Expect some impressive makeup artistry in future productions by ECHO Players at the Village Theatre in Qualicum Beach.
The theatre company has invited a recent grad from the Makeup Artistry Program at John Casablanca’s Institute in Vancouver to share her skills. The school is widely recognized as the industry leader in providing training and has been setting the standard for film, television and theatrical makeup artistry and innovation for over 30 years.
Bree-Anna Lehto will provide make-up instruction for various aspects of theatre to Echo Players members as well as other theatre groups who form part of the North Island Zone.
Lehto’s workshop Saturday, November 9 at the Village Theatre is booked solid.
Lehto said that since she graduated from the program she has worked on numerous photo shoots, fashion shows, weddings, several full feature films and the Zombie Syndrome.
She said being a makeup artist is very exciting.
“Each job is different from the next. I can beautify a bride one day and then be creating zombies for a film the next day so it definitely keeps things interesting. One particularly exciting job was for a horror film I shot a couple weeks ago … I had to wire an actors mouth shut, create a ripped off scalp and orchestrate a risqué severed body part, all in a days work.”
Lehto will be teaching theatre makeup which she said is quite different from film.
“Nowadays film and television is shot in high definition, which is crystal clear and really shows everything on the big screen … so from a makeup perspective less is definitely more. Theatre makeup is seen from a distance and stage lighting is much stronger than that used in film and TV so the actors features really need to be emphasized with much stronger makeup so the audience can see it.”
Theatre makeup uses heavier contouring to give the face shape, bolder colours and stage-specific cosmetic products to last under the hot stage lights explained Lehto.
The rags to riches fairy tale Cinderella is the next production slated for the Village Theatre December 12 to 29.
Audiences will have to wait until then to see how the actors playing Cinderella’s evil stepsisters Griselda and Lucretia’s are transformed into hideous characters not only through acting but their makeup as well.
