7.4 Hair Design

Working with hair requires much knowledge and practice. We are all familiar with styling our own hair the way we like it. Some of us are even obsessed with it. In this section we will look at the basics of hair and hair styling for the theatre.

In this section you will:

• research various hair designs
• plan a hair design for a play
• learn basic styling techniques

The process of research, planning and application is an important one in theatre arts. Designers and stylists must look for styles and techniques which will fit the character. Hair can play an important role in the audience believing in the character. It must be determined if an actor will be using their own hair or wearing a wig during a performance. A wig, once styled properly, is convenient when doing a run of several shows.