When you see a play performed by youth, chances are you’ll notice some unusual and incongruous costume accessories. These unexpected accouterments require audiences to stretch their imaginations a little bit, but it’s just one of the concessions we make in the world of amateur and youth theater. Long ago I made the decision as a director to allow any actor who needs glasses to wear them onstage, regardless of where and when the play takes place. It’s more important for me for the actors be able to see where they are going than to worry about period inconsistencies or contradictions. When it comes to braces on teeth, I just tell the actor not to worry about it. But if the person wears a retainer, I’ll recommend it be taken out during the actor’s time onstage, so that their speech will not be slurred. Two weeks before the world premiere of “Beggar and the Wolf,” the 11-year-old girl playing Fabrica broke her thumb while downhill skiing. Her costume was a typical fairy-tale pink gown and hat. We arranged for the cast on her arm to be a matching shade of pink, and simply integrated it into the production. When it comes to hair, I’ll ask volunteer, amateur actors to get their hair cut period style, within reason. They still make the decision whether or not to do it, though. Hair grows back, so if the period of the show requires short hair, I ask them to cut it. If it requires longer tresses, I ask them to let it grow. But if it’s something drastic, I just let it go. If the actor has a wild hair color, I’ll ask them to temporarily recolor it with a quick tint that washes right out, or wear a wig. In that same production of “Beggar and the Wolf,” one of the main characters is St. Francis of Assisi. There’s no way I was going to ask that actor to get a “bowl” haircut and shave the top for an authentic tonsure. A monk’s hairpiece with latex bald spot is available, but I didn’t want to bother with it, and ultimately it didn’t really matter to the audience. He wore the hair in his usual style. Though it hasn’t come up much yet, more and more, directors are going to have to deal with actors who have visible piercings or tattoos. Because they have the potential to be very distracting, and because these embellishments seldom match the character the actor is playing, my inclination would be to ask the actor to remove piercings and cover up tattoos. Though almost none of these issues would come up in a professional production, I’ve found that audiences are willing to “look the other way” and simply accept these potentially distracting appurtenances. | 
