This August I took part in New Alexandra Theatre's Stage Experience on their production of Grease. I worked in the wardrobe department in the costume team. I had a great time and it taught me a great deal about how a theatre production is run. Firstly I helped piece together 50's style outfits from the rails already in the theatre. Then we went to the costume store and to charity shops in Blackheath to collect more pieces. We spent the next few days piecing together costumes for all the cast (122 cast members); they each had one or two day outfits and a prom outfit. Anything we could not provide they brought themselves. We also made corsages for the prom scene, cheer leader skirts (and ironed Rydell 'R's onto t-shirts) for the cheer leader number, and head dresses for the Beauty School Drop Out number, in which they wore towel headscarves and wraps or tinsel wigs, head dresses, ponchos and sashes. After everyone had all their costumes we set them in their dressing rooms and ironed them ready for the dress rehearsals and shows. During the dress rehearsals we worked out where we were needed and who to help with wigs, quick changes and costume pick ups, then at the end of each performance pre set for the next one. During shows my roles were to help pre set the pyjama costumes for the bedroom scene, then collect all the beginning costumes when they changed into the pyjamas and take them back to the dressing room. During the interval I would help the girl playing Cha Cha into her prom dress, and then help her quick change out of the prom costume into her poncho, sash and tinsel wig for the Beauty School Drop Out number, while she was on stage I would take her pin box back to her dressing room and set her prom dress in the wings of stage left ready to help her with a quick change for the finale mega mix. After this change I would take her Pink lady costume (which she quick changed out of) back to her dressing room. In between shows I would be in the company office (the wardrobe department during shows) ready for any last minute mishaps we needed to deal with, like rips, repairs and replacing lost pieces. When we had a spare moment during the show we would watch the action on stage from a TV monitor in the crew room, this helped a great deal as we got to see the actors as their characters. The support from the costume team was wonderful as they taught me what was put into a production like this and made sure I was included in the team and had an active role. They also supported me in the quick changes. I always felt involved and part of the team which in turn taught me how to treat colleagues and actors respectfully and when I could feel confident to take charge of the situation. I had an amazing time and I am thinking of applying to help out again in their production of West Side Story next year. Take a look at the show using these links;
https://www.facebook.com/StageExperienceBirmingham/
http://birminghamfest.co.uk/news/grease-review/
https://www.facebook.com/StageExperienceBirmingham/
http://birminghamfest.co.uk/news/grease-review/