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!