Blast from the Past

So after an impromptu study session with friends tonight, I began thinking about Godspell and (instead of working) decided to scope out the original score. When I performed it in high school, we used the 2001 revival touring cast rendition which has some beautiful remastering and re-orchestrations of the original works, but now leaves me listening the original recording and thinking something is missing. Anyway, in my searching I came across a youtube video of the original 1970 cast singing By My Side (along with several others). It turns out the owner of the channel is the original Peggy! So without further ado, I present the original cast with By My Side (and a collaboration of songs as performed on the Today Show)

Itinerary Time!

I can't remember if I mentioned this, but a couple weeks ago I was given the chance to take a trip to New York with the theater department to do Costume related things - and I just got the schedule an hour ago. We are going to see a couple exhibits at the Fashion Institute of Technology (one of the world famous schools for Fashion Design - that's where they sometimes film Project Runway), visit the Conde Nast building to meet with an alumna who works at a famous fashion magazine, stop at Parsons-Meares (where they build most of the costumes for Broadway productions), then have dinner on the way down to the theater where we will see Peter and the Starcatcher. A very busy day.

I looked into the show we will be seeing and it appears to be a play about what happened to Peter Pan before he met Wendy. Sounds really interesting. During my search, I also discovered that a couple of the cast members were important people - one actor was nominated for multiple awards while playing the original part of Emmett in Legally Blonde the Musical, another was in the original cast of Next to Normal and one actress originated the role of Olive Ostrovsky in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, so it should be a good show!

I'll post again once I get back with plenty of photos of my adventures! And hopefully by then my next set of embroidery stuff will have arrived!

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)

This is Belchertown where people can't see free!

I decided to avoid doing work this afternoon, so I joined a couple leading ladies on a trip to Theatrix to pick up some mics that were accidentally returned (they belong to the Campus Center). Somehow we decided that we had to write a new musical parody about the parody Urinetown. It is currently titled Belchertown, but the premise is that there is an evil corporation (Theatrix?) that controls energy usage by limiting light usage. It will feature new songs such as "It's a Privilege to See" and the opening number "Belchertown." Look for it soon ;-)

On another note, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is once again auctioning off teddy bears to raise money and awareness for AIDS. All of the bears are dressed like various characters from current Broadway musicals and signed by someone famous who was part of the show in some way. Here are some of my favorites (can you guess what shows they are?):

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!

Sneak peek

I can't really advertise the Leading Ladies' spring show, considering we have not been confirmed yet, but I can say that the revue fell through and we are in the process of finding another show. We have a director and assistant director (as well as 2 costume heads - myself and one of the seniors), we just need to hear back from Tams-Witmark about getting the rights. Hopefully we'll know by mid-week, but here's something to tide you over.

"I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will..."

I've known about this for a little while, but just started to look into it more today. Mia Wasikowska will be staring in a feature film of Jane Eyre. I'm interested to see how the story strays from the novel (I didn't see a character listing on IMDB a character listing for Grace Poole, but I may have missed it), but I can't wait to see the dresses. There is a teaser on IMDB of a gorgeous striped white and purply-grey silk that Blanche Ingram wears while visiting Mr. Rochester. I'd love to make it someday (and that may be feasible, considering I've learned more about fitting and pattern making). There are a number of beautiful 1840's dresses showcased throughout the internet, including the one of Mia below. The movie comes out on March 11th, so I'll have to see it over spring break at some point.

More progress...and hairy news!

I finally got around to posting photos of my corded petticoat. It currently has eleven rows, with half of them hand sewn (due to the fact that I have no sewing machine here at school and the machine I would have brought has no zipper foot which is what I would use to sew cords into the fabric). I'm starting to get burnt out with it and want to sew on the waistband, starch it and be done with it (even though I know that it would probably be better/more stable with more cords). Hopefully I will get the chance to head down to the costume shop soon and use a machine to attach the waistband.

It's a bit hard to see, but all eleven cords are there! 

My big highlight is that I finally got tickets to go see Hair! It is coming to Boston and I have tickets in row L of the orchestra! I'm so excited that I will finally get to see it live (even though there will be no Gavin Creel as Claude or Allison Case as Crissy [a dream role of mine. I will be auditioning with Frank Mills for the revue at the end of the month]). I'm so excited!!!

Take a deep breath and sigh...

...because I officially dropped out of Pirates of Penzance. I was just not going to have enough time this semester because my SWAG class just happens to have several film screenings at night that run into Pirates rehearsal times. I was also getting some minor pressure from my friends in the student run theater group to be in the Broadway Revue with them. But that is not the full reason I dropped Pirates. 

Anyways, regarding the Revue, the director is working on getting the rights to various songs, but was recently rejected for the use of Summer Nights :(. So it looks like she'll have to change that song (and any others that become vetoed by publishers refusing to grant us rights to perform songs). 

Red and creamy silk all over

I figured it was time for a new post, considering my last one was about my stage makeup class. The semester has started off quite well. I'm taking Statistical Thinking (which my professor keeps telling us is NOT MATH), Intro to American Studies, Intro to Study of Women and Gender, Ballet IV, and New England Material Culture from 1860-1940. So far all the classes have been good, but I particularly love my Material Culture class. My professor brought in some random artifacts today and had us analyze them based on appearance. I was given the task of analyzing a red satin boot. It turned out to be a "bathing" boot from about 1890 that women wore on trips to the seashore. Pretty cool!

I also received a book for my birthday: Norah Waugh's Corsets and Crinolines! Ahh! It is so beautiful and packed with information about all sorts of skirt supports and stays and corsets. Hopefully I will get to draft a pattern for one of the skirt supports over break or this summer (of course, after I finish fitting the cover for my dress form...).

I'm also looking to drop Pirates of Penzance. I would really love to do it, but my work is a lot heavier than last and I'm worried about keeping up. So I'm looking at staying with the Leading Ladies or maybe joining the newly formed Shakespeare troupe. I just need to make up my mind.

I can't stop giggling at how silly I look!

Yep, my stage makeup class was quite a success! I learned an amazing amount of stuff over the course of only 4 days. Monday we started with the basics (such as using and blending highlights and shadows) and then using them to change the shape of our faces. Tuesday we put our skills to the test and tried to recreate a makeup look from a past time. I chose a portrait from the 1830's and then our teacher put us in clothes from the costume stock! It was very exciting to finally get to wear something that wasn't mine :) Unfortunately though, the theater department has never done a production based in the 1830s so I had to settle for a dress from the 1840s (I wish that I could have run back to the house to grab my corset and chemise so it would have been perfect!).

The class in all our period glory

Wednesday we got so much snow that we had no classes (which was good for all of our sanity). On thursday we worked on old age. I found this kinda creepy because I don't know what I will look like when I age, but I got a glimpse of what might happen. I also had a lot of trouble because I don't have that many wrinkles and that made it very hard to figure out where they might be. We also did middle age which was much easier and much less intense than old age.

Apparently I look about 5 years older with my makeup like this

Our last day we worked on anything we wanted. Like usual, I had a hard time deciding, so I did "Showgirl" makeup which I can now describe as very exaggerated glamour makeup or very subtle drag-queen makeup. 

To make my eyebrows this high, I soaped over them, then coated them with lots of foundation and powder

After this week, I'm inspired to purchase a kit so I can do my makeup like this for future shows. It also looks like I will become one of the makeup designers for any future Leading Ladies productions.

EDIT: I forgot to add this photo, which I used as a reference for my "showgirl" makeup. Definitely very colorful and dramatic.