This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Brian Sedita: Hey everyone, welcome to Page to Stage. A conversation with theater makers. We're your hosts. That's Brian. And that's Mary. Join us as we focus the spotlight back on the theater maker to uncover their process. We speak with folks in the industry that often aren't heard from, such as stage managers, producers, crew members, marketing professionals, and everything in between. We hope you enjoy this episode.

[0:26] Devin Buchanan: Hi, my name is Devin Buchanan. I go by Devin Sparkles as my work name. And I do dressing, I decorate dressing rooms on Broadway.

[0:36] Brian Sedita: Welcome to Page to Stage. I'm so excited to have you today. When Mary at least sent me your Instagram, I just immediately said we need to try and get him on the podcast because it's just such a cool thing that you do. And I'm so excited to get into your process a little more in depth.

[0:53] Devin Buchanan: Thank you. Yeah, I feel this is a grounding experience because I feel a little out of body while I'm doing it. I'm like, I can't believe I get to do this. I can't believe I get to like make nice backstage in these historic theaters.

[1:05] Brian Sedita: What was your background before starting to do this avenue of design? Were you an interior designer? Did you go to school for that? Set dressing?

[1:15] Devin Buchanan: Um, I didn't. I have a background. Dance was my first love. I grew up a musical theater kid. I went to a performing arts high school and was on a fast track to go to performing arts college and then Broadway, chorus boy, like let's go. After high school, I didn't go to school. I went to Orlando and I still was dancing. I worked at Disney, which was until recently the coolest job I've had. After Disney, I made my way to New York, and then like a lot of performers, I just had a myriad of different jobs from nannying and SoulCycle and the bits. So I found myself doing like production work. At first, I just was like a set PA, and then I worked my way up a little bit. I found that I wanted to be in like the art department world.

So for the last like eight years, I've been doing like production set work, like set dressing, some cool stuff, some not, some just like, you know, commercials and nothing like ooh and awe. But last year I got to do like a Netflix set, like a comedy special that was really cool. But now with COVID protocols and stuff like that, I spent 17 hours on set with the masks and it just was like this isn't really what I want to do. Like, this is cool, this is fun, but like something felt like I was still missing. Then I had a friend that just was like DM'd me and was like, I'll backtrack a little bit. I am really OCD. My house has always been kind of staged. I've always been super into like making home in all of my apartments, so I kind of always had like that homebody aspect of like making nice at home.

I pretend that I'm Martha Stewart in my head. In addition to having like this production work I was doing, I was like, maybe I want to get into interior design. Like that seems like a cool world. It's also seemed like a little unattainable for someone that didn't go to school for it. It does feel like a rich person's need to have like an interior designer come in to like decorate your nursery. Like for me, I mean, I grew up in North Carolina. We didn't have a budget for an interior designer that wasn't a roster of the help we were hiring at the house. So I started mentoring with a designer, Mike Harrison. He now does like nomadic design where he like lives in this space while he's decorating it and travels the world.

It's super cool. He hasn't paid rent in like two years. He's like living in it and doing it. But before that, he used to do exactly this like Broadway dressing rooms, he's done the greats. He did Ashley Park and Patti LuPone, and he's done Sierra Boggess and Josh Groban, like his list goes on and on and on. I started working with him pre-pandemic and then through the pandemic, just doing like small apartment stuff, nothing on Broadway, but small turnkey designs in like studio apartments and stuff around New York.

[4:13] Brian Sedita: How did you get connected with him?

[4:16] Devin Buchanan: I was drunk and I DM'd him.

[4:18] Brian Sedita: Amazing. I love those stories.

[4:20] Devin Buchanan: I just was like, you know what? And I was like, hi, my name is Devin, and I really like your work, and I have a background in theater, and I really admire what you do. And he literally was like, Great, I could use help this date, this time. And for the first like 10 times working with him, it was like normal assistant work, which I was prepared for, but it was a lot of breaking down of cardboard boxes and a lot of like bring this up, bring this down, and he'd send me off shopping. But it was I was learning, I was watching him and I was studying him, I was absorbing like a sponge. And he would invite me to like Housing Works, like design events and networking people. Like he really was the butterfly.

I give him all my flowers. He is the butterfly effect that has helped me get into this. He got a phone call asking to do Billy Crystal's dressing room. He was working actually in London at the time, so he wasn't even in the city, and he said, No, I can't do it, but my assistant probably wants to do it. And yeah, I did. So my very first dressing room was Mr. Saturday Night for Billy Crystal earlier this year.

[5:25] Brian Sedita: Okay, yeah, that was one of my questions, actually. So since we're on that, do you mind maybe walking us through what that experience was like? I mean, since that was your first one, your mentor was overseas, but I'm sure it still accessible as needed. But what was that experience like getting to know like Billy and all that stuff?

[5:41] Devin Buchanan: Um, it is so it's pretty different show to show. I didn't get to work with Billy. I worked through a producer, which that was actually the biggest challenge because they're like Billy, you know, I've obviously Billy's an American icon, like I knew who he was, I was so excited, but also like he's like an old white guy, and that's literally what they're like his they're like, what's his style? Like, what's his aesthetic like? Does he like this? And they're like, um, he's just like a dude. Like, I don't know, just like make it nice. Like he wants a bed, he wants a nice bed. So I didn't really know where to go with it. So let's break it down like for the full process. So the producers call you, you have a meeting with them. Do you get to see the space first, or are you just given pictures?

[6:29] Devin Buchanan: Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I see the room the day of the install, and I'm like, oh, it's smaller than I thought, or it's much larger than I thought, and I don't have enough stuff. But for the first one, I did get a walkthrough. I took my pictures, I felt like I had my fake it till you make it hat on. I had my questions, my measuring tape, my sketchbook. I was like, let's go. What about this wall? What about this? What do you need here? Like, what's his aesthetic? Like, I felt like I was prepared, and then I got home. I was like, How do I do that?

[7:00] Brian Sedita: You walking in there alone, or do you have an assistant helping you?

[7:04] Devin Buchanan: I was alone. It was me, the producer, and the company manager. And then because I'm non-union, there's also like the head of house props. Because I, it's also a thing I've learned about this. I can't physically do anything in the room because I'm non-union.

[7:21] Brian Sedita: Oh, so it extends beyond the stage in the theater.

[7:26] Devin Buchanan: It extends to the backstage area. The prop house is in charge of like hanging a shelf or building the IKEA bench, or like I can do some stuff like fluffing the pillows and you know, zhuzhing, general zhuzhing, but like hanging a curtain rod or like hanging a light sconce, like that all has to be done by the in-house people. Which Mike Mike Harrison like warned me of and taught me beforehand. He was like, which I'm so grateful for because I like my naive ass would have just been like go into town and like ruined a reputation that I didn't even have yet. And they were like, who is this kid that they let in here? And so I knew like bring your painter's tape because you're gonna want to mark on the wall, like where things go, and like make sure you're not like it's because I am a doer and a hands-body person, like that's kind of a challenge, and I do feel like a diva. I'm just like, like that goes there. Can you just, you know, like a little this way?

[8:25] Brian Sedita: Um, so is there the potential to join a union?

[8:30] Devin Buchanan: There is. I think for right now, I'm kind of in a good wave of it because I'm able to like jump from show to show quickly. I work for my, you know, I'm they're outsourcing to me, so I can name my own price. I do my own shopping. So I think I'd have to go through a lot more hoops, which has its own benefits. But I think for I just said this past Saturday celebrated one year of Devin Sparkles Designer. So I think for the first year, I'm just gonna let that I'm just I'm not sure yet. Maybe that's right.

[9:05] Brian Sedita: Fair, totally fair. No, I just wasn't sure if that was like even an option. I know I do feel like a little HGTV diva where there's she's like, So I installed this kitchen, and I'm like, no, you didn't. They're a team of people behind you. Um, but that's now me. I'm like posting all these photos. I'm like, look at my room. And like I wasn't allowed to touch any of this.

[9:25] Devin Buchanan: Wait, but now I kind of want an HGTV series.

[9:27] Brian Sedita: Oh my god, I can't even say HGTV series on this.

[9:31] Devin Buchanan: I do too. I mean, I get three hours in the room, and it's so yeah, from a timeline perspective, when you brought on to the conversation, when are you actually looking at it, designing it? How much time do you have? And then when is it actually being done? Is it during the load-in process? Because I would imagine that's such a crazy time at the theater.

[9:53] Devin Buchanan: Ideally, it's like right around load-in time, so that they're already moving stuff in. They schedule like what their production schedule when they can spare bodies, when it's not like a big build day, maybe it's like a light delivery day or you know, stuff like that. You know, and I did Billy Crystal's and I did Beanie Feldstein's for Funny Girl. It was right, it was all before the show opened, which gave me more time and then more flexibility of when I can get in and like not you know, frustrate their what they actually have to do of putting on this show, not worrying about the I it's really the like cherry on the icing, the fact that these dressing rooms that are only seen by the actors and like the back of the stage, back of house people get to see that.

So I'm low on their list, and I really get that, and it's I think it's humbling to know my place on the I'm not like, what do you mean I can't deliver my couch today? Like we're building benches like for the set.

[10:50] Brian Sedita: Um now in the case of Lea Michelle, I mean she was a replacement jumping in after Beanie. So in her case, the show's happening. What when are you going?

[11:01] Devin Buchanan: Uh, we painted, I didn't get to I thankfully because I already knew the room, I didn't need to like do a walkthrough. I was like, I got it. Which was nice nice with Lea is she had picked her paint color for the wall because the theater paints it. Which gave me like a writing prompt almost. So when I did get to talk to her, she was like, Oh, I've already picked this deep ink blue wall. And I was like, Great, we're running with that. Like, I'm not buying a blue chair to go with your blue wall. Like, cool. That one was like three weeks. So they knew they were like, she was still in rehearsals, but the install time, like they painted on a Monday. Tuesday, you know, Julie went in and the show was on.

And I think she just had like a shitty dressing room for two days. And then I went on a Wednesday right before Lea's, like I actually flew to Hawaii the next day. So I had to get in before her debut. They were like, we can just do it the day before. And I was like, I'm not available after the third. So that one was like a one day like I shopped for like two weeks, but then I it was just a three hour install.

[12:12] Devin Buchanan: Recently, so sorry. To date, I've done eight dressing rooms, but I've done five the last three weeks. So my skew has been very like, which is mean the turnarounds like I did I learned that I was doing a dressing room on a Sunday and I installed it on Friday. I learned I was doing a dressing room on a Tuesday and I installed it the next Tuesday. So some of them are now that I've kind of gotten my rhythm down a little bit, I understand the rooms. I'm starting to like hoard stuff and keep on stuff. Like maybe I will keep three floor-length mirrors in the basement of my building. Some I will I buy floor length mirrors for every one of these dressing rooms. So maybe I should just start keeping some of this stuff, which helps me like not have to wait for shipping and stuff like that. So it really depends.

[13:03] Brian Sedita: What happens to all of the furniture and mirrors when somebody leaves a show and now their room is being redone or a show closes?

[13:12] Devin Buchanan: So in the case of Beanie, for example, what happened to all the stuff that was in her room? It really is a trickle-down effect. She gets first dibs if she wants anything. And then I, you know, I don't know who's next to line of that, but I would, you know, the dressers get asked and the stage hands and the people that work backstage, and then I was asked if there was anything I wanted. And then when I was loading in Lea, they were loading what wasn't wanted onto a truck that gets donated to Housing Works.

[13:40] Devin Buchanan: So it's kind of like I don't know, as any other person who's moving out of their apartment and they're like, I'm getting rid of everything. I'm going to take what you can, and what you don't take, it gets donated. Um, so I kept a little piece from the Billy dressing room, just a piece of art and from the Beanie dressing room. My husband's like, we can't like hoard. We live in Brooklyn. We can't like keep everything. I'm not like, here's a lamp from Lea Michelle. Like, I'm not keeping like everything, but I'm trying to keep little totems from the rooms if they're available and offered to me.

[14:15] I love that. And I love the fact that you were able to do the same dressing room. That felt cool. Because it was like kind of like full circle almost. So how did you get connected with Leah? Was it like the show recommending you to her? What I'm realizing is my best friends are the company managers because they're all friends with each other and they know what the producers are asking, they know what the actors are asking, they know what the budgets are all working, which also vary. Um, so the company managers are really like where I'm getting my like those are my bestie circles.

[14:51] Um, it was I knew Beanie was leaving, but it was only rumored to be Lea Michelle. It's like end of June, and I was like, I know what that room looks like, and it is lavender purple, and it's a wall full of her family members. So they're probably gonna change it. I know they're gonna change it. Whoever it is, they're gonna change it. So I emailed and was like, hi, thanks for having me. Congrats on the run of the show. Um, offering my services, like kind of like a little sugary and cheesy, but genuine. I was just like offering my services.

[15:26] And then I didn't hear anything for like 13 weeks had gone by, and then I was sitting in the barber and I got an email from the company manager who was like, Hey Devin, as you've no doubtly heard, Leah's taking over. Uh, and I like started shaking in the barber chair. The guy was like, Hey man, you alright? And I was like, Yeah, I'm good. Just like because I'd only done two, and at this point's August. And I was like, that was cute. I did what's cooler than doing one Broadway dressing room? Doing two. What's cooler than doing two? Doing nothing all summer long and feeling like, all right, well, that was fun. Like, I kind of felt like it was just that quick flash. Like, I did it and now what?

[16:05] Um, and then yeah, the company manager asked, and I got connected with Leah, and she couldn't have been nicer. And her design was really fun because she wanted this really like moody, smoky jazz lounge. She even said in an email, I want it to look like something Barbara would sit in and have a scotch. So we had like a record player with vintage records I found for her, of like Ella Fitzgerald doing Gershwin hits and original Dreamgirls, of course, and of course a Barbara album. So that one was fun because she let me like play into the role, which not every actor does.

[16:41] Like some actors want it to be their oasis, but like Leah wanted it to be like an extension of Fanny, and like Soleia Pfeiffer in Almost Famous definitely wanted her dressing room to be like a big extension of Penny. Like, she's like, I want to feel like Penny when I'm in the room, so that is Penny Lane's dressing room. What are all the ones you've done recently? Because since I've messaged you on Instagram, I don't even know how long ago this was at this point. You had like three come out like right away.

[17:08] Uh, Drew Galen on Almost Famous on a Thursday, then I did both dressing rooms at Top Dog for Corey Hawkins and for Yaya um that Friday. Then the following Friday, I did Soleia Pfeiffer's in Almost Famous, and then the music director in Almost Famous, Brian Perry also reached out to have his room done, um, which I'm still kind of in the works in. We're doing a sofa swap. I emailed production today, and they're like, um, we're in the thick of it. We have invited dress on Saturday. Can we do this month? And they're so nice. They're like, does Monday work for your schedule? And I'm like, I yeah, like open your brand new Broadway show, please. I will chill with your couch and come deliver it on another day.

[17:51] So you don't have to get specific with this kind of answer because I'm sure that it's better to keep things anonymous for some of this. Um, I'm just curious if you are tuned into the conversations of which actors, or in you know, in this case, music director, which people in the building are going to have their dressing rooms designed by you. And how that, yeah, just how that goes down. And is it ever being paid for by the actor?

[18:27] Yes. Um, I think originally that this was like, at least from what I've heard from Mike, is that's how it always was for a long time. Like he got into it because he was friends with Leslie Odom and Hamilton, like personal friends, and he was like, Hey, I'm about to do this new show. Will you zhuzh my room up for me? And Mike was already doing interior design, and then that just like launched Broadway dressing rooms being done by Mike Harrison Art. Um, so yes, the actors do pay for it themselves. That music director is paying for it himself.

[19:05] In the case of like Top Dog Underdog, there's only two actors, two understudies, so there's like more room for a budget, and it's like obvious, like these there's two stars, like you know, the whole show is kind of like it just like makes sense, like give them their star dressing rooms. Billy Crystal thing kind of same thing, like that was his show. Like, they put a gym in the basement of the Nederlander for him. I've never seen anything like it before, like a full on Elton bike and mirrored walls and everything. Like I didn't know that. Like, all right, Billy, Mr. Crystal, I see you.

[19:34] Um, and I think it depend, you know, uh every every like Jane Lynch's room was done. It wasn't, I don't know who by who, but it definitely like was cute and aesthetic. Um, so I think it depends on the actor and if they have a relationship with someone, if they want to put their own money into it. I think some of these seasoned actor vets, like I saw Shoshana Bean's dressing room, and it was gorgeous. She did it herself though, because she's done this a few times. She probably knows what she wants in there and how to kind of like make that happen.

[20:09] What I'm realizing is it's definitely a perk from the producers to do for the actors. Like, we're gonna throw a little extra money at this part of it for you. Like, what are your wishes and needs? Like, we'll make you know, and it definitely comes in at the last, like the hot hour of like they're not thinking about this in rehearsals or you know, tech week or anything that they're like opening in two weeks, they're like, Oh, I mean, because these dressing, these buildings are old and they're gross and the walls are crooked.

[20:37] Like, if you've ever rented a New York City apartment, like that's what Broadway looks like backstage. Like, all of the money is in the house, but like backstage is like it's like gross half bathrooms and like little doo-doo showers that you don't want to take a shower in, and like so I think putting this again, showing my southern, putting the lipstick on these pig dressing rooms is really helpful, I think, for some of these actors.

[21:05] Because you said you have like a quick turnaround for most projects, most gigs. What does that process look like after you leave like the first tour of this, the walkthrough of the space or after you like have had the first conversation? What are your go-tos, especially since you're like in New York, you know, and probably ordering things online? Is that like really feasible for a quick turnaround, or are you like outsourcing or sourcing things like in actual shops?

[21:31] My true, my secret sauce, and I don't know if I should say it for my first time, but I'm gonna say it anyway. First of all, because also like when I first did Billy, like shipping earlier this year was like a nightmare. Like even Amazon was like delayed, and everything was late. So I did a lot of Billy's shopping in person, home goods. Uh, his story, he did have a funny story. So he really wanted a they all it's always about the sofa. Obviously, it's eight shows a week, you're gonna nap, you live at this theater. I get that. He wanted like a real like pull-out, like queen mattress, like what your mom has in the basement for your friend sleep over, like a big sofa.

[22:08] Now, given the shipment, the time frame, and the budget, the only place I could find that that was in stock was an IKEA in Long Island. So I took my Honda CRV and I drove and bought this couch at this IKEA in Long Island, and I was so proud of myself. It was snowing. I got it onto the roof of my car. I tied it all up with the shitty little white twine that they give you at IKEA. And then this was something that Mike hadn't warned me of that I didn't realize, which is scheduling to go to the theater, like giving crew 24-hour call if like something's coming in. Didn't know that.

[22:43] So I have I'm standing in the parking lot after the stress of trying to get it loaded on the car by myself. That was its own first panic attack. Now it's on the roof, and I call the company manager and I'm like, I'm 45 minutes out, I'm bringing the couch. And he's like, You can't bring the couch. Like now, I can't just like tell the guys a couch is coming. And I was like, but it's snowing and it's cardboard and like it won't survive the night. Like, and this was half my budget. I was like, I was like, it has to come.

[23:10] He was like, All right, we'll figure it out. So I just drove it, drove it into the city. There's a bunch of grumpy old stage men just like standing on the street, like, what are you doing? And then I like came out and I was like, Look, I'm sorry, this is not ideal. I don't mean to disrespect your time. I'm new to this. And they're the one guy was like, I'm just surprised you're alive. You drove from Long Island like this, and they snipped it and they moved it in. And then they bitched about me sitting in an IKEA couch to try and squeeze into this tiny dressing room.

[23:37] But when I my process, that I just that story just like caused so much. I was like shaking driving there. I was like, because it was like moving and winding on top of the thing. I was like, this will never happen again. Even a Christmas tree. I'm like, no, no, no, no, no. That's so stressful. Like, I don't exude the most masculine energy that I can lift a sofa and then like trust myself to secure it to a moving vehicle down the highway. Don't know what I was thinking. But and then snow, and then snow on top of that.

[24:09] But my process today is very um, I walk through, I do ask the actor like what their wish lists are, like, kind of how do you want to feel in there? Everyone wants some plants in there, most people want a bar cart or something to put their snacks and their throat coats and like you know, storage. And then I always try to give like a fierce little bougie chair, like actor chair. So I like to like, if I was on Broadway, like I would want to sit in like a chair, like not a like a DMV chair, like a chair.

[24:42] Um, I do so I try to get most of my big shopping, like my chairs and my sofas from Amazon. Um, I have spent so much money on Amazon this year, they emailed me and made me a business account, which was great because now I get faster shipping and they're cheaper. I'm really not trying to push like corporate the man Amazon, but for my little my tiny little business on my bushbook apartment, it is very helpful. There's like three home goods I like around the city um for like the smaller stuff, like fill pillows or throws and stuff like that.

[25:14] Housing Works is a great um resource also for like dressing stuff of like frames or cool art because you can get like a huge canvas for with like something abstract or funky for not you know not what you're gonna pay. Like I'm trying to give West Elm but pay like goodwill dollars. Um, like I was installing the Leah dressing room, and I was like, every single thing in this dressing room is from Amazon and Home Goods, and they're like, Does she know that? And I was like, no, but that's the point. She's not sp like it should look more elevated than that.

[25:45] And that's I think in my toot my own horn, but that's what I've been able to do is like it doesn't have to be expensive to look expensive, is trying is like my new little catchphrase I'm trying to catch on. And for our listeners right now, we're gonna obviously link your Instagram in our show notes, but like I really want our listeners to this is such this is a very visual conversation for an audio platform, but I just need everyone to go look at your Instagram because it's they're stunning and they're all so different, right?

[26:16] And so I'm curious with like, are there any either consistent or very differing aesthetic vibes that you get from these actors or the music director, and like how you balance that. Obviously, I have no interior design experience. So, like, if I had to design something that was opposite or not even close to like my own aesthetic, I think I would have a really hard time trying to like kind of be unbiased in a way and like go in fully diving into that vibe that's so different from my own.

[26:50] So I'm curious as to like how you navigate that. I'm the type of person, like if you ask me what kind of music I like, I'm like, oh my god, I like everything. And I know like people are like, oh shut up, you don't like everything. And no, I don't like everything, but I really do. I grew up in country, I like I love musicals, I love rap, I love hip hop, I love all the pop, I love the dance. Like, I like all the music, and like that's how I feel about interior design.

[27:12] Devin Buchanan: Like, I like all these different aesthetics, they're not always mine. Like, I'm not gonna paint my wall burnt orange, but like Soleya did, and then like I got to go play in that world of like I'm not the biggest fan of macrame and like super boho, you know, anthropology vibes, but that's kind of what we were going for. So I got to like run down that road as if it were mine. Like, well, I would want like a cool Turkish lamp, and I would want like lacy lavender, like I don't know. I kind of put on like maybe that's the former actor in me, but like I put on the little like how I would want to feel in that room.

[27:55] Devin Buchanan: Well, it's like you're putting on a character for each room, right? So you're like it's different persona almost. Lea Michelle's was the most fun because it I mean, she has four giant black and white prints of Barbara's dry stand that are from her personal collection that she handed to me at the stage doors. It's like you can just leave them at the theater, I'll be there in a week. And she was like, No, they're like important. Then I didn't know what I was getting handed. And so then it's me holding like four variant sizes of black and white frames on the subway, just like don't drop them, obviously. Cause I can't just like I can't go to Amazon or Home Goods to replace these. Like these are the nice pieces in the room.

[28:31] Devin Buchanan: This is um, but that one was fun because I knew what the world was. Like I obviously was a fan of the show and like obviously a fan of Barbara Streisand. So like that one was cool just to like play in that world of like really amping up the jazzy, like kind of vibes and loungy vibes. What I find so interesting to this versus like interior design for my bedroom is just the fact that it can serve so many different purposes for that person. They need to be able to take a rest in there between shows. They need to be able to get into whatever energy they need before the show. They need to be able to sometimes host if they're having guests. I don't know how much they're doing that now nowadays with COVID backstage. But more, like more than when they were, you know, previously, like definitely. And you know, a place to just feel some type of way.

[29:24] Devin Buchanan: So there's so much uh creativity that goes into it. And it must be fun for the person on the other end. In such a small space though. I think the small spaces are also another one of my secret sauces. I had like one of the dressing rooms at Top Dog um was pretty big, and like as I was like installing it, it was like it wasn't filling as quickly as I wanted. It didn't look as finished as I wanted it to. Um, and we didn't even get to hanging the light fixtures, so I didn't get to photograph it at the time. Uh, but it the bigger, you know, green roomy size dressing rooms, if you will, are a little challenging for me because they're just bigger, like I thrive a little bit on the tiny spaces.

[30:07] Devin Buchanan: I've lived in New York almost 10 years. I've had this Hell's Kitchen Studio apartment. I know, like, all right, you have to sleep here and then hosts over there, and then if I want to turn around and brush my teeth, and then I want to stand up and I have storage, like I don't know. It's fun, it's fun to like put on like also like my little mama bear hat of like, well, they're gonna need a robe and they're gonna need slippers and they need a proper trash can and they need storage for their script and script rewrite. So like I try to think of because some of the act the company managers will offer the actor the money. Like, here's three thousand dollars, but they're gonna buy like a couch and a TV and not be like, well, I want a rug and lights or like the you know, the zhuzh, the fluffy stuff, the kind of like the details I think that make it make it not feel like work, make you feel like you're a tiny little apartment at the backstage.

[31:00] Devin Buchanan: Looking forward to you know, new projects and new adventures. Um, are you sticking with more of the Broadway? Are you still into doing anything on the you know, TV film world?

[31:13] Devin Buchanan: I am not at a place of saying no. I'm saying yes to it all. As it comes across my way, I've still got great contacts um in the art world, like in the art TV world. Is it a thing to kind of direct dress dressing rooms like it like it is on Broadway, like with trailers?

[31:33] Devin Buchanan: Um I've done I've done like three celebrity interviews where you know, like they're in frame, but behind them's like a cute something, but it's like a blur. I've done a few of those.

[31:45] Devin Buchanan: You've done a few cute somethings.

[31:47] Devin Buchanan: Two cute something. I did on like Andre Leontali's interview for um uh Apple TV has a show called Deer, and they do like Deer Letters. Um so I got to do like a set dressing with that one.

[31:59] Devin Buchanan: Um I did a Billy Porter interview as well under uh Jessica Smith, who is a actually a Disney friend of mine. We used to dance together back at Disney, and now she's like full-on art director boss, and so she brings she's brought me on as like an RPA for some of these stuff. Um, so I'm open to those. They're definitely like great experiences.

[32:21] Devin Buchanan: I learn a lot, I meet people. Um yeah, there's no no's. I'm not like, no, I'll pass. Like I was really overwhelmed doing five dressing rooms in two weeks, but that was what was going on, and like I just ran with it. And uh thankful for my husband who lets me uh just shove 50 boxes into our apartment and then drives me into midtown and then just takes because that's the other thing.

[32:48] Devin Buchanan: I drive my car in, and then I'm like, I want to go do this. I don't want to like worry about the car. So he just drops me off and then just drives the car away. So he's definitely a secret weapon. Uh he says he needs uh be uh a W9 employee for Devin Sparkles Designer, but we're not gonna be able to do it.

[33:04] Brian Sedita: Hey, no, that might be beneficial tax purposes for yourself.

[33:08] Devin Buchanan: Yeah, that's good.

[33:09] Mary Dina: That's Mary, do you want to move into our lightning round?

[33:12] Devin Buchanan: Yes, let's do it.

[33:13] Brian Sedita: Okay, Mary, kick us off.

[33:15] Mary Dina: What is one thing in the theater industry that confuses you?

[33:18] Devin Buchanan: Oh, what a great question. I understand a costume change, I understand a trapdoor, I understand space blocking, I understand a belt. I don't understand light and sound.

[33:28] Mary Dina: What are three adjectives that describe your ideal working environment?

[33:32] Devin Buchanan: Efficient, uh lighthearted, nothing's that serious. Like, I want to get the job done too, but we can have some. I'm a little bit of a goofball, so like a light lightheartedness.

[33:43] Devin Buchanan: Um respect. I have, I'm very new to this, and I've definitely had my normal human insecurities about doing this. Um, but I've just felt very respected and like welcomed um by every email interaction with the company manager, with the producer, with an actor, be it their first Broadway show or a highly anticipated Broadway debut. Um everyone's just been so like nice, which is like weird living in New York, if you know, you know, like everybody in the Broadway community, it really is uh it's a smaller world than I realize, which everyone says that about every the Hollywood's a small world.

[34:23] Devin Buchanan: I'm like, is it though? And then like, no, I guess no, it really is. Um, and everyone's just been really respectful, which has been really nice.

[34:30] Mary Dina: I love that.

[34:31] Mary Dina: Um, is there something in your process that you find unique to you?

[34:35] Devin Buchanan: I used to think my attention to detail was manic, but I think it's my magic. Manic's magic. That's my that's another working hashtag.

[34:44] Devin Buchanan: Um, I'm a very visual person. Like I can tell you a memory, I can see uh, you know, like where's the drawer? Where's the thing? I'm like open the right drawer, it's under the pad to the left. Like I can like just have that kind of visual brain.

[34:58] Devin Buchanan: So when I'm working in these rooms and planning them, I'm like, oh, there's that little half wall. It's gonna need something on it. Or like, oh, there's that like weird corner I have to work around that. And I can kind of like visually remember that as I'm shopping for the room.

[35:12] Mary Dina: Do you have any books, resources, podcasts that you find helpful to you in your process?

[35:17] Devin Buchanan: I definitely like try to keep up with like what's design trendy, uh like architectural digest. I love my Magnolia home and my HGD TV stuff. As far as like getting inspired visually, no, I still like look back at Mike's dressing room photos to see like his designs are a little more fuller, and he like I think just thought of more details than I have.

[35:38] Devin Buchanan: I try to keep um more of a blank space for the actors stuff to come in because they have so much, it just grows. Um, but I have been reading Bethany Frankel's book, Business is Personal.

[35:52] Devin Buchanan: Um, and that has been really helping me as someone that is doesn't think of themselves as a business person, but I'm trying to be. Um, and it's a lot about like believing in yourself and like knowing your worth and just kind of going for it.

[36:07] Devin Buchanan: Um, and staying true to yourself, which is literally on the cover of the book, which I've tried to like even in my name, Devin Sparkles, that's been my nickname since I was 12 years old.

[36:17] Devin Buchanan: Like it just seemed fitting to be like if you if you I've had people like, well, someone might not want like they might read Devin Sparkles design and think that you can only do frilly like girly sparkly stuff. They might not work, want to work with you. I'm like, that's fine.

[36:32] Devin Buchanan: Like, then you're probably not my client. And if and if you do go to my Instagram and look, like I can do the masculine stuff. Most of my clients have been straight men. In fact, like all of them, but two. So, like it I can do the like dude stuff while still wearing my pink and calling myself Debo Sparkles.

[36:50] Mary Dina: What is uh one job in the theater industry that you would trade jobs with for one week?

[36:54] Devin Buchanan: Uh stage manager. I think that is like the power of God, but not just like me stepping in today. Like I want to like uh absorb their brain power for the day. I want to like be a stage manager.

[37:05] Devin Buchanan: Like not just like I'm calling a show. How funny. No, I want to like know my shit. I want to be a good like that is or I think I'm organized. I think I'm like that is like I bow down.

[37:21] Mary Dina: What is one hobby you have outside of theater and designing rooms?

[37:27] Devin Buchanan: I'm a Disney adult. I really am um I have my best friend Ryan we met at Disney. She was a dance partner we we were literally dance partners. We like met at blocking for high school musical too.

[37:40] Devin Buchanan: Uh she was like hi I'm Devin I'm Ryan and she was she was like what uh what role are you? And I was like oh I'm surfer dude she kind of like made me made a face and I was like well what role are you? She was like cheerleader and I like made a face because she didn't look like a cheerleader and I didn't look like a surfer dude and we've been best friends for like 15 years.

[38:00] Devin Buchanan: But me and her two cousins are like Disney addicts so we're going in November we taught we have we're having a hocus pocus viewing party tomorrow night um so I'm I'm one of those nerds.

[38:12] Mary Dina: Okay our last question for you is what is the last great piece of theater that you've seen this might be silly Beetlejuice.

[38:19] Devin Buchanan: I saw I loved it so much I saw it twice. I'm a little bit nostalgic of these movie musicals especially because they're like movies I grew up I was born in 89 so like these are all my like early 90s movies that like I love seeing come to stage.

[38:32] Devin Buchanan: Um, I know there's other opinions on that, but like I love seeing it. And it was just so well done. The costumes, uh, Donnie Boswick and like the set design, like I loved it so much.

[38:42] Devin Buchanan: I was like, we have to go back. It was so cool. And I also like that it wasn't, it was a little adult. Like there was a little, there was some jok jokes and there was some like, and I liked it. It felt like art, it felt like theater, like New York y, not just like super like I love my Disney. I love my frozen, I love my Aladdin.

[38:59] Devin Buchanan: But like I like to also have like that kind of grunge, and like if it can sneak in and Beetlejuice, like that was really cool.

[39:06] Mary Dina: How can our listeners keep up with you on social media?

[39:10] Devin Buchanan: Name all the links. Um, I'm on Instagram at Devin Sparkles Designer. Um, and I am on TikTok as Devin Sparkles as well.

[39:20] Devin Buchanan: And I do I've been doing a few um TikToks where I like go shopping or like I try to try to remember to take videos during an install to kind of like see the process of like seeing backstage and stuff like that.

[39:32] Brian Sedita: Yeah, TikTok's actually where I found you.

[39:34] Devin Buchanan: Usually you popped up on my for you page, so that algorithm.

[39:38] Brian Sedita: That algorithm, thank you.

[39:40] Devin Buchanan: I feel uh I feel like uh I'm learning how to be a cool young kid again on the talk talks.

[39:47] Mary Dina: Well, I just got TikTok, so I have to go out of Google how to use a green screen.

[39:52] Devin Buchanan: I have to Google how to stitch. Like anytime I want, I'm like, oh, I'm gonna do that. And like I can't figure it out.

[39:56] Devin Buchanan: I have to like go Google it. It's a journey, but thank you.

[39:58] Brian Sedita: Thank you for this.

[39:59] Devin Buchanan: This was having it so much.

[40:01] Brian Sedita: This was yeah, this is so this was such a valuable episode for our listeners, and so like kind of off the beaten path, but something that's like so part of the theater that most people wouldn't think of.

[40:11] Mary Dina: So on brand for page to stage.

[40:12] Devin Buchanan: So thank you so much.

[40:14] Devin Buchanan: Off the beaten path a little bit, but I'll get you there.

[40:17] Mary Dina: Thank you so much.

[40:18] Mary Dina: Thanks everyone for listening to this episode of Page to Stage.

[40:22] Mary Dina: To keep up with us, you can find us on Instagram and Facebook at Page2Stage Podcast.

[40:26] Mary Dina: And if you're enjoying these conversations, we would really appreciate it if you could take a couple minutes to rate and review us wherever you're listening to this podcast.

[40:34] Mary Dina: Until next time.

[40:35] Brian Sedita: That's Brian.

[40:36] Mary Dina: That's Mary.

[40:37] Brian Sedita: We'll see you later.

[40:38] Mary Dina: Bye.