Costume List wanted.
Mat Page
Does anyone know of the whereavouts of a costume list for all the
characters that's easily available on the net somewhere? I've searched for
ages but haven't been able to find a single complete list at all.
Thanks in advance.
--
Mat `Colin' Page - kebl...@sable.ox.ac.uk http://users.ox.ac.uk/~kebl0145/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Is it a kind of 'Cat being smacked on the head by a smegged off Lister's
fist' kind of noise..?"
The Reverend Clayton Walker
kebl...@sable.ox.ac.uk (Mat Page) wrote:
>Does anyone know of the whereavouts of a costume list for all the
>characters that's easily available on the net somewhere? I've searched for
>ages but haven't been able to find a single complete list at all.
>
>Thanks in advance.
Do a DejaNews search for an article from Ruth Fink-Winter. I believe it was Re:Starting a new cast or something to that effect. It=
was really quite recent, and also very detailed. Or, you could shell out $10 for the Rocky Horror Sourcebook. Buy it from Sal. I=
f you don't get New News in the mail, visit http://www.rockyhorror.com/
>
>--
>Mat `Colin' Page - kebl...@sable.ox.ac.uk http://users.ox.ac.uk/~kebl0145/
>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
>"Is it a kind of 'Cat being smacked on the head by a smegged off Lister's
>fist' kind of noise..?"
The Reverend Clayton Walker | http://members.tripod.com/~claytonw/
revcl...@iname.com | revcl...@hotmail.com
Cast Director | Tech Boy/Groupie/Frank Wannabe
Unconventional Conventionists'| Lip Service - Austin, Texas
Rocky Horror Online | http://www.eden.com/~grackle/rhps/
../~claytonw/rhps.html |The longest running RHPS IN THE WORLD!
Rocky Reactions - http://www.austintx.net/adam/rhps/reaction.html
The sun never sets on those who ride into it.
Ruth J Fink-Winter
In article <5km73l$mh1$2...@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu>,
--
Ruth J. Fink-Winter
Iowa's only year-round Rocky Horror cast, "Time Warped"
http://www.netins.net/showcase/timewarped
"Love is the law; love under will."
Ruth J Fink-Winter
Newsgroups: alt.cult-movies.rocky-horror
Subject: Re: Costume List wanted.
Summary: Long
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References: <5kkrdm$7...@news.ox.ac.uk> <5km73l$mh1$2...@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu>
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In article <5km73l$mh1$2...@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu>,
The Reverend Clayton Walker <revcl...@iname.com> wrote:
>kebl...@sable.ox.ac.uk (Mat Page) wrote:
>>Does anyone know of the whereavouts of a costume list for all the
>>characters that's easily available on the net somewhere?
>Do a DejaNews search for an article from Ruth Fink-Winter. I believe
>it was Re:Starting a new cast or something to that effect. It was
>really quite recent, and also very detailed. Or, you could shell
>out $10 for the Rocky Horror Sourcebook. Buy it from Sal. If you don't
>get New News in the mail, visit http://www.rockyhorror.com/
OK, here's my article, which as I point out below, is a direct response
to the excellent list on Fun in the Dark's page at
http://www.arrakis.com.au/~RHPS/index.html
I disagree with some of the items on their list, which was included in
James Norman's excellent RHPS Sourcebook. Magenta's hair is not brown,
for example, and the masks she and Columbia wear during the lab scene
are not white. But it's the best damn list I've seen (except my own, of
course).
Here's my article, with some corrections (thanks, everyone!). Please
notice that since it was directed at people starting a cast, I tried to
keep things simple. Please send me anything I left out!
Ruth Fink-Winter
(Article follows)
Well, the only person I know who started a floor show cast where no one
had performed before was Christine ("Big Christine," the one who feuded
with MI) at Colton in California. She was a hell of a seamstress. Some
info is available in the RHPS Sourcebook, which James Norman put
together and is available for $10 from Sal. It's got some great stuff,
including a list of what props and costumes are needed for which
character, and some notes on Magenta that I wrote (preen). If you've
got $10, it's a great resource.
The following are my suggestions, based on my experiences getting a
regular cast started in Des Moines. Please keep in mind that while I
love perfect shows with amazing costumes and makeup, for a beginning
cast I feel it's a better idea to start small.
ACTORS
Your actors will presumably be made up of a core group of people who
know the film, plus some people you pull out of the audience as needed.
Tell the audience every week which characters you are looking for. Some
people who love a particular character will find you. But you'll need a
Frank, at least, to start, and probably at least one of the other aliens
(Riff, Mags, or Columbia) and ideally either Brad or Janet. You can
pull both out of the audience, but then they're totally lost. Much
better to have at least one of them who can steer the other one around.
You will want at least one copy of the video in the cast so people can
practice at home.
COSTUMES--WHAT YOU NEED
There is an excellent list of what props and costumes are needed for
what character available from the Australian site, but I can't find the
damn thing (it's a big site). Maybe you can: go to
http://www.arrakis.com.au/~RHPS/index.html
Here's what I can remember. While some casts may prefer to have "cast"
costumes, I think it is best for everyone to have their own, or else
someone inevitably disappears with something expensive or that took a
lot of work. This does put you at the mercy of people who want to
perform, but don't really want to work on costumes. Just keep working
on yours; hopefully eventually they'll realize that you look a lot
better than they do and they'll get cracking. This is especially true
when two people share a part; if one of the Magentas blows off her
costume, and the other one show up in a space suit, the first one will
get nervous.
Frank:
Black curly wig.
Corset. You can get by with just one; hard-core experienced
Franks, of course, have a separate dinner and floor show corset.
Corsets can be bought at Frederick's, or made by chopping up an old
T-shirt. Dinner corset is covered with long-sleeved chiffon shirt,
silver embroidery and glass "jewels" on the front; laces in back and
attaches in back with buttons. Left armpit is ripped out. Red floor
show corset should be trimmed with red sequins and garlands of red bugle
beads.
Silver gloves (fingerless). We bought silver socks and chopped them up.
Gold sequined fingerless glove with black feather trim and fishnet
fingerless glove. For fishnet glove, cut up a stocking.
Silver crown with black feathers. Buy a "ballerina crown" around
Halloween, stick a styrofoam circle in it, and stick in feathers.
Bobbypin to your wig.
Fishnet stockings, black undies and garter belt. In a pinch, JC
Penney's sells fishnet hose which you can chop the top off of and treat
with No-Fray. Or pick some up at Halloween.
Platform sandals. These can be bought from Frederick's. At first, cheap
high heels from Payless will do. JC Penney's (!) even had platforms
recently; $40. Detail freaks will have 3 pairs (black with white heels,
black with black, black with red sequins) and a pair of boots.
Oversize pearls--find cheap at Wal-Mart or pay big bucks at Penney's ($30). Or
just wear small ones. Hardcore Franks will also have a 3-strand
rhinestone anklet (buy the rhinestones by the foot at a fabric or craft
store and buy the findings for the catch at a craft store).
Leather jacket with lots of buttons and badges on it. A cheap plastic
windbreaker would do.
Green labcoat with red triangle (point is up). Use a bathrobe if you
have to. Pink dishwashing gloves (may be hard to find).
Black cape. If you're desperate, use a sheet. We used a nun's habit.
Stemmed glass--use a cheap plastic one from a party store.
Whip--riding supply store or novelty store. You can get by without one.
Pick: use a plastic axe from a Halloween costume.
True detail freaks will also have a cigarette for the "that which you
call UFO's!" scene. We made one by cutting up a white ballpoint pen,
melting the edges a little bit, and painting the end with red nail
polish to look like it was lit. Or you could use a cigarette :-)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Magenta:
Black dress (white collar and cuffs). This should be about knee-length
and button all the way down. A wig is nice, but I usually just teased
my hair.
White apron. Make or buy. The apron covers the skirt only and is edged
with a ruffle.
Brown/red feather duster.
Black negligee--Frederick's or just find some black thing. If you're
ambitious, get 2--one should be sleeveless (cut a little diamond shape
under the bust and trim with sequins); the other have wide sleeves
with maribou feather trim. Maribou can be bought at craft and fabric
stores. It should be sort of a brownish pink.
Hairdryer (silver with white cord). Mop.
White doily cap with bow--make. It's just a white circle edged with
lace trim and an attached bow.
White lab apron. A butcher's apron looks fine.
Pink mask for lab scene. Use one from a hardware store or a
hospital.
Spacesuit--good luck. Full costume includes gold suit with black fins,
belt with gold cylinders, space wig, silver gloves with black sleeves
(edged with gold lame), boots with silver-backed points ("elf booties")
and spiked gold anklet (worn on right ankle). Silver gloves can be
bought at a bridal boutique; some Magentas buy silver firefighter's
gloves from an army/navy surplus store (warning--these get really hot).
Gold gong and stick to hit it with. I painted a "frying pan cover" from
the hardware store after taking the handle off pliers.
Black stockings (seamed if possible), garter belt, undies. Sequined
black bra. Black granny boots (get at Payless or Sears).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Columbia:
Jacket and hat. Glitter top hats and derbies can be found at party
supply stores. Cover a jacket with sequined material (buy the cheap
stick-on sequin material instead of real sequined material if you are broke).
Sequined bustier (buy multicolored sequin material in strips and sew
on). You can cover a tank top or a bustier.
Black shorts decorated with ribbon, or just wear striped ones.
Pink sequined bow-tie (should be double).
Black dog collar with rhinestones. Wear under bow-tie for quick change.
Lab apron and mask (see Magenta).
Striped white pajamas. Mouse ears. Bedroom slippers for the detail freak.
Floor show outfit (front-lace black corset, fishnets, garter belt,
fishnet fingerless glove (use a fishnet stocking), red sequined
fingerless glove with red feather trim.
Bottle of red nail polish for detail freaks. A red wig is nice, too.
Seamed fishnet pantyhose (or use floor show hose), blue socks, tap
shoes.
Something to smear on Rocky (Vaseline, Astroglide, whatever). Or just a
container of stuff you pretend to smear on him (it's safest to ask first).
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Riff:
Tux. Wear a suit jacket and dark pants if you must.
White spat. Cut up a white sock if you can't find one.
Bloodstained white vest. Hump (wadded up cloth safety pinned into coat, or
small pillow).
Bloody rag.
Bald wig with blond hair glued on.
Space wig.
Spacesuit (see Magenta).
Gun. Nerf guns work well and get laughs til you can build one. Gun can
be made out of pitchfork from devil Halloween costume.
Wine bottle for detail freaks (plastic for safety reasons, please).
A black candelabrum is nice if you can find one.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rocky:
Gold shorts (buy gold boxers from Penney's, or check out Frederick's.
There are also gold swimsuits). Spraypainted underwear looks like crap.
Gold boots. Spraypaint old army boots (gold Doc Martens exist, but cost
more than $100).
Floor show outfit (see Columbia).
Bandages (use a white sweatsuit with cut-off sleeves, or a white sheet).
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Janet:
Barrettes (white circles if possible--paint if needed with model
enamel).
White plastic purse.
White sweater (buttons up front).
Bouquet.
White hat (felt if possible).
70s dress (if possible, 1 purple polyester skirt and boxy jacket
ensemble with a pearl necklace and one pink with gingham trim. If not,
oh well).
White Mary Jane shoes. If possible, black Mary Janes. Buy at Payless.
White pushup bra (make sure it's a pushup), white undies, white slip.
White rag to tie around Rocky's arm after you "rip" your slip (or you
can cut off a piece and use Velcro to make a slip you can rip every
week).
Pink robe. Floor show outfit (see Columbia).
Gold "Janet" necklace for detail freaks (JC Penney's sells name
necklaces).
Bobby pins are handy for hair. Newspaper. Hershey bar.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Brad: Glasses (tortoiseshell if possible).
Tux with plaid cummerbund and bowtie.
Tan jacket (Western styling). Make a maroon/reddish patch and sew or
glue on: should have a gold outline of a tree in the middle and say
"DENTON HIGH SCHOOL 1963" in a circle around the edges in gold thread
Blue sweater-vest, brown belt, shoes (use the ones from the wedding if
you must--otherwise, brown loafers), gray pants, white striped shirt,
white sleeveless undershirt, white men's briefs. Blue kimono bathrobe.
Floor show outfit (see Columbia).
Be kind and tell Magenta how your pants fasten (zipper with button,
slide, button fly, etc.)!
A steering wheel looks really cool. You can get one at a junkyard for
cheap.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Eddie: Leather jacket, no sleeves (use cheap windbreaker if you're broke).
Tattoo on arm and on fingers.
Black shirt with "Eddie" on it in green (or blue?).
Boots, jeans, sax (get cheap toy one at Toys R Us).
White scarf--get one at Target. Helmet and sunglasses (can omit).
---------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Scott: Suit, (white shirt), mustache, wire-rim glasses.
Tie (with blue and red stripes if possible)
Teddy bear and ballpoint pen.
Eddie note (make with lipstick or marker on paper; crumple).
Plaid blanket. Fishnets and black high heels.
Wheelchair.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Crim: Suit. Red ascot with black sequins (make your own by out of a red
handkerchief and tuck into your collar).
Book (use a 3-ring binder; cheap and easily replaceable).
Crim is a pretty expendable part; you're lucky if you have one.
White hairspray is nice. Buy at Halloween.
Globe if you can find one (may cost a lot, especially the light-up kind).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Trixie: Another optional part. Get some cute young thing in as few
clothes as possible to dance during "SFDF." Good for attendance.
She/he can just wear lingerie, or an usherette costume, or whatever.
Trixie can also collect donations from the audience, as of course can
the rest of you.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
General props: A window for Riff looks nice and can be made of
cardboard. Red and blue sheets are nice for bedroom scenes (light from
behind the sheet--looks great!) but are certainly optional. The red
sheet doubles as the sheet over Rocky's tank.
Posterboard is cheap for signs like "SLUT!" and "ASSHOLE!" to get
audience started. Grab the front row if you can for all your costumes
and props. The bedroom scenes and the Lesbians scene can be acted out
by people sitting on the arms or backs of theater seats (be
careful--it's easy to fall off!).
COSTUMES--FINDING THE STUFF
Don't worry too much about costumes at first; it's nice to have
something that looks sort of right, but it's more important to know your
part and be in character than to have fabulous costumes right away.
Haunt thrift stores. Here you can find Magenta dresses; Brad and Janet
clothes; suit jackets for Columbia til you get a gold one; sheets for
the bedroom scenes--optional but nice--and if you're lucky, cheap tap
shoes. Also just about the only place to find 70s purses and barrettes
before the 70s became fashionable again. I cannot stress enough how
useful thrift stores are--they are affordable and a great source of
cheap props and costumes. Remember, getting the right look is the first
step. You can always perfect it later to make it look exactly like what
your character wears on-screen.
Haunt craft and fabric stores. You'll need sequins, beads, chiffon,
gold lame', and you may even find black vinyl if you're lucky. You'll
eventually want to get some craft glue and some No-Fray (great stuff,
but clear nail polish works too). This is a good place to get stuff
like rat-tail cord to lace your corsets, and maybe a tool to put in the
metal eyelets to lace them through. In the beginning, you'll probably
not go here too much, but you'll keep coming back--at least sign up on
their mailing list so you'll know about sales so you can save some money
when you do decide you need to buy something expensive like lame'. At
first you probably won't get much here but maybe a bouquet form and some
plastic flowers for Janet's bouquet.
If you are lucky enough to have a theatrical shop nearby, they'll have
clown white, wigs, gold top hats, gloves and feather boas. If you
aren't, wait for Halloween and hit Target, and get the gold top hat at a
party store. Post-Halloween sales are nice for cheap fake eyelashes,
too, though they can also be bought at drugstores and places like
Sally's Beauty Supply. Corsets can be bought from Frederick's, who also
supplies stockings and garter belts. So does Victoria's Secret, but
they're more expensive and don't look tacky enough. Frederick's is
on-line if you don't have one locally, and you can request their catalog
on-line, too. They have a great floor show corset now, but it's $40 and
wasn't in their last catalog. Good luck.
MAKEUP
Makeup will mostly be from drugstores. My experience has been that I
prefer the cheap stuff. It's more brightly colored, I can afford it,
and it blends better than stuff that promises to stay on and look
subtle. I do buy more expensive eyepencils because the cheap ones hurt
my eyelids. Here's what you need. Have everyone buy their own; share
stuff like white if you're friends, really broke, and aren't worried
about possibly getting infections. The men and women who don't usually
wear makeup may need some help at first. My favorite brand is Wet 'N' Wild.
Here's a minimum list:
Frank: White. Lipstick. Blue eyeshadow (cream is best; a creamy
pencil's OK). Black pencil to line eyes, lips and to draw in brows.
You can use the lipstick as blusher, too. Contour your nose with brown
eyeshadow or pencil if you like (Tim did). Don't forget Boss tattoo on
right arm and black "4711" on right thigh. If you don't have sideburns, draw
some. It really helps make the look. Don't be afraid to draw lips
bigger than your own; Tim has really pouty lips.
Magenta: White. Mascara. Eyeliner (emphasize brows and line eyes).
Fake lashes and glue (you can get by without them, but you'll look SOOO
much better with them). If you don't wear fake lashes, draw some in.
Purple eyeshadow. It'll be a lot easier to get it to look right if you
buy a cheap purple pencil, too. Lipstick.
Columbia: White. Black pencil and mascara. Lipstick (which you can use
as blusher, too). Gold eyeshadow. Try to cover your real brows with
white and the gold shadow. Draw in fake ones with a pencil (black will
do; reddish-brown will look much better).
Riff: White only if your skin tone is dark. Many Riffs wear too much
white. Don't do it. Pinkish eyeshadow for under eyes. Black pencil to
emphasize brows and put on lips to make them look unhealthy. Brown
powder to emphasize all the hollows in your face--cheeks and eyes, mostly).
Eddie: Pink/purple eyeshadow for bruise (or just use brown). Black and
red pencils for scar. Use black pencil for tattoos (skull with "Mom" on
arm; LOVE and HATE on hands).
Brad: You can get away with none. Lipstick would be nice for the floor
show, though (eyes and lips). Draw in sideburns with a pencil if you
don't have 'em.
Janet: Brown eyeshadow and pencil (line slightly outside natural line of
eyes for BIG eyes). Mascara probably a good idea. If you wear street
makeup, you've got most of what Janet needs. Blue would be nice for the
Floorshow, with a red lipstick and a black pencil for the beauty mark.
Either use blue lipstick or a really wide eyepencil (you don't have much
time and it will have to go on FAST).
Rocky: The hung-up-on-details will wear eyeliner (blue-green). The
rest of you won't. Floor show makeup is nice (big blue pencil or blue
lipstick).
Dr. Scott: You might want an eyepencil to pencil in a mustache. Or buy
one from a theatrical shop or at Halloween.
Crim: None needed, but an eyepencil to put in the "diabolical chicken"
wrinkles on your forehead looks cool. White hairspray (buy at a beauty
supply store or at Halloween) is helpful.
MAKING STUFF YOURSELF
You'll have to. It's cheaper and usually easier to get what you want
this way. Learn to look at stuff and ask yourself, how can I make a
prop out of that? I had a gong for years that was a spray-painted
frying pan cover, and I saw a woman get applause once with a "spacesuit"
that was a gold mini-dress with a black sunvisor on each shoulder.
I believe in newspaper, myself. It's cheap to make newspaper patterns,
and if there isn't enough of it, I can just tape it together. I can't
really sew from a pattern, so it doesn't bug me if I have to cut up a
lot of newsprint before I get just the right shape for a costume. It
drives my friends who can sew bonkers trying to make something without a
pattern. Of course, they're nice to have around for help making
complicated stuff (like corsets) and because they have sewing machines.
My space-suit was sewn by hand; it took me months. Sewing machines are
fast, so if you can use one, great! The patterns are out there for
things like Janet dresses. I'd rather hit the thrifts, but if you must
have the exact same thing, go for it.
LIGHTS
Flashlights are the classic way to do this. Buy fishing lights
or mag lights. Buy lots of batteries, too. You'll want at least 2. Or
if an outlet is available you can even use a desk lamp with cardboard
shades duct-taped like blinders. Duct tape the cord down, too, so no
one trips on it. Try to have someone whose only job is lights. If you
find a person who likes doing lights and is good at it, thank your lucky
stars. It's not hard, but a lot of people just don't like doing lights.
PUBLICITY
Tell everyone you know. Xerox off signs about your cast, with pictures
if possible, and the theater address, when you perform, time, day and
price. Stick up on community bulletin boards, at school, etc. Drag
everyone you know to the theater (works especially well at Halloween).
Call the school paper if you attend school. Usually at Halloween this
almost guarantees an interview. Try to get the theater to include "Live
cast" in the info they send to the newspapers if the newspapers include
a "What's On" film section in addition to just ads. Often, this costs
the theater nothing. Send a writeup about Halloween shows to the
Community Events calendar; I did this and to my surprise they printed
it. See if the theater will let you put up a sign; give them a copy of
any nice articles with pictures and ask if they will put those up, too.
The Sourcebook has many good ideas here.
POLITICS
Please try not to get involved in intracast politics. This has killed a
lot of casts. Just show up and do your part; don't gossip about someone
else's performance to someone in the cast; they'll hear about it, and