Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup: 1930s Hair! (And a printing press?)

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1930s Hair! (And a printing press?)

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup
Forum Discription: For how-to's and where-can-I-find
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3642
Printed Date: 6/10/25 at 5:05am
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Topic: 1930s Hair! (And a printing press?)

Posted By: JohnEZ
Subject: 1930s Hair! (And a printing press?)
Date Posted: 12/07/08 at 4:07pm

Two things:

First, the local high school will be performing You Can't Take it With You as their spring play; however, we think it's probably unreasonable for our ladies to cut their hair. What can we do to make them look time appropriate? Are there any websites that you know of that offer tips?

Second, the required printing press. We have no idea where to find one of what type should be used. Have you any recommendations?

Thanks!

Replies:

Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 12/08/08 at 11:18am

... that's why the theatre gods gave us wigs!
However, do a little research - there are several styles women with long hair wore in the '30's.

We rounded up an old mimeograph machine from the dungeon in hell under the local high school where they store all the out of date equipment. We encased it in a wooden box, so it didn't look so 'metal' - and it worked much better than might be expected. Not to mention, LOL, it actually WORKED, so they could print the fliers for real during the play.

Good luck!

Posted By: neilfortin
Date Posted: 12/09/08 at 11:59am

We have done a variety of things in the 20's and 30's when Long hair was not exactly popular. What we ended up doing was taking most of the hair rolling it up either into a bun, or a long french twist, pinning it up and leaving two panels in the front free. With these panels we used old fashioned wave clips, or finger waves, and pinned the two sections back into the bun/twist. This gave the desired effect of having short waved/finger waved hair in the front, but allowed for the length to be hidden within the bun in the back. There are numerous websites for creating realistic pin curls and finger waves for these early hair do's.

http://www.hairboutique.com/tips/tip6412.htm - http://www.hairboutique.com/tips/tip6412.htm

http://www.hairfinder.com/hairstyling/fingerwaves.htm - http://www.hairfinder.com/hairstyling/fingerwaves.htm

http://www.fashion-era.com/hats-hair/hats_hair_8a_hairstyles_history_1930_1940.htm - http://www.fashion-era.com/hats-hair/hats_hair_8a_hairstyles_history_1930_1940.htm

http://www.1920-30.com/fashion/hairstyles/ - http://www.1920-30.com/fashion/hairstyles/

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Community Theater makes us smile

Posted By: JohnEZ
Date Posted: 12/10/08 at 11:20am

Thank you very much!

Posted By: neilfortin
Date Posted: 12/10/08 at 8:54pm

My pleasure. If you want PM me...I have a few pics from some stuff we have done

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Community Theater makes us smile

Posted By: kgrew
Date Posted: 1/14/09 at 6:15pm

Do you still have that mimeograph machine? I am directing a community theatre production of "You Can't Take It With You" and am trying to round up something to serve as a printing press. Would it be possible for me to borrow it during our Feb. run?

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KatGrew

Posted By: David McCall
Date Posted: 2/07/09 at 1:07pm

A little off topic, but I thought I might pass it on anyway.

For the explosions from the basement I bought a few disposable cameras and took them apart enough to get at the contacts that fired the flash. I wired one side of each circuit to a "nail board" (a row of pins used to fire the flashes) and tied all of the other terminals to a contact that I could hit against the "nails" to trigger the flashes randomly. I also put gels on them so the fired in different colors. It worked well, but be careful. The firing circuits are very high voltage. I'm not sure it can hurt you, but it does smart a lot.

I also put my explosion on a separate sound system capable of substantial bass. I fed the explosion sound to a disco color organ to get synchronized burst of light.

A little smoke coming through the door completed the gag. It worked pretty well.

Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 2/07/09 at 9:33pm

kgrew - sorry - it went into the dumpster - we don't save much :(