Other than UNCSA and Webster, are there any other BFA programs out there? And for someone taking a gap year after high school, what things should the student focus on before applying for admission? Thanks for any information you can provide.
No experience here re: wig/make-up, but I would think taking time in the gap year to work on a portfolio would be time well spent. As we have been visiting colleges and meeting with professors (for theatre tech), all of them have taken the time to provide feedback during an informal portfolio review.
Above is the degree map for the BFA in Costume Design at SUNY Fredonia. My S17 is in the lighting design program.
He took Costume Construction 1 this past semester and earned an A. He actually really liked it. He made “Shakespeare” pants that went into the general costume pool.
In terms of wigs, I remember him telling me that they offered some seminar or something his first semester with some upperclass student who had an internship in wigs. He told me he hadn’t realized that there was so much involved with wigs. The basic make up class is a one credit, partial semester class, which S17 didn’t realize he could sign up for last semester so will be taking next year. His friends who took it this year thought it was cool.
I also suggest working on the portfolio during a gap year. Perhaps the student can volunteer to do hair and makeup for school district theater programs or community theater. Take a lot of before and after photos and do what you can to get a credit in the playbill. Another suggestion might be to see if the local CC or adult education program offers some courses in makeup or hair or try getting a job at one of the department store make-up counters. Again, get photos of the results for the portfolio. Try to get a large assortment of photos depicting different styles and using models who are as diverse as possible - straight hair, curly, A-A, different skin tones - to show versatility and ability to work with different types of people.
Good luck.
Thank you very much for that information!