La Sonya Gunter Shakes Up The Make-Up on Broadway

How do you transform one of America’s most beloved comedians into a drag queen? La Sonya Gunter, the make-up artist on Broadway’s Tony Award winning musical, Kinky Boots, can tell you how. She’s been doing it nightly since last November, turning Wayne Brady into the extravagant chanteuse, Lola.

“Wayne calls me “Angel Fingers,” she laughs. “He says I have a light touch when applying his makeup.

Applying skin prep, gluing the eyelashes and applying the make-up can take up to an hour, but when La Sonya’s at the brush, she can complete the job in less than 30 minutes.

“He is fearless and confident enough to know that when he steps out of the make-up chair as Lola, he will look fabulous because Lola is fabulous. Above all, he’s fun and that’s what makes my job the best on Broadway.”

Wayne’s is not the first man La Sonya’s turned into a drag queen. She worked on Billy Porter, the production’s original Lola. She also did make-up for the Broadway productions of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Hairspray. “And before that, when I worked retail, I made plenty of male clients into women,” she remembers.

So how did La Sonya find her way to the Great White Way stages? “I started as a performer,” she explains. Starring as Michelle in a production of Dream Girls, she watched how the makeup artist transformed her into character and she was amazed. “I was like, yeah, I wanna do that!”

Make-up is a tough business to break into, especially on Broadway where hair is the dominant skill. Usually if makeup is needed, the makeup designer for the show will come in and teach the actors the look they need for the character. It is only in specialty shows, such as Kinky Boots, that a professional makeup artist is required, and even then, companies will often find a person who can do both hair and makeup and split the track (industry word for job).

“I always advise make-up artists who want a career on Broadway to be versatile,” she continues. “It’s important to learn all aspects of the craft - even special makeup effects - and hair. I have a degree in fashion design so I draw and paint as well. It’s important to bring as many skills as possible and define your personal style. Mine is beauty with an edge of drama and glamour. When clients are looking for that simple, classic, timeless look with an added flair, they know to come to me.”

It’s also important to be open and flexible to new opportunities. You never know where they will come from she says. La Sonya got her big break on Wicked. “I did a fundraiser with a friend and I said, hey if you ever need any help with a project, let me know... and he did! I had no idea it would be for Wicked and that he was the makeup designer for the show! lol! It was fun but scary. A big learning experience.”

Being flexible helped her land one of her most important personal clients: Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Darlene Love. “The hair and makeup artist at Hairspray was out sick and I was asked to learn his track. I met Darlene Love there (she was playing the part of MotorMouth Mabel in the show) and we have been working together ever since.”

La Sonya’s mentors are Sam Fine and Kevin Aucoin. She finds inspiration in many things, but especially old movies from the forties, fifties and sixties and make up artists like Ben Nye, Max Factor and Alberto Di Rossi

When prepping for a job, she begins with research, collecting photos of the client to learn what they may or may not like, “and if they are receptive to trying something different then what they normally do.”

As far as grooming tips for the everyday women, La Sonya says it’s important that women do not over tweeze their brows. “Brows frame the face and sometimes they don’t grow back!” But most importantly, Some brows are not the same shape on both sides of the face. My favorite saying to tell my clients is “ They are sisters, not twins!”

Primer makes skin look like silk and it helps the wear of make-up. Concealer will get rid of dark circles and make a woman look refreshed. Mascara, false eyelashes and liquid eyeliner are essential when a woman wants to add a bit of drama to her look.

Eat right, exercise and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! “Too many people are walking around with skin that would look better on a pair of boots,” she says.

“Start taking care of your skin and your body at an early age. You will be thankful for it when you are older.”

Visit: @LaSonyaGunter & www.facebook.com/la.s.gunter