Building 2 shows at once...

Once again I find myself with back to back shows.  Shows that open one week from eachother.  I just did this - Opened Ragtime one week and How to Succeed the next.  Not so much fun, as tech weeks are super busy times.  BUT I really wanted to build both of these shows!  So what's a girl to do?  Pretty much build them!  It's not even that I think one show is super easy and the other is just so-so.  These are two HUGE productions and I've wanted to build them for some time.  Probaly not at the same time, but here we go!  Beauty and the Beast and Hairspray are on their way!!

I decided that it would be kind of fun to share the insanity that goes on behind the scenes to make shows look fantastic.  There is actually a TON of work - and not only the costumes.  Much more time goes into a performance than you'd think.  Last week was spent buying the fabrics and supplies to start the builds.  This proved successful, expensive and kind of confusing.  Going from cartoon colonial styles/fabrics to the 60's was somewhat distracting.  As I found one fabric for one show I would get on a roll and find things for that show.  Then, after gathering for one show I'd go back and shop for the next show because I couldn't focus on them both at the same time.

Now,  anyone who's been here knows that there is usually fabric and misc costumes everywhere.  I make every attempt to keep everything tidy but it is impossible.  Things are coming and going so fast I would never sleep.  I like sleep.  Thus the piles of misc odds and ends.  BUT now THIS is what my couch looks like...   This is Mrs. Potts, the Beast, the Wardrobe and Cogsworth.  The foamboard will be transformed into Cogsworth and the Wardrobe... if all goes as planned!  Ha!

This is what the stairs look like...

One returned colonial costume on top of bags of trims and fabrics.  See that red?  It will be the Dynamites dresses.  See the pink sequins at the bottom of the bag?  Tracy at the end of Hairspray.  See the polkadots - you can barely see them through the white plastic bag in the middle.  That will make matching dresses for Tracy and Edna.  Um hum.  Lots of work!  But aside from shopping, I also got a good start on building!  Here's what I've done so far...

Papa's Coat... but I'm going to change the buttons.

LeFue's coat... still needs buttons

Lumiere's pants. (Cogsworths knickers are behind them.)

This is where I sew...

See the idea board in the back?  It's funny because it's Hairspray and B&B all mixed up.  :)  

This lovely box of feathers will be Babbette...

See the pile of floral fabric?  It is actually circle skirts that will be dresses for Hairspray. 

Here's what I see when I sew.  In this case, I'm working on Lefue. 

So that's it for this week!  Tomorrow starts week 2, and much more will be built.  I'll do my best to keep you up to date on what's going on.  Oh, and along with the shows I do alterations (prom season!) and private rentals.  I am also building a wedding dress for a super cute girl!  Maybe, if I'm energetic enough I'll get Cogsworth and the Wardrobe sketched out tonight.