Actress Mikah Vaclaw wears a wig similar to those worn during the Elizabethan period. Vaclaw plays Leonata, a female adaptation of the original male character Leonato, in BYU's production of "Much Ado About Nothing." (Preston Crawley)
Performers are constantly trying to better their skills through hard work and dedication. Hours of practice, training and memorization eventually turn into live productions aimed at impressing audiences. Actors, dancers and singers work incredibly hard to make their characters and personalities come to life.
It is safe to say that without the work of those behind the curtain, some productions wouldn't be the same. This is especially true for shows that are centuries old, such as the Department of Theatre and Media Arts'production of William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing."
BYU students are striving to make their latest show as authentically Shakespearean as possible without requiring a ticket to fly to the London Globe Theatre.
Paige Francis, the production's hair and make-up designer, has been meeting with the director, stage manager and other designers since January 2019. She said the show is going to be fun, light, romantic and engaging for its viewers.
"The main goal of the production team is to make the director's vision (come) to life," Francis said. "We are trying to create an atmosphere for the audience that will take them back in time. Shakespeare isn't often done in the Elizabethan period anymore."
Read the full story by Nathan Wanlass at universe.byu.edu.