Parents often ask me what stage make up is for, and why they have to use it, even on boys.

The reason for wearing stage makeup is simple: the audience needs to be able to see the actors’ faces. If they don’t wear makeup, the audience cannot see your child’s face due to the distance between the performer and the audience, as well as stage lighting at the theatre which flattens facial features and takes away all of the dimensions that allow an actor’s expressions to be seen clearly.

Performance makeup us also part of the costume, it’s the finishing touch.  If you were attending the Oscars, wearing a long evening gown, with your hair in an up-do, and your brand new pair of high heel shoes and then put NOTHING on your face, you would look like you were missing something.  Your face would be overshadowed by your outfit and would look drab.  We NEVER want our costume to overshadow our face.  EVER!  

BASIC STAGE MAKEUP

Base/Foundation (same shade or just slightly darker than child’s skin
tone)—Apply over entire face, blending out to hairline.

Darken eyebrows with eyebrow pencil—Brown for blondes; black or
brown for brunettes

Brown eye shadow—Apply in “crease” of eyelid to open eye. Please
choose dark browns with no purple undertones*.

Brown eye liner—On top of eye: apply liner across eyelid, extending out
beyond eye (wings). On bottom: apply from center of eye straight out to make
a parallel line with upper “wing”.

Dark blush—Apply to apples of cheeks. Dark rose (girls). Dark peach (boys).
NO purple undertones*.

Lipstick— Dark rose for girls playing females. Do not buy a lipstick that looks bright red; it will look unattractively bright and pink on the lips. For Boys and Girls playing male characters: Buy mocha/brown lipstick.

For juniors upwards (and minis who would like to try)- False eyelashes (small  or half-size)

*Makeup with purple and blue undertones causes the face to look ill on stage.