This year’s spring 2024 musical is “Guys and Dolls.” The first show will take place on February 29 and will continue on March 1, 2, and 3 here at RB. Although the performers are clearly a very important part of the show, senior makeup artist Vittoria Gentile and junior costume designer Lillian Luethje work just as hard to make sure each performance is a success.
Gentile has been doing theater makeup since her sophomore year. Not only does she do makeup for the “Guys and Dolls” cast, but she is also in the musical herself, so she is very busy on the show nights. Gentile educates her castmates on the ins and outs of makeup, so if they need to, they can apply their own makeup on the night of the show.
“A lot of my job is helping people and teaching them so that they can do it themselves. I learned a lot actually doing it backstage and from previous productions like, being in actual shows you learn how to do your own hair and makeup,” Gentile said.
Luethje takes on many tasks as a costume designer. Not only does she assign certain costumes to certain characters, Leuthje also recreates one of a kind pieces, and does alterations where she sees fit.
“I focus on the costume aspect, and I’ll make special costumes. I’ll sew them and configure them. Especially if there are certain pieces that are very unique, I’ll go and figure out how to make them for as many that need them,” Leuthje said.
Luethje channels her passion for fashion into working for the theater production at RB.
“When I was really little, I used to be really into fashion, and even now, I’m still very into fashion,” Luethje said. “Once I got into high school, I still wanted to be a part of the theater department, so I figured I might as well help out with costumes, and I love it.”
Before the show is a very busy and chaotic time for the whole department. The cast and crew scramble to make sure everything is perfect and that the physical appearance of the actors are also perfect as well.
“Call time is two hours before the performance. To some it might seem like a lot, but we are seriously always working until opening. Right until those curtains open, you’re working on someone,” Gentile said.
In terms of the involvement of the ensemble, they are treated the same as the main characters. Gentile explains how the ensemble is very important for the show because they help set the time period.
“The time period is really where the ensemble people come in because when you are in the ensemble. You really need to work on being a huge part of the show but also blending in to create the actual scene,” Gentile said.
Applying personal aspects to the characters will overall transform them into the character they are supposed to play. Theater is all about becoming the character, and Leuthje believes that costumes, hair, and makeup do just that.
“Adding those touches, like putting them in a costume, doing their hair, their makeup, adds a sense of true theater and brings the character to life. As soon as you put them in costume, they transform into their character,” Leuthje said.
