A hairstyle can make or break a look in everyday life and the theater world.
Kelley Jordan is the MUNY’s first Black woman wig designer and manager.
Kelley Jordan, a wig, hair, and makeup designer with more than 30 years of theatrical, production, and entertainment experience, knows what wigs do and don’t work on stage.
“Typically in theater, we don’t cut the lace and the quality of the type of lace matters, ‘What are you doing to it?,’” she said.
“When I work at the MUNY, I use synthetic hair instead of human hair because human hair may not hold up as long in the heat. For other productions I may use a blend of synthetic and human hair to have it flow a certain way. It depends on what it is.”
While a youth, Jordan watched her mom make wigs for blues singers in St. Louis, and she also operated her own salon. Her mother instilled in her and her siblings the importance of “having something to fall back on. She recommended that they all become licensed barbers and cosmetologists. They listened and all became licensed.
Jordan began working in her mother’s salon, and the opportunity to work in theater came from The Fabulous Fox Theater – as an elevator operator. Singer Anita Baker was performing there and she was asked by Jordan if she could touch up her hair and do her background singers’ hair.
“Anita was pro-Black and only wanted Black people to do her hair,” Jordan said. “I was put on a list to be called to see if I would be a good fit. They called me and that’s how I started designing with wigs,” Jordan said.
Jordan is the first Black wig designer to be a member of IATSE Local 805, a union for technicians, artisans and craftspersons in the entertainment industry. She is also the MUNY’s first Black woman wig designer and manager.
In her more than 30-year career, Jordan says she has experienced racism and leans on her faith in God to get her through those situations. She has learned the art of “processing what happens and not reacting angrily.”
“I may talk to myself or go to another room, come back and go from there,” she said. “I’m here because I know what my calling is. I could’ve left many years ago.”
Other challenges include styling a wig and then having someone change it when she is away. Wig not fitting properly, or not having the chance to make adjustments also pop up.
While working a show she thought she was coming to do the fitting but instead she was only asked to send the wig. Jordan said she might not know how the wig person will fit it on the performer.
There’s been times where she’s left and she said, ‘Oh my God, look at that.’ ‘Oh no they didn’t.,’”
“It depends on who’s doing it and who’s running it,” she said. “Some people may not have love for the wig, some people don’t care.”
Skill and training are what it boils down to for proper theatrical wig design styling and maintenance, Jordan explains, emphasizing how vital education about the craft is versus just learning from someone else or watching YouTube.
“For people interested in becoming a theatrical wig designer, they can take my training. I teach how to work on a wig, read tracks, and set up and break down a show,” she said.
“It’s important to get your cosmo license and see if wig designing is really for you because we use a lot of roller sets and some people don’t like doing them or some may say they don’t want to deal with the wig they just want to change it up.”
Jordan is currently working on three productions. Her day starts with reading the script and breaking it down, and meeting with the costume designer and director to discuss the look and feel they’re going for with the characters.
“I learn if the director is going for something funny, modern and if the role is diverse and nontraditional from how the character is usually portrayed,” she said.
Jordan would like to see more Black people exploring careers in theatrical wig design, and she’s helping make that happen.
“I love my job, when I’m working it doesn’t feel like I’m working because I love what I do,” she said. “When I started my goal became to open the door for others and bring more Black people into the industry. I would love to see more young people in the field. You can learn how to design and make money from it.”
Jordan’s designs have appeared in the first national tour of An Officer and A Gentleman; Sister Act, Rock of Ages, and Elf – The Musical at Theatre Under the Stars; On Your Feet! and Smokey Joe’s Cafe at The Muny; and A New Holiday on PBS.
She has worked in hair and makeup at The Fox Theater for over 25 years, and is the Wig Supervisor at The Muny. She is the founder and owner of K. Jordan Theatrical, a theatrical wig and makeup design firm.
Find more information about Jordan on her website, https://www.kjordantheatrical.com/.
