by Priscilla

May.30, 2011, under Backstage Blog

We do maintenance on the wigs everyday, which entails setting them and dressing them out for the show. The main ones we work on are Don’s. He has his Poseidon wig and two Bernadette wigs, which are both used on the same day as they are changed at the interval. We also do Oliver’s Poseidon wig and Richard’s Mitzi wig.

The Go West wigs are the ones we need to keep the biggest eye on as they have the most detail and the curls get matted together from the way the cast are dancing on stage. On a matinee day we have to detangle them, brush them, reset them and put them in the wig oven, before bringing them back out for the evening show. We also maintain all the masks in Priscilla . We have to reapply the glitter as that comes off quite easily and glue the eyelashes back on when they fall out.

Go West Wigs

The wigs all have different styles to them and that varies how they are set. Priscilla is quite a high maintenance show for wigs. A lot of the wigs are supposed to look quite natural and to get that look you have to put the curls back into them to be able to brush it out again. The show itself is quite busy as there are quite a few wig changes that we have to do. We stand in the wings to take wigs and masks on and off as the performers come off stage.

I’ve previously worked on Oliver and We Will Rock You, which was my first show. I worked on it for 3 years. You take a lot out of every show and learn for the next one. The best thing to do if you are looking for a career in this industry is to practice. It’s a good idea to go to a college to learn the finer points, but like I said you do learn as you go along. It is also good to have a skill in makeup as in most shows you have to do a little of that. It is good to know some hairdressing, because you may need to cut one of the artists’ hair a bit or dye the wigs. Then get some work experience, which could lead to swing work, where you can come in and learn from shadowing a performance.

My favourite part of Priscilla is it’s general look, with the amazing sets and costumes. It’s fantastic. I also love the up tempo music and dance numbers that puts everyone in a good mood. As a show itself, it is a great one to come and see.