Dreamgirls Costume Change (Original Production) — Page 2

The witch's change is very simple. The witch doesn't come on for a long amount of time until her transformation and during that time is having her makeup removed and her "beautiful" witch costume put on. In the revival, Vanessa Williams merely wore a mask and a cape with an incredibly long hood so you couldn't really get a good glimpse of her face. But in reality, she was pretty much wearing everything she needed under that long cape and big hood. When she transformed she merely took off the mask and cape. In the original production, I believe another actress went on in the witch's makeup and costume and did the scene (with the real actress doing the voice-over) while the real one waited behind a tree until the transformation.

---

Wickedfan-
Williams wasn't onstage for most of it, it was a double, with Willaims doing the lines from behind a tree.

The Bernadette Peters was a LOT different, especially if you watch the DVD, she is onstage the entire time. I want to say hers was done with the velcro/magnet/soft face mask effect (at least, that's what we did).

---

In The Apple Tree, while accepting her award, Kristin is wearing the Ella dress under the big fur coat. When she came running onstage the other day, you could see the tattered dress under the coat. They either need more fastening material on it, or it came undone.

There's a great website that shows all kinds of stuff from the original Dreamgirls production and the tours.

Link below:
Dreamgirls the musical

did you see that this thread is ten years old

---

Here is the shot described where you can see the glitter in her sleeve:



The after:



(and as for the speculation about slow dancing couples, they aren't exactly slow dancing but there are people there)

Ten years later but hey.

---

I typed this out before I saw this had already been answered upthread, but I spent like five minutes on it getting the details right, so here goes:

In the original cast of Woods a body double was used. This was fudged for the filmed version of the show, where it's Bernadette Peters throughout, but onstage, the double (Maureen Davis, who played Sleeping Beauty) did the first half off the scene miming to Peters' offstage voice. I'm a little fuzzy on the mechanics of the swap, but if I recall correctly, as the Mysterious Man dies, Davis stepped behind a tree where Peters was waiting in an identical cloak to continue on the other side, and Davis made her exit via trapdoor. This same method was used in the broadway revival.

I'm less familiar with the ins and outs of the transformation In Beauty and the Beast but if I recall correctly: First off, the scene is helped with very dim lighting - I can't recall if a body double was used for the fight or not but I think there might have been. By the time of the "home" reprise, the Beast is covered with a cloak, allowing the wires to be attached and allowing him to remove the outer layer of his costume as well his. He is wearing a vastly-simplified, mask-like version of his make-up and wig, which has been removed during "The Mob Song" - the make-up allows for mouth movement but is not attached with any particular firmness. During the actual transformations, as the lights go nuts, all he has to remove his wig, gloves, and "mask" under the cover of flipping around, strobe lighting, and a quick blackout. I remember Jeff McCarthy telling a horror story of missing the wig one night and having to remove his horns once he landed.

Updated On: 1/21/17 at 08:30 PM

Mentions of the great Theoni Aldredge remind me of the days working on the original La Cage aux Folles in 1983. Albin's transformation into Zaza the first time during "A Little More Mascara" took careful planning between wardrobe and set design: As Albin takes his place on the makeup stool to begin the number, Dresser #1 is working away beneath the makeup table's skirt to draw the sequined gown up and around Albin's middle. He swaps Albin's mules for his bedazzled dance shoes and continues to ease the gown up his body until the moment Albin flips the shoulderstraps into place. As Albin stands, his back is to the open wardrobe closet full of fluffy costumes from whence Dresser #2 sneaks his hands forward to zip up the back of the gown. Albin grabs his boa and steps forward to a small slice of forward decking, as the rest of the dressing room sails upstage. A staircase emerges from Albin's perch and as he descends -- Voila! Zaza is here!!

One of the sad things about this thread being 10 years old is seeing some of the posters, like Margo Channing, who have since passed away.

Updated On: 1/22/17 at 10:14 PM

Do you recall how they did the costume change at the curtain call of the original production of La Cage Au Folles when Les Cagelles were on stage in full costume and make up and they all turned around as I recall and were suddenly wearing khakis and blue shirts sans wigs, etc.? That blew me away!