Sad news

So after much legal battle, Cabaret will not be happening. To make a really long, winding story short, we could not get the rights and must cancel the show. It is very sad, especially because we all put so much time and effort into it. We had finished most of the first act. At some point I think we will probably perform what we know to get it out of our systems and close off the show, but it will probably be just for ourselves.

On another (less pertinent) note, Jane Eyre opens this weekend - but not at all close to me. It has a limited engagement and the closest location to me is New York. Grrr. So unless I can get down there over break, I'll be stuck seeing a more mainstream movie (probably The King's Speech, which should have some fantastic 30's costumes) this coming week.

It looks like my break plans have now officially changed and instead of costume shopping, I'll be spending my time finishing projects (dare I say my corded petticoat?), learning to embroider (once the kit comes in the mail), and hennaing my hair.

So close….

Less than 48 hours and I will be home. I just have to finish a paper (which feels much harder than it really should be) and attend 3 more classes. Ugh. If only my professor on Friday had cancelled class. I want to go home (where I plan to sleep, sew Cabaret stuff (armband and cap sleeves for my top), see Jane Eyre, costume shop (whee!!), learn how to embroider, and henna my hair).

Now to write a page about a painting. Shouldn't be too hard right?

Finished?

I finally finished the Kit Kat Boys' costume designs. They look pretty schnazzy if you ask me. I guess I'll make an official post with both photos on here, instead of changing one post to avoid writing a new entry Also, please ignore any strange markings in my coloring (it's eraser residue from my costume design class - I didn't want to waste perfectly good paper). So without further ado, I present the Kit Kat Dancer costume designs (Bobby, Victor, Hans, Rosie, Lulu, Frenchie, Texas, Frenchie, and Helga)!

Hey, it's like doing homework

but it's not! My current homework for my material culture class is to read about historical fashion and it is making me think a lot about Cabaret costumes - so much that I have designed the Kit-Kat Girls costumes. Hehe. I made thumbnail sketches this morning and just now finished full size pencil drawings for 5 of the 6. I'm having a hard time picking a costume for myself, partially because I used all the good ideas on the others. EDIT: I finished drawing and coloring all the girls' designs! I'm really happy because they look very pretty and well organized! Yay! I'm really hoping that these ideas can come true, but we are a low budget group, so we'll see. But without further ado, here they are:

Yes, the designs in all their glory. 

*LL Readers: I'd love for these to happen, but if you're not comfortable with what I've put you in, feel free to change it (we'll be sending out a costume list sometime next week so you can hunt over break).*

Diamond in the rough

I just finished all six of the Kit Kat girl designs and still have to do the Kit Kat boys (after tomorrow night, when I finish my essay for Material Culture). So anyway, I was surfing youtube and found a wonderful gem - a recording of the original Cabaret opening with Joel Grey. It's very different from Alan Cumming's version, but still cool (it's also more proof that the girls had cats on their costumes)!

Exciting times!

I have garter belts!! Yes, Target is currently selling garter belts - I was there a couple weeks ago to get curtains for my room and found a display of shiny black lingerie that seemed perfect for Cabaret. So on my excursion with my mother, I purchased two sparkly sheer black garter belts (one medium - which surprisingly fits me, the queen of size zero! and an extra-large)! They are really pretty and I'm excited to see them used in the show. I think they'll help with the 1930's vibe a bit.

1930's inspiration

I'm up earlier than usual this morning because my mom is coming to visit, but it turns out she is coming in a short while. I could go back to sleep or I could write a blogpost with images of 1930's underwear to get more ideas for designs. I think I'll do the latter and sleep in the car :) Although I've finished my designs, I might tweak them once I've done some more research on the matter (aka. dig up the dozens of Sears Roebuck catalogs at the library).

But until then, enjoy this big post with lots of images for inspiration.

(more below the cut)

What do you know?!?

I was watching a segment from my all-time favorite PBS documentary Broadway: the American Musical about Cabaret and I discovered the original kit-kat girls had sparkly halter dresses bedazzled with a black cat on the front! It's actually a bit hysterical that the costume designer took their names so literally! Anyway, just a fun fact while I'm waiting for my laundry to finish.

I also found the prettiest sequin fabric which I am thinking of ordering (if we can't find something similar at the local JoAnn's) for skirts for the Kit-Kat girls to wear during "Money." It's so shiny!

Beedle dee deedle dee dee!

Ugh - that song is going to be stuck in my head for eternity. As much as I love the Emcee from Cabaret singing about sleeping with two women at once, I think I'll pass. For the past couple days, there was a little bit of uncertanity about my part in Cabaret. I was initially cast as a Kit Kat Boy (Herman), but yesterday I mentioned to the director I was really excited about being girl. So she talked to the choreographer who was the one who made decisions about the dancers and she wasn't so hot with me switching (she wanted to have balance with the guys in the dance numbers). But this afternoon she talked to me and basically told me to make up my mind and that I could choose. So now I am officially the sixth Kit-Kat girl (or 5th in the Emcee's introductions) Fritzie. It's going to be a bit of a push for me to act like a stripper, but it will be a good time for me to break my boundaries both mentally and physically.

Oh and yesterday I got all the cast's measurements! Yay! Now to figure out the costume list. I also got word that a girl from my costume class last semester wants to help, which would be cool (especially if I end up making a few things)

Meine Damen und Herren, Mesdames et Messieurs, Ladies and Gentlement!

I'm just having a lot of trouble focusing on my work, so it's probably a good idea to take a break and do this now while it's fresh on my mind - I got the cast list for Cabaret! I'm playing one of the Kit-Kat guys (Herman to b exact) which is a bit surprising. I've always seen myself as feminine and I was sure that I would be cast as a lady this time around, but I was wrong. I'm a bit disappointed because I won't be dancing quite as much now, but the Assistant Director came and talked to me tonight and mentioned I'd be dancing in one of the numbers in the beginning of the show (either Don't Tell Mama or Mein Herr - which are traditionally performed by Sally and the Kit-Kat Girls) because I'm one of the stronger "male" dancers. I also talked to the other costume head and she has some cool ideas for costumes and we'll have to go over those at some point (she was thinking Dresden Dolls/Amanda Palmer as an inspiration). I was also planning to stop by my costume design professor's office to see if I could borrow some fashion books from the late 20's/early 30's to get a better idea of the shapes (but only once I've gotten my work under control).

Ok. Now that that's out of my system, off to reading Material Culture and studying for my Stats test tomorrow morning.

Extra! Extra!

I've waited practically forever for this to happen and my dream is finally becoming a reality! Paper Mill Playhouse is putting on Newsies as their opening show this fall!!!! I'm practically hyperventilating!!! This wonderful soon-to-be show was a Disney movie musical made in the early 1990's about the newsboy strike of 1899. It is a wonderful movie with fantastic music (written by Alan Menken of The Little Mermaid and Little Shop fame) and incredible dancing - and the best part is that it is all done by boys!

I was first introduced to the music when I performed in a musical revue that used "Carrying the Banner" as the opening and in later renditions, "Seize the Day,""King of New York," and (a particularly off-key) "The World Will Know." The best part about Paper Mill presenting this is that Disney is prepping a stage version that amateur companies can perform!! In the past, it has always been illegal to present a show like that because it is not a legit show (and we could get in trouble). So hopefully the stage version will be ready to perform sometime before I graduate college!!!

Oh and here is the full article from the New York Times.

And one more thing - I'm auditioning tonight for the LL show. We still have not heard about rights from Tams-Witmark. Grr. EDIT: We literally just heard and we got the rights to Cabaret!! I'm going tonight and then callbacks are Sunday. I'm hoping for something small with dancing (a.k.a. Kit-Kat Girl [although I could end up as a boy too]). Plus I've already started a costume list for the dancers and Emcee (does that surprise you?). Yay!