When Gang Members Meet Makeup
MONTCLAIR, NJ- The dressing rooms at Kasser Theater were engulfed in a thick film of hairspray and dirt-colored stage makeup night after night in preparation for Montclair State’s production of “West Side Story.” Nicole Ferrigno, hair and makeup designer for the show, scurried to prepare the cast for their debut as she curled, sprayed, and pinned locks of blonde and brown hair into the 1950s most sought-after styles. This month’s production would not have been complete without the sponged on bruises, perfect up-do’s, and gelled back hair, courtesy of Ferrigno and her assistant, Courtney Smith.
Ferrigno is a senior theater-production major, with a focus in costume, wig, hair, and makeup design. “West Side Story” was Ferrigno’s final opportunity to showcase the skills that she has learned in Montclair’s theater program, and even though the styles of the 1950s were not dramatic or particularly eye-catching, it was important that they were realistic and appropriate to the time period. “With any design, whether it is costumes, or hair and makeup, you have to do a lot of period specific research,” Ferrigno said.
Ferrigno and Smith styled over 15 actresses’ hair each night in preparation for the show. In order to save time that could be used to create intricate curls and flips, Ferrigno taught the actor’s how to style their own hair at home. Since the production focuses on the rivalry of two gangs, the male characters have a “gang mentality,” and styled their hair almost identical to one another.
While having the men style their own hair may seem like it reduced the stress backstage, once it was time for Act II, Ferrigno and Smith were thrown into the madness once again. They painted on bruises, cuts, and dirt on the arms and faces of the gang members, which would have naturally resulted from the “rumble” scene.
The madness backstage would have shocked anyone else who worked on the hair and makeup for the production, but recently transformed business student, Smith, seemed to have loved the excitement. Smith is a sophomore transfer student majoring in theater production. She said that she was scared to take that first jump with changing her major, since theater production varies greatly from studying business, but encourages other students in the same position to, “go for it!” “I think that it’s cool not knowing much, I’m learning as I go, and I’m loving it,” Smith said.
For anyone in the audience, the hair and makeup may appear to be just a classic, simple style, but Ferrigno found this production to be one of the most difficult in her career thus far at Montclair. The goal was not to create a supernatural creature out of a 20-year-old theater student, as Ferrigno often has to do in her career. Styling natural, realistic makeup and hair was a new, and seemingly difficult, challenge.
“Even though this show’s hair and makeup was not as important because everybody is more natural and less of a ‘character,’ I have worked on plenty of shows where there was not a hair and makeup artist on staff, and it would not look the same or tie in with the rest of the show,” Ferrigno said. Whether it was finding the perfect lipstick shade to match the cultural “norm” of both the Jets and the Sharks, or choosing to keep the naturally curly hair of certain cast members to portray traditional Puerto Rican style, Ferrigno places emphasis on realistic, research-based interpretation.
Sometimes, it is almost best if the makeup and hair does not stand out in theater. Its goal should be to subtly enhance each character and their roles, just as it did in “West Side Story.” Production manager, Peter Davis, said, “If we’re doing our job right, the audience doesn’t notice the makeup and hair. It is just part of the character.” This was most definitely the case with this month’s production, as even the subtle lipstick color choices or the parts in the male character’s hair paved the way for a smooth-looking 1950s cast.
So, the next time that you go see a local, or professional, play, take notice of the hair and makeup design of each character. How does it differ from person to person? Do characters of different nationalities have different styles? Does the lipstick shade stand out, even under the bright stage lights? Can you see the microphone weaved through the lead’s flowing blonde wig? These are all things that go into designing the makeup and hair for a show, and should be appreciated and applauded, as it makes our favorite characters, our favorite characters.
