Interview: Tech Talk with Makeup Artist Kaye Brown

A make-up artist is an artist whose medium is the human body, applying makeup and prosthetics for theatrical, television and film. One of the busiest in this area is Kaye Brown, who sat down with us to give our readers a backstage look at her incredible art.

BWW: How did you get into doing hair and makeup for stage productions?

KB: Thank for you interest in my profession which is that of Esthetician. My interest was ignited as a young girl when I could not afford to buy make up or hairdressing services, so initially I was self taught. I volunteered my services to an amateur church theater and found out that I passed mustered with the challenge given to me. This lead to many opportunities to work with other local church groups, which is very common in Ireland. Liam Neeson started just like me in amateur productions with the Slemmish Players, a local church group.

After children came and were old enough not to need me so much, I went to college to train as an Esthetician/Cosmetologist. This took me 3 years of beauty and 2 years of hair dressing which included wig making and barbering. Gaining advanced qualifying licensing from C&G, I opened my own Salon but an offer of a college teaching post came up which was too good to refuse.

Working with students was a challenge which kept me on my toes as I had to be ahead of the trends. One way to do this was to enter local and International competitions for Hair and Beauty. This required a lot of skill and imagination.

BWW: You also do hair and makeup for film. Can you talk a little about that and how it differs from what you'd do for the stage?

KB: I had been involved with film for competition work so when I came to Austin the experience came in handy. It started with the 48 Hour Film. That was much like the theater as there is no time for retakes so it has to be right. I think the main difference in stage and film is the lighting effects which in turn affect the finished make-up. With stage work there is also a difference, with the space between the actors and the audience; like Sam Bass Concert Hall which has a seating capacity for about 3000 persons so the makeup has to be bolder/stronger, for the character to be recognized as such. Compared to an intimate house like Sam Bass Theatre where the audience is almost on stage with you, the make up has to be toned down to a more natural look. The hair aspect for film and stage is very similar..

BWW: I know you work on a lot of touring productions, both stage and music. Can you talk a little about what you've done for the touring music stars? Any name dropping you'd like to do?

KB: The most wigs I have done for shows were the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes, Legally Blonde and Wicked. Period pieces take time to produce but are great fun. My most challenging moment for make up was for Andrea Bocelli, as I asked him to open his eyes so that I could apply eye liner, momentarily forgetting he was blind.

BWW: Where have you done hair and makeup?

KB: Over the past 12 years I have worked many wonderful shows from Lady Gaga, The Lion King, Neal Diamond, to just recently 'iheart Radio'; but one show stands out where I was requested on two occasions by Olympia Dukakis to do her hair and make-up for her one women play, Rose, at the Paramount Theater. What a show, what a memory from the lady who was professionally perfect.

BWW: When you sign on to do hair and makeup for a show where do you start? How much inspiration do you draw from the script? How much of it is the director's input, and how much of it is your own ideas?

KB: Planning for the production is a major aspect for both film and stage, and I am usually called in at the early stages, where I can get a grasp of what is expected and can offer any insight I feel might improve the believability of the characters. For stage the Director has a fairly good sense of the characters portrayal, so he can give you a definite idea of what is needed; but I would have a little scope within that. For film it is different as some times it is spur of the moment "...take that shot...now..." when you are not quite finished. Stage scenes are always in sequence, with film it is not. A scene can be shot for one day then reversed for the week before. That makes continuity very important, as hair and make up have to be exactly matched to that moment and time. I was working on one film, we worked at night, day, and evening and never in sequence. I had to make up a dead body, and then an hour later makeup was changed to look several years earlier. The lady, while playing dead, fell asleep in the coffin and when "silence, lights, sound" was called, all you heard was loud snoring from the coffin.

BWW: Do you make your budget or is it more often given to you at the start? What do you take into consideration when making your budget?

KB: Depending on the production, most theaters have a supply of materials need for the job, but with film a budget is usually projected but can be added to if needed. For a 48 hour film I bring my own supply.

BWW: When is your schedule the busiest?

KB: My work schedule is all over the place as I do other things, but the summer months would be the lightest.

BWW: Is there anything else you'd like to share with the readers of Broadway World?

KB: I have been doing hair and make-up for a very long time now and I am still learning, and feel sure I will have learned a lot more before I finish.

To post a comment, you must register and login.