Addie Chauhan
Garnet Valley Performing Arts Association’s fall musical The Addams Family will be showing between November 3rd and 5th.
Undoubtedly, the cast and crew have put in tremendous amounts of effort to make this show one for the books.
“Definitely seeing it all come together is really rewarding,” Raigen Roades, a set crew member, noted.
What’s often underrated in live theatre is the amount of work that goes into the background, costumes, hair, and makeup.
“I think if you’re trying to build a story that placing that story in something that the audience can understand is imperative, and in our case, the set design adds depth and interest to the story we’re trying to tell,” drama club advisor Heather Arters contended.
Both the set crew and hair and makeup crew have worked tirelessly together to bring The Addams Family experience to life.
“Well, for set design– so, for this show, the ancestors that are supposed to be in the background are practically a part of the set and I am figuring out how they’re gonna look– how their makeup is gonna go with their costumes, what we’re going to do with how white we need to paint these people to make them look ghostly, and stuff like that,” Conner Wood, student director of hair and makeup, attested. “You’re transporting someone to a completely different place.”
Wood went on about the passion they have for his role in this play.
“I have to do hair and makeup crew on top of memorizing my lines, and then there’s school on top of that, and it’s just a whole big thing, but I just kind of push through it, because at the end of the day, this is what I want to do for a career,” he said, serious. “Hair and makeup have been a passion of mine for a very long time, and I want to go down the entertainment route whenever I’m out of high school and it really is what I want to be doing for the rest of my life,” they added.
Accounts from across the board highlight the equal importance of the acting, costumes, hair, makeup, and set build in theatre.
“I think it’s pretty equally important because it’s definitely fifty-fifty, what people see from the actors, the background, the settings, and the imagery,” Roades said.
Cast and crew have worked in collaboration to make this fall show the best one yet.
“The same thing is with sets; it’s very difficult, as an actor, to get into character if you are dressed in street clothes or your own clothes, so the costume not only helps the actor get into character but it helps the audience see the person as that character and then the makeup just ties into that,” said Arters. “I think that they all work in tandem to put forth what you’re trying to say, and without the other none of them would work.”
Come celebrate the achievements of the Garnet Valley Performing Arts Association between Thursday (11/3) and Saturday (11/5). Tickets for the Addams Family are still available online and in school for a student discount.
“It’s definitely scary, but I’m going to handle it. I know that for sure,” Wood said.
Mrs. Arters
What is the prominence of a good set design in theatre? I think if you’re trying to build a story that placing that story in something that the audience can understand is imperative, and in our case, the set design adds depth and interest to the story we’re trying to tell
What is the prominence of good costumes, makeup, and hair in theatre? The same thing is with sets; it’s very difficult, as an actor, to get into character if you are dressed in street clothes or your own clothes, so the costume not only helps the actor get into character but it helps the audience see the person as that character and then the makeup just ties into that
Do you think the background is less important, equally important, or more important than the acting? I think that they all work in tandem to put forth what you’re trying to say, and without the other none of them would work.
Conner Wood
What’s your name and role in the play? What does that role entail? Hi, so my name is Conner Wood. I am the student director and liaison for the hair and makeup for the Addams Family, the current fall show that we’re doing. I am also cast as Mal Beineke; he is one of the new three leads that come into play for the musical production of the Addams Family. I run the makeup behind the scenes, I’m a big part of the set design and how everything looks, and I’m also an actor.
I actually didn’t know you were part of set design; what do you do for set design? Well, for set design– so, for this show, the ancestors that are supposed to be in the background are practically a part of the set and I am figuring out how they’re gonna look– how their makeup is gonna go with their costumes, what we’re going to do with how white we need to paint these people to make them look ghostly, and stuff like that.
Why do you think set design is important in theatre? How is it significant? Well, it’s honestly– you’re transporting someone to a completely different place. The reason why I honestly love music and theatre and those kinds of aspects is because it’s the closest I will ever get to magic. It truly is, because I’ve always loved Harry Potter and things like that and I’ve always wanted to be a wizard and create something out of thin air, and with theatre, you can really just transport someone to a new place and become someone else in a magical world or anything of the sort. You can be whoever you want to be.
Do you think your childhood played a big role in your getting involved in theatre and specifically in makeup? Oh, for sure. I moved around a lot so I got to see a bunch of different people and I learned how to adapt and how to talk to people and that honestly played a huge part in me wanting to be center stage and presenting who I am, not just as in a different character, but me on stage.
What is the significance of good costumes, makeup, and hair in theatre? How is it significant? So the costumes and makeup really have to complement each other. Mrs. Arters was saying this is the most makeup and hair she’s ever done for a show, and it’s a lot. It really is. But, pulling all these things together– say, for example, the ancestors– they’re supposed to be coming from different time periods, so some people are cavemen, some people are flappers, some people are old military soldiers from the 1920s, and those kinds of things. You also have to figure out how the makeup would be on certain people– probably the flapper would have rosy cheeks, and nice sparkly lids and the soldier would have maybe some dirt on his face, might look a little rough, might have a cut. Those all come into play because they need to look like they’re from a different era. You have to completely change someone into someone else.
On the actor’s part, is there a big commitment to changing their appearance for their role? For sure. I know 3 people who dyed their hair for this specific occasion. Honor Grant, he plays Lurch– great guy, amazing singer, amazing actor– he had green hair before. He dyed it black. We’re spraying people’s hair different colors as well. Of course, it’s just temporary, but some people take it very seriously. It’s usually people that already had dyed hair that dye their hair to a natural color, but that’s the commitment. Jeremy and TJ completely shaved their heads for Uncle Fester, Justin’s growing out a mustache for Gomez, and those kinds of things. I was going to grow out my sideburns, but it just makes me look stupid at school, so I don’t think I’m gonna do that.
Being both the student director of hair and makeup and an actor, what do you think of the commitment you have to put into your appearance? How do you think actors get into the zone of that? As the makeup artist, how do you feel when you see actors really taking on their roles? I love whenever they get enthusiastic, because, honestly, what I tell people that are new to Drama Club is don’t be afraid to make a fool of yourself, because we’ve all done it, and that’s what you need to understand. Every one of us has made ourselves look stupid on that stage, but that’s how you improve because you understand those mistakes you made and you change how you’re presenting yourself. It’s not just speaking a certain way or remembering your lines, you need to state your lines as if this is the first time you’ve ever said them, and it needs to be almost as if it’s right off the top of your head, and you can’t elongate those things.
What has been a challenge in your role in the Addams Family? My role has been less stressful than hair and makeup because I know what to do for my role and it’s a me thing that I can figure out, but for the hair and makeup crew, I ended to know a bunch of stuff, like who’s doing what on what night, what are these people’s skill sets. I have to do hair and makeup crew on top of memorizing my lines, and then there’s school on top of that, and it’s just a whole big thing, but I just kind of push through it, because at the end of the day, this is what I want to do for a career. Hair and makeup have been a passion of mine for a very long time, and I’m not trying to brag or anything, but I know what I’m doing whenever it comes to those things. I want to go down the entertainment route whenever I’m out of high school and it really is what I want to be doing for the rest of my life.
What has been the most rewarding part about working on the Addams Family? Honestly, this is one of the biggest roles I’ve had for a minute. I mean, I’ve had decent roles and I’ve always had speaking roles, but this part, this show, I have a decent amount of solos and singing spots and some other things like that. It’s definitely scary, but I’m going to handle it. I know that for sure.
Do you think the background is less important, equally important, or more important than the acting? Equally important, if not more, because you can have some great acting on stage, but if you have a terrible set, it’s just not going to bring [the audience] there. They’re going to be like, “Oh, okay, these people know what they’re doing and trying to make the best out of it, but come on, it could be better,” and you don’t want that to happen.
Raigen
What’s your name and role in the play? What does that role entail? I’m Raigen Roades and I am in the set crew for the play. I help build sets on our set build days and during the show, I help move around and sort of maneuver them.
Why do you think set design is important in theatre? How is it significant? I think that it really sets the place, and it’s not solely on the actors, it’s also a place that they’re in. it sets the tone a little, the mood.
What is the significance of good costumes, makeup, and hair in theatre? How is it significant? I feel like costumes, makeup, and hair is the first thing that people look at when they see the actors, so that’s pretty significant.
What has been a challenge in your role in the Addams Family? Probably just dynamics with other people in the crew, just sort of maneuvering around them.
What has been the most rewarding part about working on the Addams Family? Definitely seeing it all come together is really rewarding.
Do you think the background is less important, equally important, or more important than the acting? I think it’s pretty equally important because it’s definitely 50/50 what people see from the actors, the background, the settings, and the imagery.
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