South Pacific Shower Scene

[DaveMiller]

We are putting on South Pacific this April and the director has now decided that she does not want Nellie to actually get wet during Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair. She suggested using some sort of mousse on her hair, but I was wondering if my TD colleagues had any suggestions.

 

[bobgaggle]

does your director still want water running from the shower head?

I went backstage to a production where they used a dividing wall in the shower stall. It was a clear sheet o' glass/plexi-glass, that the actress stood in front of. The shower head was behind the wall at a 90 degree angle, and all the actress had to do was put her head back to wash her hair. Her body would remain dry but only her hair would get wet (which she towels dry later on anyway)

 

[DaveMiller]

Thanks. That's a great idea, but our Nellie has longer hair and, with Prom two weeks after the production, she is not wild about getting it cut shorter, as the time period would dictate.

We would like to give the illusion she is washing her hair without actually getting it wet. She can wrap a towel around her head when "done."

Also, we generally use a wireless mic taped at her temple, so water would be an issue.

 

[icewolf08]

Thanks. That's a great idea, but our Nellie has longer hair and, with Prom two weeks after the production, she is not wild about getting it cut shorter, as the time period would dictate.

I assume by the fact that you have prom coming up that this is a high school production. However, even when I was in HS if you were in a show you did your hair how the show/director/ dictated, it was one of the requirements of being in the cast. In college and then in the professional world, that is the way it goes, period.

In your case though, if the actress is not cutting her hair, how is it going to look period when it is dry? Because if she is not wigged, and just wearing her real hair as is, then it doesn't matter how it looks in the shower as it is long anyway!

 

[DaveMiller]

You are absolutely correct, icewolf08, on several counts. It is a high school production, she will be wigged, and she SHOULD be cutting her hair. I am disappointed because I have successfully done this scene many years ago with warm running water and have even done rain several times on the main stage. I was looking forward to doing it again.

But, I'm not directing. The Co-Directors are convinced that Nellie can appear to have shampoo on her head, appear to duck behind the shower door and wrap her head in a towel (also an issue for the mic, but once I know how we are doing this, we can deal with the mic), emerge from the shower and have the towel on for the remainder of the long scene.

So...solving problems is what we do, and short to taking shears to the lead's hair, I am looking for other solutions.

Perhaps I should insist that we try something next week after break, and when they see it doesn't work...

 

[Spikesgirl]

The Co-Directors are convinced that Nellie can appear to have shampoo on her head, appear to duck behind the shower door and wrap her head in a towel (also an issue for the mic, but once I know how we are doing this, we can deal with the mic), emerge from the shower and have the towel on for the remainder of the long scene.
...

Gotta say up front that I think your directors are wrong, but what the hey, they're directors - right? Okay, I am going in to get my hair cut this morning at the crack of 'Why am I up?" and I will ask my stylist your question. If a product exists, she will know about it. I'll post back later today with or wothout an answer.

The shower scene was the only fun construciton we had in this entire show! We did a full shower too and let our lead 'borrow' from all the other wireless mics from the other nurses. It wasn't a problem as our lead was formally triained and had pipes like you wouldn't believe.

Sorry that you might miss out on this...

Charlie

 

[Spikesgirl]

Okay, I'm back - she said that a mousse would be your best bet to look like shampoo and even demonstrated on me (the things I do for theater). Her only comment is to remind the actress not to 'scrub' because the foam is meant to be worked in and it will disappear if she works it.

Hope that helps a little

Charlie

 

[DaveMiller]

Many thanks for your suggestions. We are trying the mousse idea this week.

 

[cvanp]

For what it's worth, they get their hair wet somehow in the current Broadway revival. If anyone has connections or plans on seeing the show (and is willing to stagedoor and ask Kelli O'Hara) I'm sure they could find out.

Edit: Here's a picture.

Sara Krulwich/The New York Times [URL="http://theater2.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/theater/reviews/04paci.html?pagewanted=2:][source][/URL]