Wardrobe Crew

Tonight was my first night working the wardrobe crew for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum which is being put on by the UF School of Theatre and Dance. The show opens this friday and I believe the cast and crew are well prepared. Wardrobe Crew has the pleasure of being the first to show up and the last to leave everynight. The work is not hard, just time consuming. We have to get there before the cast and check in every piece of clothing. Then we take the racks of costumes to the dressing rooms and help the actors into them. Once the show begins our part becomes a little easier, besides the quick changes and backstage assistance. In some parts of the show actors must be hand a garment immediately between scenes. In some cases we must attach a wig of robe before the next scene begins. Besides those cases we usually sit and watch, waiting for the show to end so we can get to the real fun. After the actors undress, the wardrobe crew must check out every garment and then prepare them for wash. Handling other people's sweaty underwear and dance belts is not what I got into this business for, but it is part of theatre! We finally finished up just after midnight, clocking in nearly 7 hours.