Clown Costumes

I had to make three clown costumes for today's stills shoot to be used in filming which begins a week from Friday. Today was my big push, because the main character's costume needed to be finished - or fairly finished - so he looked the same from past to present. I finished the tux vest just in time to walk out the door, run by Display and Costume, and get to the shoot. Luckily everything fit. Except the tailcoat which I knew wouldn't fit, but needed it to be tried on to determine if there was NOOOO possible way (in which case I needed to return it, and the second jacket I bought just in case), or if it could be altered to work for the film -which it could.

Part of the stress of my job is most of filmmaking is too technical for the average person to have an opinion about, with all the funny acronyms and nicknames - abbreviations flying about. I know now what is meant when someone says, "call the 1st A.D. and tell him to meet me at Craft Services," but I haven't always. Costuming seems to be the one arena that everyone feels they know something about/get to have an opinion on/should offer suggestions regarding.

This is emphatically not the case. I'm usually pretty on top of what needs to be done, and if it isn't yet, either it is not currently a priority, or there is a very good reason why it hasn't been done (ie - don't take the tags off until we're sure that we're going to use the outfit, otherwise I'll return it and get the 15% of my budget that I spent on it back.) Or that's actually the way I wanted it.

Today, having been in the costume for five minutes on the first fitting, the actor and another crew member were to be found in the hallway saying, "You know what should be done to make this look like a CLOWN costume" ...which really ticked me off.

So tonight I get to bring up the etiquette portion of filmmaking, and reminding the crew at our meeting that if they discuss it, it gives the actors permission to start taking matters into their own hands, and makes my life harder in the bargain.

On the plus side, the costumes (other than the bits and pieces that weren't done on purpose) met with the approval of the director, so all's well. Now for the finishing touches and alterations, and my major costume is ready to roll.

I have almost literally been sleeping around the clock since 1 o'clock on Wednesday. This miserable cold with achies I've been fighting off long enough to do eight performances of Goldilocks finally hit with a vengance. I'm happily off cough and cold meds and letting it run its course. (I hate doping up for illnesses. If this one was any indication, taking all the medicine in the world for four days didn't make it any better, it just held off symptoms for a few hours at a time until I could crash)

Goldilocks went really well! I played Mamma Bear all weekend, and then did my two performances as Goldie on Wednesday. I finally feel like I've got the hang of acting for this company. For Cinderella I only went on once, and everything was a blur. For Pinocchio, my character had very little interaction outside the fourth wall, so it was very fun, but felt odd. Both Mamma and Goldie carry on lengthy conversational monologues and songs, and it finally felt right. Here's a picture from backstage.
My costume had a big skirt and pinafore, and I amused myself backstage by twirling. My favorite qualifier for a dress as a child - did it have a twirly skirt. It was fun to regress for a few minutes.

Now I start costuming a film. I'm supposed to have three clown costumes finished for a preliminary photo shoot on Wednesday. Whether I get out today will depend on how I feel later, and if the rain stops. Not likely in Seattle - but I'm not feeling an intense desire to go out and get wet.

Auditions season is starting in town. My first single audition is Sunday, and mass audition is in the 16-18th. I decided to sing after all, even though my original plan was just to do monologues. I was too busy this past month to work up a second monologue. I hate learning monologues. They are so artificial, and almost impossible for me to pick out of context. I always watch in amazement as someone delivers a lovely comedic one on the spot - I struggle and struggle, and never do well. I worked with a friend on my new monologue and it wound up nicely after an hour, but in my audition the first go around was stiff - and once she "put me onstage" gave me an imaginary actor to play off, and some stage direction, it was lovely. They seem to frown on doing too many monologues from shows you've been in, but my best monologue at that audition was my little scene from Pinocchio, because I've done it so often. Silly monologues - maybe I should take a class someday.

Oi.

Well, I think I'll go make myself something hot to drink, and retire to the couch to read more Lewis. I finished the Abolition of Man yesterday, and I'm on to the Problem of Pain. Seriously.

Things are still buzzing along. For a few days, what with running from nannying to retail, retail to costume meetings, costume meetings to fittings, fittings to shows, I haven't had much chance to catch up on sleep. Today, though, I couldn't get into the theater until 4 anyway, and have never spent longer than three hours at the Outlet Goodwill (the limit to my endurance), so I came straight home from nannying and took a good long nap before spending 11 hours costuming today.

Blood Wedding is coming along nicely. A couple of days ago I wasn't sure how everything would get done. Then, with a few changes, yesterday I suddenly felt like we had a show, and everything else was minor. Today I realized again just how much construction and alterations I have left to do (one new skirt, a vest, multiple hemmings and moving of closures, and three coyote shawl-y things - as well as a wig fix) and it means tomorrow I'm going to go straight from nannying to the fabric store, and from thence to the theater where I will spend the rest of my day. Tomorrow is final dress.

I really need to iron everything, but that might just happen on friday before opening.

My other costuming gig will be going well shortly. I don't have much time to devote to it just yet. I need to start sending extras emails.

We're reading Anne of Green Gables in the mornings. Anne just jumped on Miss Barry in the spare room bed. Lots of hijinks will ensue tomorrow morning. If I don't sleep through my alarm like this morning. I rolled out of bed swearing 45 minutes after I was supposed to be there so everyone could run. They are so used to my being dependable (I've only overslept once before in nearly a year) that they'd left assuming I'd be there. They did call to make sure I was getting the girls up on time. It's nice to know they trust me. Too bad it happened on the morning when they shouldn't have.

Off to bed now...

You know you've been shopping too much when...

You're standing by a bin at the Goodwill Outlet, and hear a voice behind you talking. It's one of the managers, or perhaps security, speaking with a reporter with Channel 7. I tuned it back out until hearing the answer to the question I'm presuming was along the lines of, "Do you have many people that come in a lot." I tuned in because I heard, "Do you see that girl?" I lifted my head, and he stopped. I went back about my business of scouring for costumes for Blood Wedding. "Do you see that girl? She's here ALL the time."

Fashion-forward thinking:

So I have the opportunity to design some clothes and sell them at a local antique store. It might be a nice way to bring in some extra money, plus a chance to be creative in a public sort of way. Plus. Fun!

So over the holiday Erin was in town, who takes AMAZING pictures, and she took photos of a few things I've made over the years. I updated my portfolio, and now I'm ready for my meeting on Friday.

Here are some highlights:


My corset, covered in bleached muslin and hand embroidered with vines and flowers. A fluke left me with a fuschia drawstring, but I kind of like the contrast.

My 1950's Dress with updated bodice. Made from bubble gum pink 30's feedsacking material, bordered with green rosebud print fabric.

Mom's Christmas Regency Inspired Jacket - made from grey wool with dark red brocade lining. Top stitched in cherry red.

Allison's Christmas Regency Inspired Jacket - made from three pair recycled jeans, and one recycled jeans skirt. Lined in orange brocade.

And I'm back to busy.

Thursday was my first day to run the show as Mama Bear. Also my first time to walk blocking. Also my day to be off book for that role. So, I stumbled through. I was told my character voice was very nice. Good. I didn't realize I was using one - I was so distracted by trying to remember what to say and where to stand. Pleasant surprise, that!

Tuesday I'm off book for Goldilocks and running at least one time through that day.

I'm costuming Blood Wedding right now, which opens on the 30th. I've run into a bit of holdup trying to find some of the big houses that will lend to us. I was told we had reciprocal lending agreements with local theaters, but it turned out to be based on contacts with each costume designer, not with the theater. Now, because of MLK, I won't be able to track costumes down again until tuesday. Hopefully this will all come together soon. Funny image from last night's soup-fest. My pot of Split Pea was simmering next to my roommate's rice, and her friend's hoomemade chili - right next to a pot of tea with a chemise in it.

I'm costuming a Clown Film next month, which I've been to some production meetings for, but am not really thinking about much until Blood Wedding is up and running. I've been gathering a few accessories here and there, but mostly I'm out of the game for now.

I'm still working a few shifts of retail - but mostly on call. I didn't get called in at all this week, which is worrisome, but not tragic, since Goldilocks is paying me these days. I've been told by my manager that once the college kids leave there will be more shifts, and they definately want me to stay on. Good to know.

Nannying we finished the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and have now started on Anne of Green Gables. Her comment? "Wow. She asks a lot of questions. When does she smash her slate over his head." I think she'll get more into it once we're out of the introductions phase. And Anne is about to yell at Rachel Lynde.

I'm off to costume. Goodwill-by-the-pound, here I come!

The stuff has hit the fan...again.

The company I worked for over Christmas has run into financial difficulties, the upshoot being that the actors are not going to be paid on time. Which, considering that I did the show because the pay would coincide with my next rent check, is a bit of a snag. Also, the shows cancelled due to weather we are not being paid for.

No worries, arrangements have been made so that I can stay ahead of everything again, but once again it's down to the wire, and I'm having trouble sleeping nights. It would be one thing if it was my lack of planning, but to plan and plan and plan and STILL have everything fall through is extremely frustrating. One can't find a job fast enough to stop the landslide if someone else drops the ball.

In the meantime, all I can do is stand still, stop spending, and hope all of the chips fall in the right order.

I know this is the way artistic lives tend do go - always scraping by, always on the verge of failure, but my type-A personality is struggling with it this week.

I am very excited about a new opportunity to be creative. I've been working this Christmas on using materials I already have. I constructed two regency short jackets, one from some grey wool and red brocade, and the other from three pairs of jeans and a jeanskirt. I managed to incorporate a few of the structural details from the skirt into the jacket.

There may be an opportunity to start designing my own articles and consigning them at an antique store. It's still in the "possibility" phase, but it's something I've been thinking about for a while, and hoping an viable opportunity might arise. This could be fun!

Today, this week, is my sabbath. Thanks to years of Teri's endless ooching and scooching on the subject, I've tried to maintain one day of nothing in a week - even though mine rarely, if ever, happens on a Sunday. In fact, this fall has been almost churchless due to two shows worth of Weekend performances.

Today I woke late. Actually I got up early, but then school got delayed, and nannying was cancelled, so I went back to bed. I've emailed, painted my toenails, read Harry Potter, worked on embroidering the last flowers on my corset, drank lots of tea and hot chocolate, and am still sitting around in my bathrobe watching the snow on the rooftops around me. The weather isn't going to get above the twenties this week, so our snow should stick for a while. I'm about to leave for three days in the mountains, where temperatures are in the single digits. Hurrah for a much needed holiday!

My current show is going. It's the best I can say about it. The larger part of the run is over, and one weekend of multiple shows is all I have left. I'm glad for a bit of a vacation before I have to finish out the run. It's very exhausting grinding out a show with problems. We had a review in a Children's magazine which was, at best, lukewarm, though very kind to the actors. Basically it was summed up as, the actors did the best they could with what they were given. Which is pretty much what my one friend who came to see the show said yesterday. I am happy for my friend who plays the bad guy, who had the only glowing review. He does a great job!

The script for my next show arrived in the mail a few days ago. I love the script, I love the music - I get to sing soprano in this one. I can't wait to start rehearsing, and I'm sad that my involvement in this one is limited.

Today my birthday present from Wendy came - chocolate and new nail polish colors!

Today, for my birthday, I'm going to be as lazy as possible. I've borrowed Wall-E from the girls I nanny, and intend to drink many cups of hot chocolate and eat some Velveta and Shells for lunch...

Possibly a show tonight.