Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board : scenes as pages in book

Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board : scenes as pages in book http://www.communitytheater.org/forum This is an XML content feed of; Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board : Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup : scenes as pages in book Copyright (c) 2006 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Mon, 08 Jun 2026 22:10:33 +0000 Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:28:24 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 8.05 360 www.communitytheater.org/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=4803 Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_images/CTGRlogo.gif http://www.communitytheater.org/forum scenes as pages in book : Hi,Would you happen to have a... http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4803&PID=27454#27454 Author: mlew
Subject: 4803
Posted: 11/09/11 at 11:28am

Hi,

Would you happen to have a photo detail of the gate hinge and spine structure you created to mount the pages of the storybook?

I am helping create a similar structure for a Nutcracker production. There will be four 8'x8' pages made from 1x2 and faced with luan with castor wheels mounted on the bottom. The stage is fairly small (converted church), and the book will need to be mounted upstage near the back wall. I worry about the cumulative weight of the pages as they are turned to one side.

Thanks for any assistance you can offer.
]]> Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:28:24 +0000 http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4803&PID=27454#27454 scenes as pages in book : The problem becomes much easier... http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4803&PID=25215#25215 Author: vickifrank
Subject: 4803
Posted: 10/07/10 at 2:01pm

The problem becomes much easier if you have a material that works like paper. I work with a scrim material that behaves like paper--you would not have to build a frame around each piece (just a fabric sleeve at the top that had a wire in it) The material is paintable and printable and is incredibly light weight.

Take the straight wire running through the sleeve at the top edge of the material and bend it at a right angle at the end. Slip that end through a hole in the 'binding' of the book. Now the page turns. You have eight holes drilled in the binding so each page turns.

The binding is built like a tall skinny flat. (you can attach regular flats to be the covers to the binding). At the top edge you have a horizontal board surface mounted with the eight holes in it for eight pages.

The material --and thus the book, can go up to 16 feet high. BTW-- it is a scrim so it can still do special effects, so dramatic entrances can be created.

]]> Thu, 07 Oct 2010 14:01:47 +0000 http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4803&PID=25215#25215 scenes as pages in book : Here's a photo of set for... http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4803&PID=25212#25212 Author: bnk01
Subject: 4803
Posted: 10/07/10 at 1:01pm

Here's a photo of set for The Christmas Princess - you can see the castor wheel on one of the "pages."

]]> Thu, 07 Oct 2010 13:01:52 +0000 http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4803&PID=25212#25212 scenes as pages in book : When I designed a low budget children's... http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4803&PID=25176#25176 Author: Mr. Lowell
Subject: 4803
Posted: 9/30/10 at 12:00am

When I designed a low budget children's after-school production of "A Year With Frog and Toad" recently, I built a simple "storybook" set out of flats that opened up to reveal the different seasons of the year.

1) Spring. First they played a scene in front of the cover of the book, center stage. (Plus my periaktoi each side were preset to the "interior" sides).

2) Summer. Then the child actors opened the book-flats to reveal the pond with lily pads and stones. We had stock styrofoam stones on the floor that mirrored the ones on the flats. (The side periaktoi were rotated to the "pond" sides).

3) Fall. Then the kids opened the next flat, revealing a scene with pumpkins and leaves. (The periaktoi were rotated to the sides with exterior doors).

4) Winter. The final set of book-flats were a Winter scene with snowmen. (Of course I had to blast the place with every Winter gobo I could find, too!) And I built a little red toboggan, with hidden wheels, for the kids to ride on.

5) The Kitchen. There was also one point in the play where we needed a quick interior of a kitchen. So I just flew in a large broadway-style flat that was left over from our earlier production of "Honk!" The kids built the stove out of random stock crap, (and I later burned it in the homecoming bonfire!)

Storybook Construction
My storybook flats were simple to make, at zero cost. I just recycled stock hollywood-style flats from other shows. They were made of lauan paneling on both sides, with 1" x 2" framing, (and back-painted as flame retardant). I used very large hinges between each set of flats because they had to carry accumulated weight. I also had to install a tiny caster wheel under the outside edge of each flat to prevent sagging as the "pages" opened. The entire book unit was braced on the back with two stage jacks that I put 50 lb stageweights on, AND that I toe-nailed into the stage floor with 3" drywall screws.

The storybook gag worked pretty well for a kiddie show. After strike, I saved the book-flats in case the director recycles that script in a couple years...which he often does! (And since the two periaktoi were slapped together from random stock crap, I recycled them after the show...which for me means that I cut up lumber into tiny pieces for the pottery teacher can burn in his kiln!)

Anyway, long-story-short, that was that. Good luck with your project. -Dana

Edited by Mr. Lowell - 9/30/10 at 12:31am]]> Thu, 30 Sep 2010 00:00:27 +0000 http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4803&PID=25176#25176 scenes as pages in book : We did this for a production of... http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4803&PID=25116#25116 Author: bnk01
Subject: 4803
Posted: 9/19/10 at 11:02pm

We did this for a production of "The Christmas Princess" at the Promenade Playhouse in LA. We used a thin wood frames (1 by 2), with luon siding. I originally tried with teflon furniture sliders under it, but ended up replacing them with castor wheels. It worked, but it was heavy as a beast - a real pain to move in its entirety. A canvas stretched frame would be much lighter, but one of our pages had a 3D castle (thin styrofoam panels) effect.
To attach them, we used gate hinges, and built a "spine" - a flat panel 10" wide, solidly constructed. With a couple of inches between each page, they can fold together or open.
Here's pix of the set & show:
http://web.mac.com/amoy/Theater/Xmas_Princess_Pt_2.html
]]> Sun, 19 Sep 2010 23:02:41 +0000 http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4803&PID=25116#25116 scenes as pages in book : Besides you rug rack idea, which... http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4803&PID=25030#25030 Author: JoeMc
Subject: 4803
Posted: 9/08/10 at 10:21pm

Besides you rug rack idea, which is quite good.

You could consider producing a set of Booked Flats, skinned with calico [muslin] or panel board on both sides, as with soft flats or hard board 'studio' style flats, making it four double skin flats, +/- the front & back cover. [the back flat could be fixed & french braced [jack type stage brace] to give stability & anchor to allow the books page movements.

http://theatre.sjsu.edu/~culley/PartsFlat.html

Further the use of the slip pin hinges, will help with putting the flats together during bump in/out [get in/out] at each venue http://www.doughty-engineering.co.uk/cgi-bin/trolleyed_public.cgi?action=showprod_T61700

Also instead of castors it would be far easier, that is if the stage decks are flush, is to apply strips of old deep pyled carpet to the bottom rails of the flats.

The old carpet strips are fixed with the pyle down, to face the deck surface.

This would make it easier in paging each page of the booked flats, without the hastle & bulk of all the castors for each of the pages.

There again have a think about using Cortec Scenery cardboard flats, which would reduce the the thickness of the book.

Edited by JoeMc - 9/09/10 at 4:31am]]> Wed, 08 Sep 2010 22:21:39 +0000 http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4803&PID=25030#25030 scenes as pages in book : Need help! We are doing Emperor's... http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4803&PID=25028#25028 Author: okla-hs-drama
Subject: 4803
Posted: 9/08/10 at 6:18pm

Need help! We are doing Emperor's New Clothes, wanted to "turn pages of book" to do scenes.

The thought for the set is to make a huge book where the pages turn. Originally we were going to borrow a hanging rack from a carpet store that rugs hang on and put the painted canvases on the racks. However, that arrangement fell through. I am now trying to come up with new solutions on making the book. My backup plan is to construct wooden frames (10x10 or 10x12) on wheels and then stretch muslin canvas across the frames and paint the scenery onto it. These frames would somehow attach together and make a book.

Here are my problems with this design –

1. I am unsure of how to connect the panels to turn the pages (we need 8 pgs that turn total)

2. The entire set has to be transported in a u-haul to each location that we compete at

3. I am afraid this construction will look flimsy and not result in the effect that we are going for

ANY AND ALL ADVICE APPRECIATED!

We're willing to buy something, just need to know what & where!!]]> Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:18:05 +0000 http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4803&PID=25028#25028