Have a Happy Halloween, a Happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas... God D****T!!!

Holidays for those of us in theater are complicated. Most people get to pretend to enjoy their time off having dinners with friends and family that they would rather not see, and generally realizing that they maybe more stressed "relaxing" then working.

Thankfully we are spared this monstrosity of relaxation for the much more enjoyable task of bring joy and relaxation to others. If you haven't caught my sarcasm yet, what I'm saying is that, we in the theater usually don't get time off even for major holidays, since when you get time off you want to come and enjoy something like The Theater. So combine that with the fact that we start spreading holiday spirit a good six weeks before the holiday and you result in a hodgepodge of the same level seasonal angst most families feel, spread amongst 50 people all crammed into one building. We call it a party! ;-)

This year we've had a few of these "VSC Family" gathering. All of which are considered a chance to forget that we haven't had a day off in weeks, or that we don't actually know what holiday we're celebrating, and to enjoy each others company through a fog of alcohol and food. I thought you might all enjoy witnessing the "procession of the parties" here at VSC. *The Chistmas Party will soon follow.

Photo 1: Carrie, Carolynn, Susie, Susan and Justin at
"Bud's Beach" Our welcome party.
Photo 2: James Jordon as a beer drinking monk at
"EAE Halloween Party"
Photo 3: Yours Truely with Susan at
"VSC Thanksgiving '08"

TECH

"My Fair Lady will tech
TOMORROW!
Not just tomorrow
but on Sunday,
I'll be here.

I'm working on tech,
TOMORROW!
Every second of,
Every moment,
I'll be here.

Just think of the,
Hours and Minutes,
I'm wasting,
Sitting around,
and sewing
All DAAAAY!!!

TOMORROW! TOMORROW!
WE'RE TECHING
TOMORROW!
It's only one two daaaays
aaaaaa
MOOONTH!



In honor of this past weekend being technical dress rehearsal for My Fair Lady. Sung to Annie's "Tomorrow".

The Eye of Sauron Stares out from Dolittle's Pants... OR... How do you solve a problem like Eliza?

Well all sharpies are down and all votes are in! This show may be the most insane adventure ever. Not because of the designer per say, but because of the entire lack of communication between the original staff.

So what do I mean? Let's role back the clock to 2000 and give you a little theater tid bit....

In 2000 the first production of this version of My Fair Lady was produced at Trinity Rep Theater, Rhode Island. Now moving forward in time to 2002 the show was remounted at Milwaukee Rep. Now those unfamiliar with the theater world maybe a bit lost... as it seems so was the original team. A remount is basically a show in a box. One only needs to unpack the old stage pieces, the old costume pieces and the old props refurbish them if needed and throw them on stage again. Ba-da-bing, Ba-da-boom! Showtime!...

or not...

Let's keep moving forward... 2006 A co-production between Actor's Theater or Louisville and Cleveland Playhouse was suppose to be yet another remount. Ok by this time, I get it, the set has been done before and the clothes are worn out so you change a few things here and there. It'll be fine...

or not...

Now back to the present. 2008! Virginia Stage Company! We... (used in a collective sense, not me myself personally, but the "we" that is VSC) We worked with this Director last year she's great, We love her, We want her to do her production of My Fair Lady. Please... She Agrees! Everything's GREAT!!!

Except...

The designers are bored and want this to pay out more, the director doesn't really want or have time to do it, Trinity won't lend us any of their costumes because they are moving their stock and they don't really want to be bothered... Sooo We get back to that ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom thing... and instead it's more like... KA-BOOM!!!

BUT!!! Let's talk about absurdity... (Because we haven't had enough of that really!) Our lastest upset had to do with a 300 dollar top hat. Not just any 300 dollar top hat, but a custom made, XL, collapsable top hat that we got for Mr. Dolittle in his "Get Me to the Church" number. "D" our costume designer swears up and down to the shop manager that this MUST be a collapsable hat. "It's Part of the Act!" she says. Well the new actor that plays Dolittle is a large guy standing well over 6 feet and with a head that interestingly enough is in proportion. Big body, Big Head. So the way these collaspable top hats are made the device takes up a lot of space. And makes the hat VERY NARROW!!! So 300 dollar hat... is a no fit! (enter foul language here) And to top it all off the Choreographer's response is a very gruff. Why the hell do you need a collaspable hat???

Boys and Girls we call this ---> Lack of Comunication and a unwillingness to admit you don't acutally know! Thanks "D"!

So what does this have to do with the Eye of Sauron? Well other then the pure evil in these costumes. The costume staff is so afraid of the next screw up that none of use are willing to cut away excess fabric in our projects in fear that something will change and that fabric will be crucial. So Dolittle has a wad of fabric in his crotch.

And Eliza? Well Eliza's dress is made of a quilted like fabric that more or less looks like a Brawney paper towel... Except Pink... Like Pepto Pink... and it feels like a paper towel. Top it off with a stretch in EVERY direction and your set for a sewing nightmare.

But Never Fear!! It has left me singing!

How do you solve a problem like Eliza?
How do make an Ascot dress from Brawney?
How do you make an Ascot dress for ELIZA???
May-be I should have just used BOUNTY!!!

Photos: Dolittle's pants and Eliza's dress.

A Rose By Any Other Name

One of the exciting (and annoying) aspects of a theater career is the constant change in venue. Very few performers or crew stay in one place for longer then a couple of years. We are season workers for the most part so our contracts run primarily from August through May or May through July if you're working summer stock. Performers are less lucky, if they aren't part of a regular company then they work on a by show basis. The same can be said for a designer although it's easier to juggle more then one show at a time if you aren't doing 8 performances a week. ;-P

That being explained here is the downside. Unless you're Brad Pitt, George Clooney or Meryl Streep, you aren't making big money. In fact living off of a theater wage is being pretty close to poverty. So how do we fill up every waking moment with enough work to do what we love and still eat? OVER-HIRE!!!!

Over-hire is a limited contract with a theater company, independent shop, etc. that lasts a few weeks to ensure the show gets up and running. For My Fair Lady we have two lovely ladies doing over-hire. One is the fabulous Mary, best known for her act with Sharpies, and the other who we bid fair farewell to this past Friday was Rose our crafts person.

In her honer we had a "High Tea" with the hats that had been built for the show. And since at heart all costumers LOVE dress up... we can only that it was great way to relax after a week of fittings and The Dreaded Designer "D".

BTW: The due date for ALL costumes to be done for Mt Fair Lady is the 9th which in case you can't count is 5 days away! Great... Wish us luck!

WE LOVE VSC!!!!!!!

Photos: Justin in his Easter Bonnet
Meg IS the queen, why do you question?
The Costume Shop of VSC - Jeni, Justin, Mary, Rose, ME, and Meg

Tea and cake? OR DEATH!

"There once was a New York designer,
Who thought that no other was finer.
She demanded 'ECRU!'
The reply was 'F U!!!'
And the draper gave her a shiner."

Today started the final sprint towards the My Fair Lady opening. This Saturday the delightful, wonderful (can I keep lying like this?) designer "D" arrives in a whirlwind of activity. Which of course includes the loss of our Sunday so that we can get in two fittings. Which is all honesty has nothing to do with the designer and all to do with Equity rules. Yet the six glorious hours are more then enough to set the spirit ablaze. And as the dull metallic scent of roach poison drifts up from the dressing rooms below we are more then aware of the stench of death in the air.

So as a celebration, or a reward, or something, for all of our struggles we had an Eddie Izzard inspired tea party, complete with a headstone cake carefully crafted with our designer's name across it. Removed from the photo's for the our sake, not D's. Thanks to Mary for the limerick and the cake. Needless to say the tea kettle will remain in the shop from now on.

So we have till Saturday to count our blessings and pray that our resolves will last until the opening of this show. If we aren't eaten alive by the mutant cock roaches, we aren't torn apart by the stress of an impossible show, and we aren't serving 30 to life for murder 1... then at least we know we can survive anything.

Even this photo>>>>>>>>

Photos: Cake, Tea, and All me! Eat your heart out D!

My Fair Designer

T-minus five days till the glorious, fabulous, utterly terrifying Costume Designer for My Fair Lady arrives. For the sake of her privacy this blogger will refrain from using her name and will refer to he only as D.

So what could be so wrong with D that we all feel the need to cower into a corner and weep? Nothing so dramatic I'm afraid. No whips or chains, no hissy fits, or shouting matches, and thank God no crying hysterics. So what is D's issue??? An overall sense of privilege, and superiority. And what that relates to for the rest of us is rudeness, plain and simple.

So my internet friends here is a lesson for you no matter what field of business you are in. If you are someone of importance, or at least think you are someone of importance, do not burn bridges by insulting the people who you rely on. You will see that without us you are soon left high and dry without anyone to do the dirty work that you either can't do or lack the time to do. Further more do NOT think that your rank always promises you authority, for you will find that you'll push the wrong person too far and they might have an a certain affection with your bosses that will ultimately have them turning on you like a pit of vipers. Ultimate lesson? DON'T BE DUMB!!!!!!!

So D, you might come through and we might be worried, but we'll be fine! We're not going to loose our shirts!

Pictures: Justin determines the value of the shirt he's dissecting.

What it takes

So most people enjoy theater, movies, TV and other forms of live or recorded entertainment, yet most people don't exactly know what goes into that 2 hour performance, or the 30 minute TV show. They understand costumes, sets, lights, special effects, etc. but only as general concepts. They know they are there but they don't know how it is put together, nor do they understand the things that "we" do to fool the eye into believing what isn't there is.

For example all sets, no matter what the media, are painted with extra shadowing so that they appear to be deeper then they actually are. For all of you that might be interested. The typical "room" on a TV set is less then 15 feet deep. It's a camera trick that makes them appear deeper then they are. Also Mrs. So-and-so's living room has probably been recycled several times on several different shows. Just look for the Boy Meets World school next time you watch your favorite Disney show I'm pretty sure I've seen it on at least three shows.
So what am I getting at really???

Well here's my issue. As a costumer I have seen and done some pretty stupid, odd, or generally annoying things in my day. But on the current production of My Fair Lady that I'm working on the designer turned to one of my co-workers handed her 4.5 yards of plaid fabric and a baggie full of Sharpie markers. Her idea... unable to find the correct plaid for Mr. Dolittle's pants her solution was to simply Sharpie in on color going one way and the other color going to other way. End Result... Several days of fumes, headaches and language that even a sailor would be shamed by.
So next time you go to see a show, or watch something in the movies, or on TV. Please consider a donation, after all we always need money for Sharpies.

Picture: Our over-hire draper Mary hard at work!