Making Merry

Posted June 6, 2023

Design Con4

Before you experience The Merry Wives of Windsor up the Hill, know what the team behind the scenes wants you to catch.

The Merry Wives of Windsor makes its preview premiere this Saturday, officially launching us into APT’s 44th season. Before the madness of tech kicked into full gear, we had the chance to chat with a few of the many folks working on bringing this larger-than-life Shakespeare comedy to the stage.

Read on for an inside look at building the shows as shared by members of APT’s Core Production Staff, along with a few Merry Wives details you’ll want to make sure to keep an eye out for.

Two Falstaff illustrations. Designs by Susan Tsu, 2023.

BECKY SCOTT
Director of Wigs and Makeup
Season #17

APT: Right now, what are you and your team working on the most in preparation for the start of the season?
BECKY SCOTT: Trying to get Merry Wives wigs ready for dress rehearsal, while also getting The Liar wigs styled. And I’m building a wig for The Royale.

APT: What’s a “day in the life” look like right now for you and your team?
BECKY SCOTT: Every morning, we get in and pretty much get right to work. We’re down to the wire on getting projects done in time for fittings. We’ve been listening to episodes of “The Dollop” podcast while we work. It’s a funny show so it keeps the spirits up in the shop.

APT: Over past seasons, what have been your favorite projects to be a part of?
BECKY SCOTT: I love doing wigs that are wild and punky, like Kelsey Brennan’s wig in Eurydice, or making someone’s hair a color that you wouldn’t think would work but totally does, like Colleen Madden in Born Yesterday.

APT: What’s a detail audience members should try and catch during The Merry Wives of Windsor?
BECKY SCOTT: See how many times Falstaff’s hair changes style in Merry Wives!

Mrs. and Mr. Ford. Designs by Susan Tsu, 2023.


KELLY MYERS
Assistant Costume Designer
Season #13

APT: Right now, what are you and your team working on the most in preparation for the start of the season?
KELLY MYERS : I am the assistant costume designer on The Merry Wives of Windsor, designed by Susan Tsu. Before tech rehearsals start, we are having final fittings with the whole cast, including fashion fittings for the costumes being built from scratch in our shop. Items that are built are often first made out of muslin mock up so that the designer and draper can fit the mock up on the performer before cutting it out of the real fabric in case there are major adjustments. It makes fashion fittings extra exciting to be able to see the rendering come to life in the real colors and textures.

APT: What does a "day in the life" look like right now for you and your team?
KELLY MYERS: The shop is finishing up sewing, craft, and millinery notes that come out of the final fittings. For the past few weeks the wig shop has been building several new wigs for our show and we will have separate fittings for those next week. I am making any last purchases that we still need and getting my paperwork together to pass onto the wardrobe team. This includes the dressing lists of everything each performer wears, when they wear it, and how it is laundered, and the weather plan for cases of extreme heat, cold, or rain. I will have my rack walk with wardrobe where we go through the costume racks and I talk them through every item down to socks and how they are worn.

APT: Over past seasons, what have been your favorite projects to be a part of?
KELLY MYERS: I started out as a Wardrobe Assistant working backstage in 2011. The Critic was one of my favorite shows to dress. It was just as crazy and chaotic backstage as it was onstage, but in the best way. I've been a Design Assistant for 8 seasons now and have worked on some great shows, but working on Hamlet last summer was one of my favorites. The cast was amazing and Daniele Tyler Mathews, the Costume Designer, is always a delight to work with. They are associate designer on Merry Wives.

APT: What’s one detail you think audience members should try and catch during The Merry Wives of Windsor?
KELLY MYERS: Susan Tsu has designed a vibrant and wacky pallet for this production, down to the lining in the suits. The audience should pay attention when a character moves to see a flash of pattern on the inside of a coat, or pop of color in a petticoat.


Mrs. and Mr. Page. Designs by Susan Tsu, 2023.


BECKY HANSON
Costume Crafts Supervisor
Season #14

APT: Right now, what are you and your team working on the most in preparation for the start of the season?
BECKY HANSON: Out of the first five shows/ first half of the season, most of our effort is going towards Merry Wives.

APT: What’s a “day in the life” look like right now for you and your team?
BECKY HANSON: Busy. It’s a combination of finishing the work on the big projects like wings and bunny heads, but also double checking the list for the smaller, easy-to-get-missed projects like boutonnieres and fixing closures.

APT: Over past seasons, what have been your favorite projects to be a part of?
BECKY HANSON: Beer can armor for Midsummer Night’s Dream in 2017. Lizard tails for Edward Albee’s Seascape in 2015. Bucket-top dog boots for Crab the dog (played by both Dillon and Tim the Dog) in Two Gentlemen of Verona in 2013. Lord Macbeth’s armor in 2019.

APT: What’s one detail you think audience members should try and catch during The Merry Wives of Windsor?
BECKY HANSON: Folks should get excited about two pairs of wings, three cow skull masks, and two scary bunny heads.