Backstage Stars

“Don’t look at us like we are, sir. Please… See make-up, caked, in glowing powder pink! Imagine a beard, full blown and blowing, like the whiskers of a bear! And hair! Imagine hair. In a box I’ve got all colors, so I beg you — imagine hair! And not these clothes. Oh no, no, no. Dear God, not rags like any beggar has. But see me in a doublet! . . . Try to see it under light! I assure you — it’s dazzling!”

—the old actor “Henry” in The Fantasticks

Makeup, costumes, lighting, sets and sound. The combination of these can transform a bare stage into any time and place. The technical and wardrobe professionals behind the scenes create an alternate reality that inconspicuously transports audience members for an hour or two into a story. These professionals often share the same goal—to go unnoticed, to not draw the eye nor jar the audience member from the tale unfolding on stage.

The following stories are dedicated to spotlighting some of Oswego’s Backstage Stars:

Taking Center Stage: George Dummitt ’69 Feature

Stagecraft Behind the Magic

Costumers Add the Finishing Touch

The Right Actor for the Right Role

The Sound of Success

The Willing Suspension of Disbelief

Modernization of Waterman Theatre Marks First Step in Tyler Revovation

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