TAMPA, Fla. — Kids and adults across the country will be putting on costumes and makeup for Halloween, but at The Straz, that’s something they already do on a daily basis.
During their current show, "Gorey Stories," the actors do their own makeup.
As Summer Bohnenkamp and Spencer Meyers walk onto the stage of Gorey Stories, it’s a trip down memory lane. This is the third time they’ve acted in the show with Jobsite Theater since 2007.
“It is quite fantastic every night when the lights come on stage and we first make our appearance, usually there is about 10 to 15 people in the audience that will gasp,” said Meyers. “It's like a mixture of Lemony Snicket’s Unfortunate Events mixed with Dr. Seuss.”
Everything in the show is in grayscale, which means heavy makeup is a key component. Fortunately, these actors have been wearing it ever since they were kids getting ready for Halloween.
“I loved dressing up and putting on these costumes as a kid. Just led to me being an adult and loving to dress up and put on these costumes as an adult,” said Meyers.
“I never liked dressing up for Halloween as a kid, my mother liked dressing me up. She had a great time doing it, and I was very fussy, but now I love it,” said Bohnenkamp.
Spencer and Summer spend between 60 and 90 minutes in front of a mirror before every show, getting their forehead, eyes and lips just right.
“I’m sort of a grumpy child, and so I designed my makeup and my face to always look like a grumpy child. Then, I extenuate it in places where I know I’m going to do this evil grin, where I lift my lips, so I make sure that one side of my lip can go up and make a certain face,” said Bohnenkamp.
“Escapism, right? It’s a chance to just be somebody you’re not, and I think that's the reason why a lot of people love dressing up. You can just be whatever you want,” said Meyers.
"Gorey Stories" runs from now until Nov. 17 at the Jobsite Theater at The Straz.
For more information, go to this link.
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