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LIFESTYLE
“Cats” theater design takes a Broadway favorite to new creative heights
By Deirdre Kronschnabel | ConiiHiiitiii | @kmi]8ciid
“CATS”
from cover
cent student productions.suclt as“l*uriidc”
and “Idttle Women.”
“ iiiere’s an allowance for tVeedom ajul
creativity in dance, within tlie parameters
presented in its lyrics and music,” she said.
the loose parameters of the lyrics and
music also allow Tor Ireetlom in the design.
In most productions, tliere are a cer
tain amount oi costume elements that can
he can pulled from costume stock, rented
from someone else or purchased, hut this
show is completely huilt and created from
scratcli. Ihere are a lot of steps in the pr«>-
(iraham graduated from Klon with
double majors in acting and design and
production, and since then lias been at
tending graduate school in Austin, I'exas,
for costume design.
Wliile at Idon, (haham staned in per
formances sucli as “Noise is (>11” but even
tually reali/ed she was more drawn to de
signing productions than acting in shows.
hast spring, (yraham was asked to de
sign when Kaii (Ireen, assistant professor
of performing arts, who usually designs
the show, was on sabbatical.
(fiahaiu, thrilled to come back to Hlon
and lielp with the show, lias spent the past
eight months Oitting between Austin and
hlon to oversee fittings, create maps tor
the shop to follow and demonstrate con
cepts such as fur placement so that cos
tume elements could he implemented in
her stead.
“CATS”
Dates: Feb. 9T2
Times: 7:30 p.ni. Friday-
SatLirday 12 p.in, Sunday
Location: McCrary Theatre
Admisison:$13or EloiilD
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A PURR-FECT FACE
1
DIEGO PiNEDA I Pbofo Editor
I Started with my wig prep,
which is pin curls that basically
flatten all your hair. Once I got
all of my hair out of my face,
I started with the white base
makeup. I wet a sponge and
painted it all over.
2
DIEGO PINEOAi Photo Editor
Then I have more detailed
brushes for the black that I de
Then I did some pink on the INs
and some polka dots.
3
OIEGO PINEDA I Photo Editor
We blended some pink on my
forehead and ears once I had
on the wig to make sure all
the tines were even. And then
we did white on my eyebrows
to make them look furry and
blended.
T he makeup also follows a
more modern trend.
Graham’s early
sketches were homage
to the original show, but
they didn’t seem to fit.
The new renderings are now made
up of a clearly defined nose and
mouth, with overtly enlarged eyes.
“Instead of trying to put tons of
graphic stripes, or tons of graph
ic spots, we’re trying to keep the
face as clean as possible so that the
emotion of the character can come
through,” Graham said. “It’s not
muddied up with different direc
tions of makeup everywhere.”
Soft-blended color resonates
throughout the “Cats” design in the
dye, the fur and the intricate paint
ing on top of the unitards.
The makeup is applied by a crew
of eight artists, including senior Iris
Sullivan, who is working on a the
ater production for the first time
after gaining experience through
makeup for film.
“We really wanted to make the
makeup our own and more origi
nal, with our own Elon flair,” Sulli
van said, echoing Graham’s earlier
sentiments.
But Sullivan most enjoys the
transformation to the end result.
“My favorite part is getting to
know the actors and talking to
them,” she said. “When you start
putting on all the costumes and
the wigs, they get to really see their
characters. Seeing that excitement
when everything is done and the
final face is on, that’s my favorite
part.”
While Sullivan looks toward the
actors when the look is complete,
Bishop focuses on the audience.
I always love watching an au
dience because doing theater and
helping people create emotions that
they didn t think they’d come into
the theater having is really special,”
Bishop said.
The renderings
are made up
of a clearly
refined nose
and mouth,
with overtly
enlarged eyes.