Wicked Elphaba being painted green
Onstage, actress Vicki Noon casts a spell on the audience as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. It’s not just fancy stage lighting giving her a unique hue–she’s actually painted green!
Makeup supervisor Joyce McGilberry talks to us as she applies the paint. She explains, “I want to get the green on as quickly as possible, so I’m using a sea sponge to apply it on her hands.”
The makeup magic happens backstage, about an hour before the show. The process requires Joyce to re-apply paint and powder several times. It’s not as easy as it looks. Vicki jokes about the time she tried to do it herself, “You know, the first time I ever tried to do it by myself, for fun, it turned out horrible!!”
For the Seattle native, the chance to be a lead in ‘Wicked’ is like a real-life fairy-tale. “I feel really lucky, I’m extremely grateful to be given this opportunity,” Vicki says.
The 25-year-old admits she misses home though, and it helps to have a confidante. She says, “Sometimes I’ll talk to Joyce about that, how I’m missing home, feeling homesick.”
The final touches include eye makeup, hair, and costuming. Then the wicked witch comes to life! “It doesn’t get old… I get to go out and have fun with my friends for 3 hours, so it’s pretty cool,” Vicki exclaims.
‘Wicked’ runs through August 8 at the Marcus Center For The Performing Arts. You can still get tickets, but you better buy them soon. Click here to Buy Wicked Milwaukee WI Tickets. Buy now and save $20 on your next order over $250.
{Via Today’s TMJ4}
