The performing arts are known for drawing crowds to theaters to watch enchanting shows and gain perspective. For theater lovers who don’t desire the spotlight, offstage operations create an opportunity to be equally artistic.

Kristina Scalone works a day job as a medical transcriptionist and pursues her passion for theater at night by working as the hairstylist for Syracuse Stage.

“It’s a complete 180, but I love it and I still get to have my hand in theater which is great,” Scalone said about her contrasting jobs.

In high school, Scalone ushered at a local opera company, and during her time there she became fascinated with the backstage elements.

“I truly fell in love with all of it: the lighting, the sound, the costumes … the whole technical aspect of it,” Scalone said.

She led the wardrobe department at a New Jersey theater called George Street Playhouse while earning a degree in set design from State University of New York at Oswego. Scalone fondly recalls the time a wig designer came to the theater. Her interest in hairstyling emerged from when he would pass her wigs for the actors’ quick changes.

By recommendation of the wig designer, Scalone attended cosmetology school in pursuit of a hairstyling license. From there, she worked at a hair salon and four other theaters before settling down in Syracuse in 1995.

Initially, Scalone started out as a hairstylist at Syracuse Stage while also working at a hair salon. After a few years off, she returned as the full-time wardrobe, wig and hair supervisor from the fall of 2005 to 2013. She then centered her focus on hairstyling, allowing her to pursue another career in the medical industry.

But 25 years of running wardrobe was getting a bit restless. She received her certification to do medical transcription. Her role involves documenting what her client goes to see the doctor for. She covers everything from brief medical check-ups to significant surgeries.

A typical day for Scalone will involve giving haircuts in the morning for a show. Then, after a full day of medical transcribing, she goes back to the theater at night.

“There’s no day off there,” she says about the theater constantly needing her expertise.

Her work in the theater has provided her with many years of experience with different hair styling techniques. Sometimes a show will call for a simple, clean-cut look where only hair gel or a simple trim will suffice. Other shows can require a more complex and time-consuming style.

For the Syracuse University Department of Drama production of “Punk Rock” last year, she transformed an actress by dying her hair to create a blue ombré effect. Instances such as this show how her role is essential in allowing actors to fully delve into their roles.

In her earlier years at Syracuse Stage, she created her favorite work for the department’s production of “A Christmas Carol.” Two roles involved the actors wearing roller blades, requiring them to roll on and off stage for Scalone to quickly change their wigs.

She feels grateful to have found her niche doing the transcriptions and have the theater to develop her artistry.

“In five years from now if I’m still doing the same thing, I’ll be happy,” she said.

Published on January 24, 2017 at 11:53 pm

Contact Chloe: cjgreenw@syr.edu