Interview with Wigmaster and Author Daniel Townsend

One of the things I have wanted to do with the blog is interview some people who are in creative fields. I am honored to share this first experience with my friend Daniel Townsend.

Daniel is a hardworking and loyal husband, dad of three young daughters (including twins!), and wig master. He has worked in theater in the United States and overseas. For several years, he was the Wigmaster at the popular A Christmas Carol annual production at the Cincinnati Playhouse.

From that experience he went on to write A Mouthful of Goose: Backstage Stories from A Christmas Carol. He has a new book coming out from Routledge which will be focused on teaching makeup and wigs skills in an academic setting.

Here is our conversation:*

Christopher: What do you enjoy about makeup and wigs?
Daniel: My favorite thing about working with wigs and makeup is the artistry of the craft. Selecting the right color blends that go into making a wig is an exciting first step in the making of a wig. It is important to create realism when making wigs, so hair choices are very important.

I have always felt like styling wigs is akin to sculpture. The 3-dimensional quality of hair is a perfect representation of sculpting any other medium.

The same (rule of realism) holds true for makeup. I specialize in theatrical makeup, and it always feels as though I’m painting on a textured canvas. The face is just like any surface and makeup is like paint.

C: How did you get started in this field?

D: I attended undergrad at the University of Kentucky. At first, I studied fine art, but one semester I took a theatre class and loved it. After changing majors, I took an emphasis in costume design. While taking the basic stage makeup class, I noted how much I enjoyed makeup and my teacher saw that I had a talent for it.

Once I graduated, I went to the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music to get a masters in wig and makeup design (MFA Make-Up and Wig Construction and Design) . My whole journey is a long series of events that, as I look back, shows God’s hand at work.

C: You have a book coming out from Routledge. What has been the best part of the publishing process?
D: The best part of the writing process is having my part of the project complete.

My book “Foundations of Stage Makeup” is a textbook but it also included a video component. Having the various elements complete and the book finally off to the copywriters and editors is a great feeling. The anticipation of getting my first proof copy is exhilarating.

C: What parts were rough, or did you have a hard time with before getting the done? What did you dislike the most about the process?

D: What I disliked most about the process was coordinating the photography and the video shoots with models’ availability. I think it boils down to timelines.

Toward the end of the writing process I had several deadlines that forced me to stay up late and work quickly. I don’t like to be rushed on projects. At the beginning of last year, I really tried to be on top of the work and space it out. However, with the birth of our babies (the twins were born in 2018) it became difficult to meet the deadlines.

C: You are a stay at home dad who writes and teaches (When I asked Daniel this question I didn’t know he had quit his teaching job to focus on the full-time job of being a dad. He still has experience in this area and had some valuable things to say. Formerly, he taught classes at University of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky University). 

How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance and still manage to find time to create?

D: The reality is that with the birth of our twins I ended up quitting my teaching jobs to stay home with our three girls. It made the most sense instead of figuring out childcare. So now my work is to fully be home. I guess you could say my work and life are in balance.

As for creating, it’s actually very difficult to fit it in right now. I’m currently working on a set of children’s books but it’s hard to find the time to work on the illustrations. Usually I (must) wait until everyone is in bed or the girls are napping.

C: What brings you joy and gives you energy?

D: A couple things really bring me joy and energize me. The first is when my wife takes a day off work. I love spending time with her running errands, talking, and going to breakfast. During her maternity leave last year, the Lord really drew us closer than ever. Now those times where we get to hang out really excite me.

The second thing that brings me joy is creating using art. I’m having so much fun drawing the illustrations for my next project. Drawing, painting, making and styling a wig, these creative outlets make me happy and I find real joy in them.

C: How would you describe yourself?

D: I am an ambitious person by nature. I love to think and plan out projects to work on, and there is no better satisfaction than completing a project which has taken so much energy. To truly step back and see what it is I have made. I believe in creating we as humans exhibit God’s first displayed characteristic in the Bible. It’s through creating that we can emulate the artistic nature of our Creator.

Finally, nothing I do would ever get done without my wife to spur me on. Having an accountability partner, whether a spouse or friend, is key to being successful in any area of life. My life and work are no exceptions. Jessica keeps me focused on my goals and helps motivate me when it’s crunch time.

C: Anything else you would like to add?

D: I think that’s it. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to talk about this topic.

C: This was all great stuff, thanks so much for sharing!

You can find Daniel’s Twitter feed here and his YouTube channel here.

*This conversation happened via text over a couple of days and has been edited, with Daniel’s permission, for clarity.