Costumes & Makeup

… dressing us in magic …

“What a costume designer does is a cross between magic and camouflage. We create the illusion of changing the actors into what they are not. We ask the [audience] to believe that every time they see a performer on the [stage], he’s become a different person.”

-Edith Head

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Costume Designer

Position Overview

Create the design for all of the costumes used in a production – matching designs with actors / characters and maintaining consistency with the production concept.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Research issues, history, and other elements related to the concept of the show.

  • Meet with Director and other designers to discuss and help create production concept.

  • Design the needed costumes for each character keeping in mind limitations such as stock, time, and budget.

  • Draw concepts of each outfit on character.

  • Provide color swatches and fabric swatches or fabric descriptions for each garment.

  • Work to guarantee drawings match finished product. Will require meeting with the costume crew head and costume studio manager to discuss each costume rendering and make a comprehensive list of each costume piece necessary for the production. Make yourself available as necessary in the costume studio, including crew times, to answer questions and assist in production in order to help prepare for costume parade.

  • Use Costume parade to make adjustments to costumes/design as necessary. Review each piece with the Director and pass on necessary changes to costume crew head.

  • At strike offer suggestions about which pieces should be added to stock and which pieces should be dismantled for scrap. Help stock if necessary.

Calendar and Deadlines

  • 7 weeks before opening - Read the script, develop ideas, take notes, receive initial thoughts from the director.

  • 6 weeks before opening - Develop preliminary concept - sharing verbal ideas, doodles, renderings, and an initial list of costumes.

  • 5 weeks before opening - Develop a final design including colored renderings for each actor / character / costume.

  • 4 weeks before opening - Pull what can be pulled. Purchase what needs to be purchased. Begin building what needs to be created from scratch.

  • 3 weeks before opening - Ideally a third of the design should be built or pulled. Be sure to provide the stage manager with any items needed for rehearsal (i.e. boots, corsets, skirts, etc).

  • 2 weeks before opening - Dress Parade; all items should be pulled or in process of being built.

  • Tuesday - Costume Parade during TPE.

  • Thursday - Attend Paper Tech if major costume changes are part of this production.

  • Friday / Saturday - Ensure any difficult costume changes are ready for 10 / 12 as well as any accessories necessary for tech rehearsal (i.e. boots, corsets, etc).

  • Monday - First Dress Rehearsal, typically with all costumes but without makeup.

  • Tuesday - Second Dress Rehearsal, full costumes, hair, and makeup.

  • Wednesday - Final Dress / Preview. This is a chance to affirm your work. Try to avoid making large changes if possible.

  • Performances - Be sure to attend at least one performance so that you can see the show with an audience. Be sure to watch the production reports for any damaged costumes, especially for long runs such as the children’s show.

  • Strike - Be sure that you take care of any costume design supplies. Otherwise, help in whatever capacity the crew head needs you.

  • Post-Production - Consolidate all materials, post your work on your portfolio, and consider taking your design to KCACTF.

Tips and Tricks

  • The sooner you complete your design, the more time the Costume studio has to complete them

  • Images from the Internet

  • Spend time looking through current stoc

  • Costume design section in the library

  • Lacy Lovelie’s Studio is a fabric store on the square in LeMars that will allow you to swatch fabrics for free.

Tools, Resources, and Documents

  • Microsoft Teams – Access to production team communications and information

  • Show Budget Summaries – The productions budget can be found on Teams

  • Costume Paperwork – Can be accessed through Teams or directly here

  • Asset Tiger – Online database of the costume inventory

  • Measurement Database – contains measurements for actors who have previously been in a show – follow this K:\Theatre Production

  • Costume design section in the library

Costume Crew Head

Position Overview

Serve as the liaison between the Costume Studio Manager/Costume Designer and crew members. Assist and organize crew members with the aid of the Costume Studio Manager to complete the costumes designed for each show.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Train Costume Crew on equipment and costume shop policies

  • Train yourself and the Costume Crew on the specific details of this costume design

  • Assign crew members to complete the Costume Studio Manager’s To-Do list

  • Keep crew on task and supplied with enough assignments

  • Serve as a contact person for the Costume Crew if they have any needs or concerns

  • Schedule one on-duty costume crew member for each performance to help with emergency repairs. They should report to the costume shop when the 1st actor is called.

  • Guarantee laundry and mending of costumes is completed after each night’s performance

  • Serve as the Costume Studio accountant – maintaining a balance for the show’s budget

  • Maintain active communication between you and the Costume Designer and the Costume Studio Manager

  • Assist actors with any problem or concerns they have

  • Strike costumes and restock as necessary following the completion of a show.

  • Update measurements database as you measure actors who were not previously listed.

Calendar and Deadlines

  • Throughout Production Process - Connect regularly with the Costume Designer and Costume Studio Manager to discuss execution of the design and to create a plan of action for each day’s call.

  • 5 weeks before opening - Meet with the Costume Designer to discuss approved designs.

  • 4 weeks before opening - Take costume measurements of all actors and begin pulling from the existing costume inventory.

  • 3 weeks before opening - Ideally a third of the design should be built or pulled.

  • 2 weeks before opening - Dress Parade; all items should be pulled or in process of being built.

  • 1 week before opening - All costumes should be fitted to ensure everything looks great on the actors.

  • Friday - 10 / 12 - you are not required to attend this rehearsal.

  • Monday - First Dress Rehearsal; all items should be completed and fitted.

  • Tuesday - Second Dress Rehearsal; all notes from the previous night should be addressed.

  • Wednesday - Final Dress Rehearsal / Preview; ideally no major requests or adjustments should be made after this point. Enjoy the show

  • Performances - Costume Maintenance; keep the costumes in pristine shape - meaning they should be washed or repaired.

  • Strike - Put all items in existing inventory back where they belong. Prepare any new items to be logged in the database and put away. Clean the costumes studio, makeup studio, and dressing rooms.

Tools, Resources, and Documents

  • Measurement Database – contains measurements for actors who have previously been in a show – follow this path K:\Theatre Production.

  • Show budget summaries – I:\Theater\Budgets

  • Costume Database – contains a detailed listing of all costume pieces in stock to help with quick searches and costume rentals. K:\Theatre Production

  • Thrift Store List – I:\Theater\Costume Shop

  • In-Weave (Hawarden), Mill End Textiles (Sioux Falls)

Makeup Designer

Position Overview

Create and manage the makeup and hair design and their application for each character within a production. Will work alongside the costume designer.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Read Script.

  • Communicate with director and other designers in building hair and makeup designs consistent with a production concept.

  • Research hair and makeup design consistent with production concept.

  • Order any necessary makeup/wigs that are not currently available.

  • Train crew and actors on makeup and hair application.

  • Set call times appropriate for each actor.

  • Coordinate the application of all makeup/hair application during the run of a show.

  • During Strike: Collect, wash, and organize all makeup – preparing it for use in the next production.

Calendar and Deadlines

  • 7 weeks before opening - Read the script, develop ideas, take notes, receive initial thoughts from the director.

  • 6 weeks before opening - Develop preliminary concept - sharing verbal ideas, doodles, renderings.

  • 5 weeks before opening - Develop a final design including colored renderings for each actor / character.

  • 4 weeks before opening - Identify any difficult elements of your design and be sure to find solutions now (i.e. blood, prosthetics, wigs, etc). Discuss the cutting of hair with actors (i.e. please don’t shave for the next 4 weeks).

  • 3 weeks before opening - Take inventory of makeup kits and order what needs to be ordered.

  • 2 weeks before opening - Dress Parade; any unusual hair styles can be integrated into this showcase.

  • Tuesday - Costume Parade during TPE.

  • Friday / Saturday - Be present for any difficult makeup moments (i.e. a quick change that requires makeup application).

  • Monday - First Dress Rehearsal, typically with all costumes but without makeup.

  • Tuesday - Second Dress Rehearsal, full costumes, hair, and makeup.

  • Wednesday - Final Dress / Preview. This is a chance to affirm your work. Try to avoid making large changes if possible.

  • Performances - Be sure to attend at least one performance so that you can see the show with an audience. Be sure to watch the production reports for any notes, especially for long runs such as the children’s show.

  • Strike - Be sure that you take care of any makeup design supplies. Otherwise, help in whatever capacity the crew head needs you.

  • Post-Production - Consolidate all materials, post your work on your portfolio, and consider taking your design to KCACTF.

Tips and Tricks

  • This position works very closely with the costume designer and duties will fluctuate with the needs of each production.

  • Teach actors how to apply makeup in groups of two to three at a time to avoid repetition.

  • A convenient time to work with actors is during a rehearsal when they are not on stage.

  • Extensive hair applications (e.g. facial hair) or other special effects will require additional time to work with effectively.

  • Encouraging actors to use their own makeup kits can cut down on transferal of viruses although some sharing cannot be avoided.

  • Personalized makeup baskets, for each actor, containing their specific makeup needs (including Kleenex) can be very convenient for all.

  • Advise actors with sensitive skin to bring their own face wash.

  • Ben Nye is the most common stage makeup. They offer a convenient kit that is fairly inexpensive.

Tools, Resources, and Documents

Costume Crew

Position Overview

Assist the production by helping bring the Costume Designer’s vision to life. You’ll help put on makeup and do people’s hair. It’s just like best parts of Middle School all over again.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • No previous knowledge or experience is required to be on costume crew. All are welcomed, just need a “yes, and” attitude.

  • Want to get a head start? Read up on some of the costumes / makeup terminology in the handbook glossary.

  • Most of our work will be done during TPE, but we will have a couple of outside calls to help finish projects Please put these dates on your calendar ahead of time or communicate conflicts to the Costume Studio Manager.

  • Please remember to include Strike on your calendar. This is a required date for anyone involved in TPE.

Calendar and Deadlines

  • 5 weeks before opening - Let’s start pulling and building costumes! If you’re asked to attend extra calls outside TPE, be sure to fit these into your class schedule and put them on your calendar.

  • 4-2 weeks before opening - Keep helping create beautiful costumes.

  • 2 weeks before opening - Costume Parade; the day where everything should be mostly finished and each actor tries on their costume to be shown to the director.

  • Monday-Wednesday - Dress Rehearsals begin here - meaning everything should be pretty much finished. You are not required to attend these rehearsals, but you might be asked to help make adjustments if something needs to be repaired or adjusted.

  • Performances - Performances are not part of your regular crew assignment; however you might be asked to assist with wardrobe crew or laundry crew.

  • Strike - After the final performance, we’ll put everything away and prepare it for the next show! Strike is mandatory for all TPE members.

Tools, Resources, and Documents

  • Click here to review the glossary of theatre terms, specifically the costumes / makeup ones.

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