2008 Woodie Awards
McCarthy gives Conservatory a makeover
By: Amanda King
Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: Lifestyle
very unpleasant."
McCarthy said the monetary implications of her work in films could be stressful at times. Once, she had to outfit a stuntwoman with a wig - one that would stay on during a crash scene where the stuntwoman's car rolled off the side of the highway. The scene cost almost $75,000 to shoot, McCarthy said.
"If that wig would've fallen off while the car was tumbling, it would've been the end of my career," McCarthy said.
It's theater that McCarthy really loves.
"What I like so much about theater is that it's more experimental. It's more daring, more thought-provoking," said McCarthy. "And that's why I'm so glad to be here (at WU) because you actually have a hand in the creative process."
While in Chicago, McCarthy worked for five years designing hair and wigs for shows at Steppenwolf Theatre Co. and for another year doing makeup for the Broadway run of "The Lion King" - the bird Zazu was her favorite character
to paint.
After a while, though, McCarthy decided she needed to settle into a "nine to five" routine.
In 2004, she graduated with an M.A. in art education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign so she could pursue a career as a grade school art teacher, but thought better of her decision when she got into the classroom as a student teacher.
"I'd just gone from working with these incredibly fun, eccentric, over-emotive dancer-actor types. And then the school I taught at was really institutional and not a lot of fun," said McCarthy.
Now, just a month into her new job, McCarthy said she thinks WU is a good fit.
"I love teaching college kids, particularly the Conservatory, because all the students there are so driven and focused," McCarthy said.
Emily Wall, a junior wig and makeup design major, opted to take the Conservatory's makeup design course a second time and said she is benefiting from McCarthy's new perspective.
"Our last teacher did a lot of theater work, but she didn't have the film and fashion insight that Tara does," Wall said. "So far, I've learned a lot of new stuff."
McCarthy said the monetary implications of her work in films could be stressful at times. Once, she had to outfit a stuntwoman with a wig - one that would stay on during a crash scene where the stuntwoman's car rolled off the side of the highway. The scene cost almost $75,000 to shoot, McCarthy said.
"If that wig would've fallen off while the car was tumbling, it would've been the end of my career," McCarthy said.
It's theater that McCarthy really loves.
"What I like so much about theater is that it's more experimental. It's more daring, more thought-provoking," said McCarthy. "And that's why I'm so glad to be here (at WU) because you actually have a hand in the creative process."
While in Chicago, McCarthy worked for five years designing hair and wigs for shows at Steppenwolf Theatre Co. and for another year doing makeup for the Broadway run of "The Lion King" - the bird Zazu was her favorite character
to paint.
After a while, though, McCarthy decided she needed to settle into a "nine to five" routine.
In 2004, she graduated with an M.A. in art education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign so she could pursue a career as a grade school art teacher, but thought better of her decision when she got into the classroom as a student teacher.
"I'd just gone from working with these incredibly fun, eccentric, over-emotive dancer-actor types. And then the school I taught at was really institutional and not a lot of fun," said McCarthy.
Now, just a month into her new job, McCarthy said she thinks WU is a good fit.
"I love teaching college kids, particularly the Conservatory, because all the students there are so driven and focused," McCarthy said.
Emily Wall, a junior wig and makeup design major, opted to take the Conservatory's makeup design course a second time and said she is benefiting from McCarthy's new perspective.
"Our last teacher did a lot of theater work, but she didn't have the film and fashion insight that Tara does," Wall said. "So far, I've learned a lot of new stuff."
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