July 13--As lead makeup artist for a haunted house in the Chicago area, Stevie Calabrese is used to terrifying situations. Then she joined a reality TV show.
"This is a whole new ball game," Calabrese, 26, told the Tribune.
Calabrese, who lives in Round Lake, is one of 16 contestants in the makeup artist competition "Face Off," which premieres July 28 on the Syfy network. Each episode, artists are tasked with creating a science fiction or fantasy character with prostheses and special-effects makeup to match the theme of the challenge.
In the premiere episode, artists work in pairs to craft alien animals that incorporate two models. Special-effects artists who have worked on films including "Avatar" creature designer Neville Page, who grew up in Chicago, judge the transformations.
Calabrese said she's been working as a makeup artist for about three years. She's the lead makeup artist at The Realm of Terror, a haunted attraction in Round Lake Beach, and an instructor at Kosart Atelier, a special-effects arts school in Westmont.
Calabrese said her boss at Kosart Atelier, J. Anthony Kosar -- the Season 4 "Face Off" champion in 2013 and a coach on Season 8 earlier this year -- encouraged her to join the show.
"He said that I have what it takes," Calabrese said. "I'm used to doing really face-paced quick makeups."
Season 9 of "Face Off" airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. The winner receives $100,000.
