Can you image John Lennon without his signature glasses? I am sure it was Clark Kent’s glasses that fooled Lois Lane all those years. Besides serving as a “disguise” glasses denote time period, fashion sense, and personality. Tina Fey said when interviewed by Alice Gomstyn for ABC News the glasses were the key to her ultra successful Sarah Palin impersonation, “I think the glasses was ninety-seven percent of it.”

Our “Secret” Resource for Character Glasses

When Tina Fey arrived on set to play Sarah Palin, a perfect set of glasses with her prescription was waiting with her costume. Not many Costumers get the budget to provide custom prescription eyeglasses, but local eye-wear shop could be your new best friend.  An optical  shop loaned us glasses frames for years as a community service and for program credit plus comp tickets. Check in with your local shop and see if this arrangement would work for them too.

Create a Supply of Stock Glasses

As Costumers, we all travel the Thrift -Vintage -Antique store  circuit in search of costumes. We also love garage sales and Dollar stores. All of these places are a great resource for inexpensive glasses to add to your stock.

When shopping don’t pass over a great pair of sunglasses or worry about the prescription, because all you really need is the frames. We have learn how to carefully pop-out lenses over the years as the glare from the lenses is often distracting on stage.

Start adding to your eyeglasses collection today! The next time you have to put an actor in “disguise” you’ll be glad to have the perfect pair on hand.