Tech time

Last night started our first day of tech. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this term, "tech" is the time where actors put their scenes on the stage, the light and sound technicians figure out their levels and effects, and costume/makeup is all thrown into the mix, usually in a super long work day with a lot of "Please hold" and "Go back please." It can wear down the nerves.

Yesterday wasn't so bad, we just added costumes (which take up 40% of our dressing room because there are so many pieces) while we did a straight run through. Tonight, however will be the true patience-trying tech with the never-ending stopping and starting. I'm going to the dollar store and getting a nice, big SuDoKu book for my personal sanity.

I have to take pictures of these costumes. They are breath-taking. While I was working in the filthy, unorganized, windowless, moldy dungeon of our costume shop for hours on end, I could not envision the final product - so major kudos to our costume designer. She is amazing. These pieces are so finely detailed and beautiful.

A sample male costume has shoes, stockings, breeches, sword, swordbelt, shirt, vest, jacket, wig, and a hat. A sample female costume has shoes, stockings, skirt, corset/stomacher, hip rolls, bodice, contouche (a long jacket overlay), optional hairpiece, plus additional accessories. Keep in mind that everything - down to the shoes - is highly decorated with trim and larger than life. I'll take some pictures tonight.

Luckily for me, I get to be male and female! Frankly my male costume is much more comfortable.

For this show the makeup design is fairly simple, just some exaggerated street makeup for women, but the hair design is crazy! All men are in wigs or hair pieces (think long curly pony tails), but for women like me who actually have long hair, I have to go through the annoying process of pin curling my hair daily. I might go to Rite-Aid and buy myself a hair piece. I don't want to walk around with a bandanna on my head for the next two weeks, ya'll.