Making Magic Backstage: Cara Doyle’s Creative Touch at Canyon Concert Ballet

In the world of live performance, the magic isn’t just on stage—it’s also happening behind the scenes, thanks in large part to passionate artists like Cara Doyle. Growing up in Texas during the high-octane glamour of the 1980s, Cara was immersed in a world where big hair and bold makeup reigned supreme. Her fascination began the moment her grandmother’s Avon lady pulled up each month, car brimming with samples and promises of transformation. That early encounter sparked a lifelong love for makeup that has become a cornerstone of her creative identity.

With a background in both dance and visual art, Cara’s artistry goes far beyond basic stage cosmetics. After studying art in college, she found herself constantly drawing inspiration from the great masters and contemporary movements alike, blending painterly technique with performance needs. “My education taught me to look at art as inspiration for the shows,” Cara says. “It made me think outside the box with my makeup kit.”

Today, she brings that inventive spirit to Canyon Concert Ballet, where she’s become an indispensable part of the production team. Whether she’s crafting ethereal fairy looks for a classical ballet or conjuring gruesome scars and stage blood for a darker narrative, Cara’s work ensures the dancers don’t just perform their roles—they become them.

“I love transforming the dancers into characters that come alive under the spotlight,” she shares. From glitter and shimmer to prosthetics and gore, every brushstroke is thoughtfully applied with one goal in mind: storytelling. Cara even jumps in wearing costumes herself when needed, always ready to lend a hand (or a prop) with energy and enthusiasm.

But perhaps the most beloved part of Cara’s toolkit is her legendary backstage “oh shit kit”—a fully stocked emergency bag that has saved more than a few performances from disaster. From lash glue and safety pins to stage blood and last-minute rhinestones, it’s a lifeline for the cast. “When a mishap happens, or someone needs something right away,” Cara says with a laugh, “our dancers know chances are good, it's in the bag.”

Cara Doyle’s artistry and quick thinking have made her an essential figure in the Canyon Concert Ballet family. Her passion, rooted in a childhood love of makeup and nurtured through years of education and performance, continues to bring characters to life in dazzling, imaginative ways—one shimmering cheekbone or terrifying gash at a time.