From Thescon Triumph to Fun Home Glam: A Peek Behind the Scenes of Costumes, Hair, and Makeup Magic!

I recently presented at the Colorado State Thescon on my costume designs for Fun Home. It was such a fun experience and helped me get my stuff together for the actual Fun Home show. As the Assistant Costume Designer and Lead Hair and Makeup Designer, it was beneficial putting together what I wanted the show to look like from a costume design perspective. By doing this, I could find my sources of inspiration for hair and makeup.

Knowing that Emma, our wonderful director, wanted the show to look like the graphic novel provided a challenge that turned out to be a benefit. This show is going to look like no other Fun Home show because we are staying so true to the graphic novel. But in the same sense, it was hard working with a limited color pallete.

Although most of the designs won't end up being used in the final show, being able to give Jamie (the lead costumer) and me a place to start with reference images and ideas and research into the time period was very helpful. Looking at this from the prospective of the hair and makeup artist on this show I was able to pull inspiration from time-appropriate styles when styling the wigs and creating the makeup designs.

Overall, this experience was extremely helpful and inspiring for my work on Fun Home at Vintage, and I must have done something well because I got an overall superior, which is the highest score you can get! I can't wait for you to see all of the lovely hair and makeup on this show and all of the other hard work put in by the talented designers, production team and actors on this show!

-Assistant Costume Designer/Lead Hair and Makeup Designer Sam Charney

Fun Home opens on January 12th and runs through February 18th in the Bond-Trimble Theatre.