OCT
10

Creating Old Age Characters

By Chris Wheeler 

Chris Wheeler is an independent writer in the Denver metro area.  With degrees in both Theatre and Film Studies, he has been a long-time patron, lover and philanthropist of the arts.  He is glad to be a part of Pioneer Drama and their online theatre community. 

You and I both know we’re not going to be able to fool anyone.  You put a seven year old in a gray wig, glasses and a floral dress and the parents aren’t going to really think there’s an elderly woman in the cast.  That’s okay.  Part of going to the theatre, truthfully part of going into any story, is suspending your beliefs.  As audiences we’re okay with taking the plunge.  Another part of theatre however, is making the commitment.

Okay.  I’m playing someone seventy years older than myself.  I have a funny costume, wig and a cane.  But what about a little makeup?

Stage makeup, can not only help push the audiences imagination the direction you would like, but also give your actors tools for their trade.  Time and time again, you give a child a mask and you give them permission to do their best.  You set them free, and some really incredible performances come out!

But, speaking of old age makeup, there’s a good way and a bad way to execute it.  Your actor either looks like they’re playing an older character, or they look like they were attacked backstage with a sharpie.  Here are some tips to do it right.

The first thing to keep in mind is:  there are no lines on the face.  Laugh lines, frown lines are really folds of the skin.  The muscles and skin begin to sag or droop over time, and the folds or indentations behind or around the skin make wrinkles.  It’s important to keep this in mind when deciding where to begin or end the makeup line.  For example, crow’s feet are not next to the eye, they come from the eye.  The natural folds and creases of the skin will give you your starting and stopping points.

Depending on the level of realism you desire, you may also want to add highlights.  Dark lines do a lot to imply age, but remember too to add highlight to taut, “high” areas of the face such as the bridge of the nose and the cheekbones.  The dark lines themselves are often best as a shade of brown instead of a stark black.  Remember also to fade out the end point of the line by blotting it with a finger.  You may find only a makeup pencil is required, but if you do decide to add highlight keep in mind that a bit more practicing may be required, at the very least to match an appropriate shade to your actor’s skin.

Often the easiest way to add age lines to your actor’s face will be to have them make faces.  Scrunch their forehead.  Smile.  Scowl.  Use the folds of their skin as your starting point, and focus particularly on the mouth, eyes, and forehead to imply age.  Depending on the costume, actor, and goal of the makeup effect, you may also decide to add age lines to the neck, or even to their hands.

Perhaps the most important tool to remember will be makeup remover.  A good astringent can do more to remove stage makeup than fifteen minutes of soapy water would.  Add some cotton balls and you should be able to keep the mess of clean up to a minimum.

With these tips in mind work with your actors to decide what their comfort level and enthusiasm will be.  You may be surprised to find a performer excited to get completely decked out and into character.  Or you may decide less is more.  Either way, have fun and happy crafting!