No Tony Awards for Wig Makers…

Every year Tony awards acknowledge the many amazing talents of those involved with American Theater. Besides the awards for Best Play, Musical and the Casts, awards also go to set designers, musicians, costume designers, and lighting designers. Although it is a given that there are many other contributors to making a successful Broadway show, one group of people that is often not recognized by the public are those who spend numerous hours and efforts designing the wigs that are indispensable to countless in many Broadway productions.

“The problem with being a good wig designer is that if you do your job properly, no one knows that any of your work is on the stage,” Jason P. Hayes says.

Believe it or not, wigs are are present in almost all Broadway productions. For both the audience and the actor, wigs are integral to creating an accurate and believable character. Altering one’s own hair is a huge commitment and perhaps not possible for every actor, wigs provide an easier way of transforming any actor into the character they are playing while helping to minimize pre-show prep time. Actors appreciate the time save as well as the total transformation, especially in cases where an actor is playing multiple characters or a character over a period of time.

“It really is a crucial aspect of the performance, this wig, especially for me,” Reed Birney (who plays Charlotte in Casa Valentina) says. “Your self-image suddenly changes. I can’t see myself, but I see myself in the mirror and I know I’ve got this honey-colored hair and a big swoop and it really does affect the way you move through space.”

What are these amazing wigs made out of? The material of the wig is reall crucial to them performing properly- both on the actor and off the actor. The wigs’ construction needs to be stable enough to survive multiple shows but also style-able. Most wigs on Broadway are constructed out of human hair, which give a more realistic look.

We plan on keeping our eyes peeled for wigs next time we see a Broadway show! Let us know if you can spot who’s wearing what!

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