I thought I would give a little expose' on what happens before and after a Mulan show, just so peeps can learn more about what goes on behind the scenes. Too bad I'm not fancy Broadway-like and doing a video blog like the stars do on Broadway.com. But whatevs.
After my trafficky commute to Atlanta, I park in the deck and walk to the production entrance on the outside of the Woodruff Arts Center. I have to key in the secret code to gain access. :) The security guard can see me standing outside the door via a camera and then buzzes me in. I walk down a long hallway, pass the security office, and then sign in on the call board in the green room (yes, it's actually painted green). I read any notes from the stage manager on the call board (e.g., there'll be a fight call the next day, the assistant stage manager will be out sick, etc.) and then I go to my dressing room, which I share with another actor. If I have fight call that day, I'll go upstairs to the stage after putting my stuff in my dressing room and go through our fight sequence with the other actors to ensure we're being safe and to get it in our bodies for the day. After fight call, I go back downstairs to my dressing room and start getting ready. The wig master is always there to pincurl our hair and put our wigs on (this is pretty much being spoiled compared to other shows, lemme tell ya!) while we do our makeup and get dressed. I usually put on my mic pack and base costume first (socks, pants, shoes, base top) and then sit down to start on my makeup. By that time, the wig master is usually finished with the other actor's pincurls and wig and starts on mine. When the wig gets put on, she has to thread the lavaliere mic through a special hole in the wig so that it sits at the top of my forehead amid my bangs. Then one of the sound guys comes in to check the mic placement. Then the wig gets secured and pinned and she gives me a ponytail. If I haven't finished my makeup by this time, I do that (pretty easy for this show - except for the special Asian eyeliner :) ) and then I put my outer top on. The final step is tying my "obi" or wide belt around my waist. Then I grab my water bottle and go upstairs to wait off stage right for places to be called and the show to start. Sometimes I warm up vocally throughout this whole process.
At the end of the show, I have on a different outer costume on top of my base layers. But I just hang that up off stage right for the next show and go downstairs to eat lunch and chill/rest before the second show. A lot of the other cast/crew play this card game Phase 10 during this break - something I never got into but enjoy watching them play.
After the second show, I hang up my costume in my dressing room and sit down so the wig master can remove my wig. I am super soaked in sweat by the end of the show (well let's be honest - by the middle of the show), so I peel off my base layers and put them in the laundry basket. My basics usually get washed every day, like my socks, mic pouch, and base top. I love that! And I'm sure my castmates do too, since I would be pretty stinky otherwise. :) Once I get changed back into my street clothes, I wash my hands in my dressing room bathroom (I touch the stage and interchange props a lot during the show), put on my hat (to cover my sweaty and flattened pincurl head) and head for home! If I want to, I can take a shower before leaving, since my dressing room has that, but I don't. I've only used it once so far - opening night before the reception party. And for good reason. :) No one wants to be stinky and sweat-soaked when greeting peeps at a party.
So that's pretty much my typical day. It ain't so bad. ;)
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