Mask Arts Company

Masks for

Film Dance Theatre Productions

The Butcher Boy a new musical, The Nutcracker Ballet Rat/Mouse & new Sir Nutcracker masks, Queen of the Night mask, photos from the film "Magic Helmet"

A new musical, “The Butcher Boy,” Produced by The Irish Repertory Theatre, NYC. Book, Music & Lyrics by Asher Muldoon. Based on the novel by Patrick McCabe, with Nicholas Barasch as Francie Brady running through August 11, 2022.

Mask Design: Stanley Allan Sherman, Mask Arts Company.

Pig #1 Teddy Trice, Pig #4 David Baida, Nicholas Barasch as Francie, Pig #2 Carey Rebecca Brown, Pig #3 Polly McKie  Part of a dance Pig Chorus standing around Francie Brady  singing in a dance pose

Photo used with permission from Irish Repertory Theatre. Photos by Carol Rosegg
Pig #2 Carey Rebecca Brown, Pig #3 Polly McKie, Nicholas Barasch as Francie, Pig #1 Teddy Trice, Pig #4 David Baida.

Working with producer and director Ciaran O'Reilly, helpful zoom meetings with the creative team, including Costume Designer Orla Long and Choreographer Barry McNabb. To create these four Pig characters, 46 final sketches, making molds of the Pig Chorus actor's faces, four Pig Masks sculptures, master mold making, and creating the masks. Plus 14 other smallest mask designs for The Butcher Boy; see the show, you will see them.

Photo used with permission from Irish Repertory Theatre. Photos by Carol Rosegg   Pig #1 Teddy Trice, Pig #4 David Baida, Nicholas Barasch as Francie, Pig #2 Carey Rebecca Brown, Pig #3 Polly McKie  legs open standing wearing pig masks, and clowboy hats with Francie in the middle riding
Photo used with permission from Irish Repertory Theatre. Photos by Carol Rosegg
Pig #1 Teddy Trice, Pig #4 David Baida, Nicholas Barasch as Francie, Pig #2 Carey Rebecca Brown, Pig #3 Polly McKie

The challenge of designing the Pig-Chorus masks, figuring out who these Pig People-characters are; for the Pig-Chorus started about three months before the opening with just the script. Our Butcher Boy Pig-Chorus sings, breaths, dance, sees clearly, and change quickly in and out of their masks. Each Pig chorus member's character mask from concept to a week of color, finishing work, and final fittings. They were ready for rehearsal. Speaking with the writer composer Asher Muldoon, the first time I met him, he told me after seeing the Pig Chorus Masks, “This is how I imagined the Pigs.”

For tickets, reviews, and information: Irish Repertory Theatre

Pig #2 Carey Rebecca Brown, Pig #3 Polly McKie, Nicholas Barasch as Francie, Pig Pig #4 David Baida.  Talking to  Francie sitting down.
Photo used with permission from Irish Repertory Theatre. Photos by Carol Rosegg
Pig #2 Carey Rebecca Brown, Pig #3 Polly McKie, Pig #4 David Baida, Nicholas Barasch as Francie.

NY Times review
August 2, 2022
In ‘The Butcher Boy,’ an Anti-Coming of Age Story

“They creep in from the shadows, snorting and snickering. The singing pigs that skulk and shimmy through “The Butcher Boy,” which opened on Monday at the Irish Repertory Theater, are silly but also half menacing. Below the neck, they’re dressed like townspeople in 1960s Ireland, where the new musical, written and composed by Asher Muldoon, is set. From the jowls up, however, their snout-nosed masks are eerily impassive.

The swine chorus appears to be a totem of indecency, embodying the dark and unknown depths of the show’s narrator, Francie (Nicholas Barasch), a jaunty lad with flame-colored hair and an implacably sunny disposition. . . .”


2015 Drama Desk Nominee:
The Queen "Katherine Crockett" of

Queen of The Night

at the Diamond Horseshoe club, New York NY

Costume Design by: Thom Browne
Mask by: Stanley Allan Sherman - Mask Arts Company
Queen of the Night, Dancer  Katherine Crockett  wearing the mask which is round half mask, that is large with a jewel at top of the mask.   Wearing a long jewel dress with 3 dancers holding the ends of the dress.
Katherine Crockett
as Queen of the Night with some of the company dancers.
Stanley holding the Queen of the Night Mask before color and detail added.  Leather mask, with mask maker Stanley Allan Sherman holding it from the inside  as he looks at it.   There is a back and front of the mask that come apart in the middle on the edge.  Photo taken in Stanley's Mask Arts   Company  Studios
Queen of the Night leather mask, a half mask front and full face back of the head mask, before I add color and reflective stone.

Queen of the night wearing her mask created by Stanley  Allan Sherman.  Blask and white photo, in her dress showing the full face back of the mask, with her arms and hands out to the side. Queen of the Night Mask,  photo of Katherine Crockett standing in a blue dress with a lazer light hitting the stone at the top of the mask and reflecting throughout the theater.

The back of the mask with Katherine Crockett & reflection of the stone in the mask.

Katherine Crockett in Queen of the night mask standing on stage with a blue light

Backstage of Queen of the Night,  Lawrence Bell, Stanley Allan Sherman and Katherine Crockett - with the just finished mask.
Backstage at Queen of the Night with the just finished Queen's mask held by the wonderfully talented star of the show and "2015 Drama Desk Nominee", Katherine Crockett; Stanley Allan Sherman, mask maker and the amazing Lawrence Bell who was Production Wardrobe Supervisor. Taking this photo is the gifted Thom Browne assistant that worked closely with me Tricia Barsamian.

 

Phantom of the Opera Masque

Phantom of the Opera masks: Durable, comfortable masks designed with singers in mind.

Because I have worked with Opera Singers as well as Pro Wrestlers, I know the facial areas to leave free in order to allow for the singer's utmost comfort, performance ease and breathability. The masks are built so that they will not block sound.



Below is another unique phantom mask I made for the Phantom of the Opera for Theatre Works USA. Worked with their costume designer and supervisor Anne-Maire Wright. Book by and directed by Rob Barron, Music and Lyrics David Spencer, Artistic Director Barbara Pasternack.
Different designed Phantom mask masque fantôme Phantom der Operenschablone
Here is a set of some unique masks made for the Colorado Dinner Theatre Production's of Phantom of the Opera. I worked with their costume designer for the company, Laura Klapperich.

fantasma della mascherina di operaspoor van het masker van de Operapurple half máscaraset for dinner theatre red with white and black highlights

This was quite a successful long distance order via Internet, phone and mail. Laura flew me to Denver for the fitting because what could take her hours in adjustments I would complete in minutes.

Valentine Victorious full head character

Custom Theater Masks
The House Theatre
mask for the production of Valentine Victorious

this is not a leather mask but a very effective neoprene mask.

Created for The House Theatre in Chicago working with their designer and artist Chris Burnham for the their original production of Valentine Victorious.

Written by Nathan Allen, Directed by Dennis Watkins, Songs by Nathan Allen.

www.thehousetheatre.com

2 characters in combat action with 2 characters

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More Theater

Dance Masks

 

Dance - Ballet Masks:
Pulcinella by Lustigdancetheatre

The Nutcracker Ballet Masks
Nutcracker masks that dancers can dance in.

Nutcracker MaskThe Joffrey Ballet School Production of The Nutcracker Ballet in 2012 from the program: "A special thanks to Stanley Allan Sherman from Mask Arts Company for creating the incredible Nutcracker Mask..." Davis Robertson director choreography & Jo Matos, director.

The Joffrey Ballet School needed an emergency Nutcracker mask with hat for their Ballet opening on Sunday. This custom made 'Sir Nutcracker' was created in 48 long hours. This is me testing out 'Sir Nutcracker' in my studio minutes before JO picked him up. It is light durable leather mask with light foam rubber hat. It is adjustable for different size dancers. Yes dancers can dance in it!

 

These masks below were designed for The Joffrey Ballet School Production of The Nutcracker Ballet in 2008. They are part of the Mask Arts Company's selection of masks offered to the dance world. They are neoprene latex with a moleskin lining and horse hair whiskers. Designed for breathability needed by dances.

The Rat or Mouse Masks are $98 per mask without whiskers or $129 with whiskers. All mask can be custom colored to almost any color or colors you wish. To order go to the bottom of this page

The Nutcracker Ballet Rat Mouse Mask
The Nutcracker Ballet Group of 5  Rat Mouse Masks
The Nutcracker Ballet Rat Mouse Mask

The Nutcracker Ballet Rat-Mouse Masks on the work bench before leaving the Mask Arts Studio for the Joffrey Ballet School Production of The Nutcracker.
solo dancer dressed in black of the Nutcracker Ballet

The Joffrey Ballet School dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker Ballet in New York City.

The rats or mice dancers in action.

 

 

 

 

 

7 dancer in dress rehearsal  for the Nutcracker Ballet

New York Baroque Dance Company

One of the first companies for which I created masks. They are now an over 20-year-old company and still use the Commedia dell'Arte masks in their shows. These are some photos from their productions. www.nybaroquedance.org

masques on the front and back of the headArlecchino dancing with 3 others

Dottore three leg dancingNew York Baroque Dance Company

Arlecchinette in costume
Bottom Left - The Three Legged Dance Lazzi

Theatre Sanez, NY dance theater. Alaskan bone mask for the show Bones.

"Bones" covers just the mouth and nose"Bones" front view of the Mask


The Bouffon Glass Menajoree with Lynn Berg, Audrey Crabtree & Aimee German. Director Eric Davis. Art Direction Bram Muller.

Custom made "little masks": gross, perky and sensual nipples created out of a new prosthetic rubber. You will have to go to the show in order to see them on "Laura", actress Audrey Crabtree.

Audrey Crabtree wearing custom nipples
dragon skin nipple

This hysterical show continues to be book. They have performed in the Minnesota Fringe Festival and the UK.

silicon rubber sculpted nipple

Photographs from Roving Classical Commedia University* (*Totally Unaccredited) Intensive at the Celebration Theater Barn, Maine

Arlequin & Brighella tied together Capitano sitting down
Pantalone clapping female servant not happy Capitano speaking

Masks in Films Top of the Page
If you need original custom masks or to rent masks for your film, Mask Arts Company would be happy to work with you. Here are a few films Mask Arts Company has provided masks for.

Photographs from the film "Magic Helmet" directed by "Gaetano Crupi Jr." Machina Pictures, they rented these masks for the film.

Magic Helmet film photo of woman in red wearing a special mask Magic Helmet photo of women in a dottore mask

Magic Helmet film photo of man in black mask 3 people in the film Magic Helmet

group photo from the film Magic Helmet


5 characters holding spears - film "Understudy"
This photo is from the film "Understudy" directed by David Conolly which is now being edited. "Understudy" rented 18 different masks for the film .

Kerry Knowlton's Wrestling Film "Hell Cage"
For "Hell Cage", Director Kerry Knowlton's wrestling film I designed and created this mask for the film. The film is now being edited. Once the film opens you will be able to buy copies of this mask.

Silver science fiction mask
These two masks were made for a low budget science fiction movie.
Wrestling Button Commedia dell Arte Button Custom Masks & Props Button Masks for Theatre Dance Film Productions Button Masks Props for Fashion Photo Shoots Art & 9/11 Button Teaching  Workshops Directing  Plays Acting Button Links Friends & Judiaca Button Custom Clown Noses Button

To place an order, questions, other information or to be put on the e-mail list for newsletters and announcements Click Below

Contact Stanley Allan Sherman - Mask Arts Company
212-255-2882: 203 West 14th St Studio 5F, New York NY 10011-7138


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