I, too, teach at a school where student's cannot afford personal make-up kits. We have a large communal kit I have developed over time similar to Jo Lane's. For every production with our large shared kit, I first teach make-up hygiene. This includes how to clean brushes (with brush cleaner), make-up, pencils, applicators, etc. We also make sure a clean applicator (q-tip, sponge, cotton ball...) is used for EVERY dip into anything. I have 90% isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle and regualar bottle for sanitation. I also assign a small make-up crew with one experienced student as head to care for, clean, and assign product throughout a production. This very responsible student is traditionally very thoughtful about cleanliness and order, so s/he does a great job keeping things neat, sanitary and organized. This student is also responsible for informing me of product that needs to be replaced. Disposable bowls and plates are used as well as all disposable applicators. Otherwise, student actors are required to provide his/her own mascara (sanitary reasons).
Make-up hygiene is important be it shared or personally owned make-up. Teaching this is an important stage and life practice. Doing so also yeilds great results. My backstage is neater, cleaner and calmer. I have students doing leadership work, and I have even had students learn about alternative careers in the theatre and beyond (this year I have a senior from my make-up crew going to school next fall to study in make-up with the hopes of becoming a professional sfx artist).
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Raenell Smith
Speech, Theatre, English Teacher
Clark Plesant Community School Corporation
Whiteland IN
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-18-2014 00:37
From: Jo Lane
Subject: How to deal with stage Makeup
It's great that each student can purchase a kit. When I taught middle/junior high, my students could afford to purchase the kits at a nearby store, including specialty stuff, and it worked like a charm. Now, I work at a high poverty school so all of the makeup is communal since I have to buy it sometimes for a cast of 80. I simply can't afford to buy everyone their own makeup every time so we use it until it gets used up. I have a range of foundations, and multiples of each that I have been slowly purchasing over time, including replacements for the ones we use more, as well as pencils, shadow/highlight, etc. Every time I have a show, each student gets a pencil pouch with their name on it (tape w/sharpie). Inside, the makeup crew puts a sponge, applicator, foundation, lip color, rouge...you get the idea. The actor uses his/her set of makeup for that show. After the show is over, everything is sharpened, wiped clean, or scrubbed before it is put away in the communal storage area. It's the only option I have most of the time. You could do the same with specialty makeup. Label it, assign it to the student using it, then clean after use. Another option we sometimes use is scooping out the makeup onto a paper plate each night so the actors are not using the containers at all, only the makeup itself. Works for cremes, but not as do-able for powders, pencils, etc.
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Jo Strom Lane
Theatre Teacher and Director
Portland Public Schools
Portland OR
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-16-2014 12:15
From: Nathan Shewell
Subject: How to deal with stage Makeup
Has anyone figured out a good system of keeping or supplying or using stage makeup? We currently make each student purchase a Ben Nye personal kit and that helps, but what about specialty makeup?
Anyone have a system that works and is hygienic?
Thanks,
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Nathan Shewell
Theatre Arts Director
Indianapolis IN
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