Pack it Up: Showgirl Necessities

A great way to bond in the dressing room is to have something you can share. Ol' broads, new performers, traveling showgirls all want to make friends in the dressing room. Someone always forgets something. You want to be remembered by your colleagues and producers as being great backstage.


Here's my list for the most requested/forgotten items that someone needs in the dressing room.

1. Pastie adhesive: tape, spirit gum, medical adhesive
2. Eyelash glue
3. Safety pins
4. Body glitter
5. Hair spray
6. Lady supplies: usually tampons but pantyliners and pads are not uncommon
7. Scissors
8. Pain reliever: aspirin, acetaminophen
9. Bobby pins
10. Food: energy bar, tiny bag of nuts, Snickers, fruit leather
11. Bandaid

I suggest you label containers of stuff that you want back so they don't get permanently rehomed.

If you're a producer or troupe leader, you may consider adding these to your list of necessities:

• Extra fishnets or pantyhose
• Spare single-use pasties
• Break & use ice pack
• Needles & thread
• Black duct tape
• Spare eyelashes

Lili vonSchtupp at the Monday Night Tease typically has a kit backstage that contains some of these items. She asks performers to throw in a couple bucks if they take the eyelashes or pasties so she can replace them.

If you wind up asking for someone to share supplies, be sure to thank the person for helping you out. We all forget something at some point. Don't let the rush of the moment make you come off as ungrateful.