Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1538122
LOCAL706.ORG • 23 2000's. Dope Thief relied on flashbacks of the main characters over the past 20 years to tell the story of what shaped the present. The story follows them into their adulthood and the process of them deteriorating, relapsing into addiction. Their evolution from adolescence to adulthood was a central theme in the series, and Shunika and I worked closely with casting to ensure the younger versions of Ray and Manny mirrored that growth. Wagner's and Brian's natural gray hair and beards were colored medium brown by Shunika Terry. As they began to unravel emotionally, we subtly aged their looks with longer less groomed hair, and sparse beards achieved through texturizing techniques that conveyed distress without exaggeration. Using Skin Illustrator Glazing Gels in bruise yellow, character, bruise green and bruise red, I altered their skin to add distress, exhaustion, and extreme drug use withdrawals. We went through jars of Tinsley Studios sweat. Ngozi Olandu Young created and maintained several of our main female cast. We enjoyed taking the character of Theresa played by Kate Mulgrew from 20-year flashbacks to her present stressed condition. The small details of a woman stuck in the esthetics of her youth. Kate committed to wearing long, burgundy nail gel nails the entire series to enable her to use her hands naturally. Ngozi paired subtle contouring with a teal smoky eye to reflect emotional depth and an aesthetic frozen in time. Kate's blonde hair exposed hints of gray and was beautifully maintained by key hair Diane Dixon. For the flashback, we applied lifting tape, hydrating serums, and illuminating primers to invoke youthfulness. Diane applied a blonde lace front wig with dark roots, styled in a voluminous early '90s look. Marin Ireland (left) with Rocky Faulkner and Tene Wilder