Costume challenge

Last year, about this time, my friend Joanne asked for help with Jennie's costume for her role in Taming of the Shrew. The dress provided by the director did not fit well, and the dress I borrowed for her did not fit at all.

 The one resource available was this Opera Coat, purchased at a thrift store!

Stunning, stage-worthy fabric... but it looked like a clown-coat.

The only thing Jennie liked about it was the fact that it was long enough to drag on the floor behind her.

So what can we do with this in only about a week??