I am thrilled to officially introduce you to my friend Sarah! I first met this sparkling little nugget backstage at Aladdin in February 2016 when she started as a swing dresser. She was a bit shy at first, but we eventually fell in love.

Training Sarah on my track at Aladdin was is one of my favorite memories of us. (Let me pause for a second to explain a little bit of theater lingo for those of you who are still catching on. A swing dresser is someone who does not work full time at a show. They fill in whenever a full-time dresser isn't there or has "called out" that night. Every full-time dresser at a show has their own individual "track.” A track is the sequence of events that a person executes during a show. Every single member of the company, from actors to the crew, has their own specific track. When I was a swing dresser, I knew sixteen different tracks between Wicked and Aladdin. It was craziness but I loved it.) When I trained Sarah on my Female Ensemble dressing track, she had been at the show for a few months, and I knew she was down to clown. Plus, she is EXCELLENT at her job, so we were able to have fun during the four shows I trained her on. I made her call me ma'am the entire time, I called her my pledge or intern, and we would high five each other after every single quick change. It was the best.

I admire Sarah for her loyalty, patience, diligence, encouraging spirit and strong work ethic. She is an extremely valuable member of our girl squad, and not just because she's always willing to take thousands of pictures of LJ and me. I hope you enjoy this little peek into Sarah’s world backstage!

How long have you been a dresser on Broadway?

Just a little over a year and a half. My first job on Broadway was in December of 2015. I started off doing laundry and daywork for The Color Purple. Then, in February of 2016, I started as a swing at The King and I and Aladdin… and the rest is history!

What is your favorite show you've ever worked on?

One of my all-time favorite shows I’ve ever done was Spamalot at PCPA Theaterfest in Santa Maria, CA. It was a summer stock production and only lasted a few weeks, but I learned so much and grew so much as a dresser that summer. The show itself was by far the craziest backstage environment I’ve ever been a part of. There were so many quick changes that the dressers were in a “zone defense” type of set up and we just tag team changed everyone that came through our zone. To give an example, I was on stage left with one other dresser and we accomplished over 25 quick changes in Act 1 alone. Hands down the most intense and enjoyable backstage experience I’ve ever had, with Aladdin coming in as a close second!

Who is the coolest celebrity you've ever met at work?

He might not be the most mainstream celebrity, but when I worked at Williamstown Theatre Festival, I got to dress Christopher Fitzgerald in June Moon. Wicked was one of the first Broadway shows I saw, so getting to come back around and be able to dress someone that started my love for theater was really special for me.

What is the best advice you've ever been given?

Never compare yourself to others around you. We all have different journeys and paths we’re meant to take in life, so trying to compare what you’re doing to someone else will only slow your own personal growth. This is especially important when it comes to the entertainment industry. Be it on the stage, or behind the scenes, it’s so easy to look at other people and compare yourself. Just always try to focus on you and your path and it’ll all fall into place.

What is it about this job that makes you come back each day?

Definitely my passion for this job. I’ve wanted to be a dresser since I was in high school, and even before that. I just didn’t know that dressers existed until a little later in life. Ever since I started in theater (at 9 years old) I loved quick changes. I would always be the person running around and helping my fellow cast mates with their changes, and as I learned more about theater and costuming in general, I knew dressing was what I was meant to do. Every day I get to go into work and live out my lifelong dream, and that’s what keeps me coming back.

What piece of advice would you give your 18-year-old self?

There’s no job that you’re too good for. When you’re young and trying to get your foot in the door, never say no to any job that’s presented to you. Even when I wasn’t looking for work, if a job came across my way I’d take it on. You never know what it can lead to!

What is the most interesting day at work you've ever had?

I’d have to say my very first day at Aladdin. I came in before a matinee on a Saturday to interview with the supervisors to start as a swing. We chatted for about 20 minutes and then I was asked if I’d like to stay and start learning a track that day. I was so nervous and excited about just literally getting thrown into my first day of work. It was a 5 show weekend, so by the end of the next day I had learned and ran my very first track on Broadway. It’s a day I’ll never forget!

What is your favorite thing about your job?

Definitely the people I get to work with. You work in such a tight space with the actors, other dressers and stagehands that you all become this close family. At Aladdin, we are particularly blessed with amazing personalities across the board, and that makes coming to work easy and enjoyable.

What is the most challenging part of being a dresser?

One of the biggest things is keeping your emotions neutral. You have to be able to keep your cool in tricky and nerve-racking situations. No one wants a nervous person dressing them especially when the actors shouldn’t have to feel like they need to worry about the change. If you’re nervous, they will be too, and that could have a negative effect on their show. You’re also around to cater to the actors, so you have to be able to read them and then give them what they need in terms of personality. This can be tricky when you’re having a bad day, but as dressers we just have to learn how to check it at the door and get ready to be in whatever type of mood our actors are needing that day.

**What is the fastest quick change you do at Aladdin?**

I change Dennis Stowe during "Friend Like Me" from his “game show” costume to his gold tap costume. It fluctuates from time to time but we do the change in about 10 seconds.

What is your favorite memory at work with the Backstage Blonde?

There’s too many to count! Teale was a master of the scare game backstage. She would hide in the baskets behind the costumes on their racks and scare the actors. One male actor in particular had the best scare reactions, so that’s what we’d do in our spare time. Also, just spending intermissions with her. We’d just have pleasant conversations with some actors and crew on deck while doing our presets.

FUN FACTS:

First Broadway show you ever saw: I saw a double header of Rent and the Wicked back in the winter of 2004 when I was 11.
Favorite Broadway show you've ever seen: This is super hard for me to answer. I’ve seen so many shows, and haven’t had any that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy. The ones that have a special place in my heart would be The Drowsy Chaperone, Spring Awakening, Next to Normal, Dear Evan Hansen, In The Heights, and Les Miserables.
Favorite NYC restaurant: I LOVE Jacob’s Pickles. They’ve been unfortunately shut down since this past spring due to water damage from a fire near them, and I am anxiously awaiting their reopening. It’s a dull time without their biscuits in my life. (The restaurant has finally reopened.)
How long were you a swing?: I swung for about 5 months before going full time at Aladdin.
Favorite costume in Aladdin: I love all of the men’s wedding costumes. The beading is not only gorgeous, but each costume has an original animal design beaded onto the back. They are true works of art.
Where did you go to college and what was your major?: I went to school at an arts conservatory called the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), and my major was Costume Technology. It was an incredible 4 years where I got to spend my time learning how to make corsets, pants, hoop skirts, hats, and I got to learn how to work with all kinds of fabrics, and I learned how to dye, distress, and manipulate fabrics. I was also fortunate enough to go off of the technology path a little and spend time polishing my wardrobe skills. I was a teacher of wardrobe to underclassmen, and I did an independent study my senior year that focused on quick rigging, and the magic of quick changes. I definitely credit my time at UNCSA for a lot of the success I have today. They truly know how to create artists.