I love a parade

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Costumes, costumes everywhere and not a drop to drink.

That didn't sound right. Moving on.

The costume parade was tonight. That means that Becca, the costumer, has been laboring away, pulling costumes from the costume rooms, fitting them to people, making repairs, letting things out, taking things in, cleaning stuff up, going out into the world to find some of the more unusual pieces, and tonight is when the actors try it all on for Phil to grade. He looks the actors up and down with an appraising eye, and says "Lose the sweater," or "Can we have a solid colored shirt?" or "Great, great, I like it, next scene."

Becca has put lots of thought into each bit of clothing she put on the actors. Arnold's clothes are wacky, because he's a bit off kilter. Barry's golfed out like there is no tomorrow. Norman is...a force unto himself. Lucien's clothes are slightly too big, slighty scruffy, going on the idea that they are mostly hand-me-downs. Jack looks very huggable, pleasant and open in hoodies and jeans for the most part, but cleans up well to go see the State Senate. There's an utterly ridiculous golfer, the pleasant old lady down the way, and the pretty girls at the dance the fellas go to. Becca has a reason for every hat, belt and shoe she has on the stage, and if you ask her, she can tell you all about it.

Other than that, we ran through about three-quarters of the show, with the usual cringing over lines, particularly in act two, but in my experience, act two is always rougher than act one. I have decided that if I am ever in a play, I will learn act two first.

All this comes after a bit of a slow start. Kelly Story was here to do head shots. She had the whole setup dealie going on in the lobby. Backdrop, umbrella lighty things, a reflector dish that looked like part of a moon landing...she takes lovely pictures and if I could figure out how to tag her I would.

For being two weeks out from opening, the show is not in a bad place. The lines are mostly there, the costumes are mostly there (and when Becca comes back down from the costume rooms, I think they will be all there), the props are mostly there, I think there's already a whole tech crew set to go, the light designer has been light...designing...the sound guy is wreaking his soundly fury in the forms of CDs and doorbells. Woo.

And soon, Becky will be back from rubbing shoulders with Elvis and all will be right with the world.