Theatre hair quick change advice. HELP! In a total bind!

[deviantkitten]

Ok, my lovelies! It's been quite a while since I have posted anything, and I come to you all for your experience and advice!
We are doing 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at our theatre, and I am doing hair and makeup as well as a million other things lol
One of the characters, Rona, has a flashback at the beginning of the show. She has to go from being a 45 year old to a 12 year old and back to a 45 year old in less than a minute. And the woman who plays Rona is my boss at the theatre, so when she tells me something needs to be done, IT MUST HAPPEN!!! And of course, she wants part of the transformation into a 12 year old to be a personal hair challenge
Rona's character is sophisticated and professional- very "teacher-esque".
In a perfect world, I could pin her hair up into a french twist, then have her unpin her hair, then have her pin her hair back up. Now, as most of you know-
1. FT's take many pins
2. FT's cannot be taken down and pinned back up in about 5 seconds

I was thinking of braiding her hair into 2 braids, secure it with a claw clip, then have her release her hair and clip it back up. However, 2 braids in a claw clip look rather messy and unprofessional. And Rona would NEVER wear a claw clip
Another HUGE challenge- the actress has BSL with long layers.

I am kind of stumped, and totally uninspired. Here are the "rules" of my challenge-

1. It must start out looking sophisticated
2. It must change into an obvious child-like style
3. It must be able to go back up into the same sophisticated style
4. 1-3 have to be able to happen in about 45 seconds (hair up, takedown, 30 second flashback, hair back up)
5. preferable no claw clips
6. Must be able to perform style on BSL 1A/II/M hair
7. Actress is not opposed to products- everything is in play!
6. The actress must be able to do the quick change herself

Any and all advice would be AMAZING!!!!!
THANKS!!!!
XOXOXOXO

[pinkbunny]

Here's an idea - I hope I can explain it clearly enough...

One hairstyle I loved to do when my hair was around BSL was to put it in a not-too-low ponytail, loosen it a bit, open/part the hair on top (near the scalp behind the hairband, not the ponytail) creating a "pocket" and tuck the ponytail into it. It looks like a topsy-tail but without the tail, and I thought it looked pretty sophisticated. For the child-like hairdo, she can let it down and just put in pigtails with 2 clip-in bows - doesn't matter if it's a bit messy, she's a child after all, right?

[trolleypup]

Use a wig or fall. Or better, same attached to a hat a little girl might wear. Otherwise I think it is an unreasonable request.

Taking it down is maybe possible, but putting it back up isn't going to happen in 5 seconds.

[Panth]

Heidi braids (can be professional looking, think the ex-Ukrainian prime minister: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yulia_Tymoshenko)

Clip them up with claw clips. Then drop them down - instant pigtails. Then re-pin.

Of course, that kinda depends on having a certain length of hair to work with ... though you could plait extensions in if she has short hair.

[Magdalene]

braided chinese bun (with chopsticks)- pull out the chopsticks to braids (these could be french braids)- then re-wrap the bun, maybe stick in a few pins to secure it once the changing is over.

[ericthegreat]

Use a wig or fall. Or better, same attached to a hat a little girl might wear. Otherwise I think it is an unreasonable request.

Taking it down is maybe possible, but putting it back up isn't going to happen in 5 seconds.

I agree. Its just impossible to do all of this (hair starting up in some sophisticated style, then dressed down to a child's style, and then put back up into that same sophisticated style) in the time space of a minute or less.

Here's my suggestion, why not simply have another actress play the 12 year old version of Rona? This other actress could be made to look younger with the right make-up and clothing and of course a younger hairstyle.

[maus]

Just a bun I think would be fine - even a cinnamon looks sophisticated (make sure to sleek it back with a bbb) and easy to do. Then just take it out, and put it in pigtails.

[manderly]

I agree with those who offered hair suggestions.

I like the idea of heidi braids which can then be pinned to make a matronly look - but I don't think she has the length to do that unless you braid in extenstions. That transformation would require a few pins to hold the ends and then removal to release the braids.

A cinnabun or chinese bun with a stick are very fast to release into a loose ponytail or braid (or a quick half-up).

[deviantkitten]

Thanks guys! I will bring all of these suggestions to my boss. This has beend difficult! To address some things that have been suggested-
wigs and falls are not an option- unfortunately ugh!
And this show is an adult show. No children have been cast, and no children are allowed to come to the show (it features a song called Chip's Lament, which is basically a song about erections!
I did have a thought tho- I have a flower clip. It could be placed on the lapel or her jacket, then she could place it in her hair for the flashback, then back on her jacket. Thus allowing me to do whatever style I needed to, and eliminating this conundrum.
Thoughts?

[tinti]

Sounds like an unreasonable request, yes. But you could try to have her do a braided bun with a chopstick, it's easy and can absolutely look sophisticated. Then transform her into a 12 year old by simply removing the chopstick and she'll have an English braid. Then all she has to do when she'll redo the updo is to bun the braid again.

[Marjolein]

Here's my suggestion: Try out if a lazy wrap bun or pencil bun in her nape will work with her layers. These are both professional looking, sleek buns and very quick to do.

To resemble a little girl she can take out the hairstick and put in a colorful hairband with a bow or a flower attached to it.

[MilknHoney]

For work, I twist my hair up, fold it over and tuck the ends in, and secure with a Ficcare clip. Takes five seconds and looks plenty professional without being complicated or needing extra clips/pins. She could unclip it, part the hair, do two quick low pigtails for the "child"?

[rhosyn_du]

How prone to sticking out of updos are her layers? If they'll stay in braids, I'd suggest double braids either into a braided chinese bun like someone already suggested, or just folded up and held with beak clip or fakkare.

If her layers poke out of braids, however, chances are they're going to stick out of updos, too (mine always did when I had layers), which would make a professional updo in less than a minute pretty close to impossible. In that case, your flower idea is a good one.

[HoneyJubilee]

That isn't very much time for hairstyle changes! I think a braided bun or a bun that starts with a ponytail or half-up (with elastic) might work if it's held with a Ficcare type clip or a stick. Just pull out the clip/stick and she'd have a ponytail or braid(s). Putting it back in a bun should be pretty quick as long as the bun is simple/easy.

Costume/hair changes are crazy. For my last performance I was doing my hair as I was running down the hall between the stage and the dressing room. Thankfully I only had to go from side ponytail with a comb stuck in to a low center ponytail to a half-up ponytail with a feather clip. Anything more complicated than a ponytail just wasn't going to happen.

[kitmarlow]

the easiest hairstyle quick-change that I've ever had to work was a change from 28 (put-together professional) to 20/21 (still in the throes of I don't care and rebellion). I had 35 seconds for a total wardrobe change (including changing into a fat suit) and hair change. To facilitate the massive transformation, I also wore my glasses for the flashbacks.

As for hair, I rolled my shoulder length hair into teeny tiny sponge rollers every single night. When I took them out I had serious kinky afro texture, but it looked completely natural on me and most people thought I just let my hair go natural (ha!). The bushy awesomeness was my flash back hair and for the present I clipped the sides back with huge french twist combs. It looked really really professional and put-together and the bushy hair looked supremely insane. Worked really really well and I probably could have pulled it all into a french twist if I had a couple more inches to work with.

[Quixii]

Sounds like an unreasonable request, yes. But you could try to have her do a braided bun with a chopstick, it's easy and can absolutely look sophisticated. Then transform her into a 12 year old by simply removing the chopstick and she'll have an English braid. Then all she has to do when she'll redo the updo is to bun the braid again.
I agree with this. :)