Melanie Dahling embodies the proverbial wearer of many hats. The Winnipeg comedian, writer, actress, playwright and radio host recently added makeup artist to her ever-growing array of figurative chapeaus.

“I’ve always done makeup for fun,” Dahling says. “My friends were always like, ‘Can you do my makeup for this thing?’ I eventually realized that I didn’t want to have a day job. I found that with comedy and acting, I wasn’t working to the best of my abilities. So this will give me a little freelance-type career in makeup artistry.”

Dahling hopes her new vocation will free up time for her many creative projects. In addition to her new radio show, Grand Larsony with co-host Dwayne Larson, she’s also finishing up directing a short film and taking improv training. These are new entries on an already lengthy resume which includes her Winnipeg Theatre Fringe Festival shows Dirty and True and Biggest Little Child Star.

Dahling’s home in the West Broadway neighbourhood, which she moved into this past summer, is pulling double duty as a studio for many makeup school photoshoots.

This is the first place she’s lived without her mom, but she insists she still feels close to home.

“My mom moved four minutes away from me,” she admits. “We have a very codependent relationship.”

 

1) Chair

“This is my favourite chair. It’s actually my roommate’s and she wanted to throw it out, but I refused to let her. We just got a new cushion for it.”

 

2) Photo collage

“I always feel like, as a performer, I haven’t really accomplished anything. So I printed out photos from all the different things that I’ve done. So every day I’m like, ‘Hey, you’ve actually been really busy for the past few years.’”

 

3) Sweet Valley High board game & TV/VHS combo

“I lived at home up until this summer. This is my first place. So everything is the way I would have wanted it to be when I was 16 and was like, ‘I’m gonna move out in two years!’ Even though it never happened.”

 

4) Radio/cactuses/record player area

“I like this little ‘We live in an Urban Outfitters’ area. It’s cute, I guess. I bought this radio in a vintage shop in The Exchange when I was 14.”

 

5) Posters

"These posters are by the artist Matea Radic. One is based on a stand-up bit by Chantel Marostica about gay fashion culture. The other is for Biggest Little Child Star."

Published in Volume 70, Number 6 of The Uniter (October 15, 2015)