From Lisa – It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like CHRISTMAS CITY FOLLIES!

Oh, yeah. It’s that time of year again! And no, I’m not talking about the leaves beginning to change, the crisp air, or Halloween, or even everything being pumpkin-flavored now, which I love. I’m talking about… Christmas City Follies rehearsal time at Touchstone!

As the Follies Costume and Prop Coordinator, I always attend the first rehearsal and explain (for the newbies) what my role is, what I’ve done in the past (stage manager, light designer, costume/props, etc.) and how long I’ve been involved with Follies (since 2001!).  I also stay for the first half of the day, as an Ensemble Member, to listen and share potential character, music or scene ideas.

After the first day, I step away for a while, until things start solidifying. Once at least some of the characters are confirmed, I begin the shopping, building, and borrowing. But in the weeks before that, the actors are pulling from the costume/prop house next door in order to “show” as much as they can for a particular character or scene idea. And that’s when the fun comes in! In part, as the costumer because I get to see what the actors are imagining as they create; but also, as Lisa the Managing Director who gets to see, while writing very serious and important business-related emails… Bill the Christmas Cowboy walk through the office:

Or Mary’s Southern Belle:

A wonderful break from the typically less-exciting office work and a reminder that pretty soon, assuming the characters make it in, I’ll be creating some interesting costumes and props.  Stay tuned, because you never know what will appear in Follies… like a Pelican, Tiger, Robots, Zombies, or even Dinosaurs – among the more traditional Elves, Santa, Reindeers, and Angels; or the Touchstone traditional Old Guy, Pajama Sisters, Little Red and Little Blue, and, of course, the newly-minted Christmas Pirates!