Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/78247
Fifth anniversary celebration of Love, June 2011 hen the rows of showgirls at Jubilee! kick their slender legs in unison, with every thread of their elaborate costumes perfectly in place, or when Celine Dion floats onto the Colosseum stage, her entire appearance famously flawless down to the smallest detail, no one in the audience is thinking about anything other than the razzle-dazzle. But backstage, a team of dressers is on high alert, ready to handle any wardrobe malfunction, no matter how big or small, as they orchestrate each and every costume change. These nimble wardrobe masters must do whatever it takes to ensure that every performer hits the stage wearing the perfect costume. SANDRA FOX Head of wardrobe, The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil How long have you been doing this? 26 years What brought you to Vegas? I had been touring for about nine years. When KÀ opened, I applied for assistant head of wardrobe. It was a good opportunity for me to get off the road. What has been your most unusual request? I rig shirts for magicians, so no request is too weird for me. Who were you most excited to meet? Paul McCartney. He was part of the creation of Love and was gracious enough to visit a few times. Describe what you do in one word. Organize "Dressers have a high-pressure position," says Christie Moeller, a Las Vegas fashion stylist and blogger. "They have to know the show inside and out—one missed cue can throw the entire show out of whack. It's imperative that they be quick on their feet and can MacGyver a broken zipper at a second's notice. They are the unsung heroes of a stage production." One company has this backstage costume chore- ography down to a science: Cirque du Soleil, which currently has seven shows on the Strip (eight by spring). Because of shows, the acrobatic quality of the the performers must have each piece of clothing tailored or custom-made, from headpieces to shoes, for safety reasons. A team of attendants stands at the ready backstage making sure every- one gets their precise costumes put together, which is no small task given all there is to keep track of. "At Love alone, 4,800 costume pieces are run around backstage every night (in 358 individual costume concepts), plus 110 wigs," says Geary, wardrobe attendant for Cirque's The Beatles Love. "Plus, each outfit has both an English and a French name," says Sandra Fox, Love's head of wardrobe. "There's also the character's name and the name of the guy wearing it." Jowee Dressers organize the costumes and help with quick changes during the show, often doing a full VEGASMAGAZINE.COM 109 PHOTOGRAPHY BY ETHAN MILLER/GETTY IMAGES FOR CIRQUE APPLE LLC (INSET)