Spotlight on the Look of A Chorus Line

“The M.A.C makeup workshop was amazing! To have the opportunity to work with such a talented and skillful group of makeup artists was a real pleasure. I have learnt so many tricks about applying makeup that only people in the business would know.

The best thing about the workshop was the knowledge I gained about preparing the skin and learning the brush stroke movements. I can apply these things to my normal everyday makeup as well. Having seen the final makeup looks of the cast, it has really given me an indication to what the show is going to look like as a whole. I cannot wait to get on stage!”

~ Jemima Jones, A Chorus Line Cast

As A Chorus Line gets ready for their opening at the Shouson Theatre tomorrow, we went behind the scenes to find out how the cast achieved their look for this highly-anticipated flagship musical.

With the team of professional M.A.C Makeup artist helping to create the look and feel for the characters in this Tony-Award winning show, this cast is sure to stun the crowd. We sat down with M.A.C Makeup artist, Ryoko, to talk all about stage makeup…

On the look for A Chorus Line…

Girls…

“The look for the girls is very dramatic, it focuses on both the eyes and the lips, so you see a very strong, true black colour. It is very dramatic, the shape is very strong, but at the same time it has definition, because there is contrast on the eye. You can compare this part of the eye where there is nothing [at the outer corner of the eyes], to where there is really, really true, solid black [at the inner corner of the eyes].”

“And to match these eyes, we have chosen a very red palette – Russian Red lipstick with Cherry lip pencil – so that the outcome will look very dramatic and sharp on stage. The skin here is perfect skin, which provides a good contrast to this really strong colour.”

Boys…

“For guys, it’s just the opposite. It is a very clean, masculine, boyish, handsome look. We gave them a very thorough prep procedure for the skin, and a very nice foundation to even out their skin tone. To set it, we used a very nice powder to remove excess hydration, so that it will stay on all-night, throughout the performance.”

“These two looks give a very good contrast on stage – the boys look clean and masculine, while the girls look strong and feminine.”

How the makeup for A Chorus Line is different from regular makeup…

“The makeup used are mostly basic colours – it’s the technique that makes a difference.  It’s vital to use the right makeup brushes, sponges and placement.”

Tips for stage performers…

“On stage, you need to go all the way with full-on makeup. It doesn’t mean that you have to have very thick makeup, but it means that you have to use the appropriate product with the right application tools to get the full effect.  If you want a really strong look,  use the most intense colours. If you want a very natural look , you have to have a good eye, a lot of practice, a good selection of products and tools. Skin has to be hydrated, so that any products you put on top will grab and stay, and look polished and refined.”

HKYAF and the cast of A Chorus Line would like to say a huge THANK YOU to the M.A.C Makeup artists for giving us this amazing look and for continuing to be part of our flagship musicals each year.

If you’re really, really lucky, you might still get tickets to HKYAF’s amazing production of A Chrous Line which shows at December 12-14 7:30pm (2:30pm matinee on Dec 14) at the Hong Kong Arts Centre; Tickets: HK$200/ HK$250 (HK$220/HK$280 for adults) from Urbtix on 21115999.