the superb education and support I received while attending Millikin. Millikin will always remain one of the most golden memories of my life.”
