The end of the run - in hindsight!

Yesterday was the end of the BUParts run of 'Grease' the musical, and it was an incredibly successful run for the society with all four shows sold out. As per usual, the show week was so manic there was no chance to post during the run until after it was over!

 

Working backstage my main duties were pre-show ironing, quick changes and post show pack up. There were the usual repair jobs though, setting changes and clearing them, helping with the curtains and carrying set pieces onstage and dealing with the occasional backstage misshap, but on the whole it was a well run backstage department by stage manager Michael Ellis, props Charlotte Long-Howell and brilliant wardrobe department working with costume and set designer, future AUB graduate Amy Boulton!

Surprise request - Dressing/Wardrobe

In a surprise turn of events Amy Boulton, the costume and set designer this year for my old Universities performing arts society, BU Parts, sent me a message requesting an emergency assist for costume backstage. The show itself is 'Grease' and today is the beggining of show week, the run opening on Wednesday, and so yesterday I ended up spending an 11 hour day back at the University helping with some of the last of the costumes being made, ironing, repairing, adding fastenings and dressing on quick changes for the two dress and tech runs, and assisting with the post show pack down.

 

It was good to be back with the society, and especially interesting after having some experience backstage on professional and semi profesional shows since graduation to be helping on a University production.

 

I will be back with them for three nights of the run and with the show selling better then any previous year am greatly looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

Othello - On the Run

The run for Othello is now well underway, and I was delighted to see today that it has been reviewed, with a mention of costumes! It was brilliant to work with Eleanor and Emilie again after University, Eleanor is an incredibly tallented designer so its good to see it being noticed - http://www.broadwayworld.com/uk-regional/article/BWW-Reviews-OTHELLO-Riverside-Studios-January-16-2014-20140118

Well done to Eleanor, and all the Orangutan Productions team!

Othello - final day!

Today was my final day working as costume assistant for Orangutan Productions 'Othello', and it was by far the busiest! After an online meeting in the morning with Eleanor and Emilie, I headed over to the University with a list of the costume items that I had photographed that they had decided on, plus a small list of extra items they needed adding.

 

I returned to the stock the items that were no longer needed, and organised the new additions and then had them priced them up by the costume store attendant on shift - with the slight snag that, on further contact with Eleanor and Emilie that the budget had been reduced from what was previously anticipated. However after negotiating with the University they agreed to let us use the items that we had selected! With the costume store open until 1;20, but the collector for the costumes not arriving until half 2, I then had to arrange for the costume collection, which again the University agreed to. So now, the costumes are in London and the show will go on, and after a very busy week on the job it is now time to move on to another show and another day.

 

Thank you again to Helen at the AUB!

AUB Sourcing take 2

Today I headed back to the Universities hire department to get the last of the items that I could find, and to photograph each of the costume items, making sure that especially for shoes the sizes were with the photographs. As neither Eleanor or Emilie can make it down before the start of the show run, they are having to do the sourcing from the AUB from a distance. This means that from the items that I have photographed they will choose the ones they want tonight, for collection tomorrow by a third party to be transported to London.

Sourcing from the AUB!

As a recent graduate, it is always a surreal experience returning to campus. This is the second show that has brought me back to my University, and this time it was to use the costume store. After overseeing the fittings in London yesterday, Eleanor and Emilie sent me a revised list of everything they wanted me to try and find in the costume store today, and so at 1:40 today I arrived at the University for my 40 minute appointment.

 

Thankfully the girl who was in charge of it today was very accomodating and let me stay in there for an hour!

 

Of the list of things I needed to look out for, I managed to find all but one of the shits, a bell boys suit, a jacket for Iago, a skirt for Emilia, multiple pairs of shoes, hats, braces and gloves. I was unable to find everything that was needed, but made a significant dent in the list. 

 

 

Now, with the selection so large and Eleanor and Emilie being commited to being up in London until the show, they have requested I send them photos of everything from the store that I have looked out, as well as adding in a few more items, so that they can select from a distance and so hopefully I will be able to get back in there tomorrow.

The Final Stretch for Othello!

With the up and running on Sunday, the last of the costume prep is well underway and while Eleanor and Emilie have been overseeing fittings in London, I have been doing what I can to source the final costume bits locally and liasing with the hire house BSP. Todays hunting ground for the last of the items was Highcliffe, and it had a much wider selection of options in terms of what we need then I was able to find in Boscombe and Christchurch, especially in terms of hats!

 

BSP has been a fantastic resource, based in Poole their prices are not too high and in 24 hours they have managed to put together a list of photos with acompanying sizes of all suitable items in stock, which I have forwarded on to Eleanor and Emilie in the hopes that there will be something suitable.

I have now heard from Emilie and Eleanor this evening and in response to todays fittings they are writing out a list of the last items needed which they will be sending on to me tonight!