Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Disney's High School Musical

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ictdramamama
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Joined: 2/04/07
Location: United States
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Posts: 22

Posted: 2/05/07 at 9:48am

Thanks soooo much for the two quick replies. And, after cornering my scene shop mgr. once again last night, I am feeling more confident. It appears we are some of the first to tread these waters and it seems we have like minds w/variations and similar problem areas.
Yeah, II/10 is the bugger. We have a 5 ft fore-stage with an opening to the stage at each end of the 'runway'. R. stage, he wants to use for the locker/hallway/gym 'room' area. L. stage, he wants to drop down 1 ft. and prop a platform from prosc. site line to the L. house wall. This will limit viewing for 7 seats. BUT, I can permanently house 10 desks & a rolling chalkboard without endless scene changes & clatter. The board will have a narrow container attached all the way across the bottom to hold vials, etc for the lab. Turn it around and the other side will have ? Comedy/ Tragedy masks. They're just going to have to have study hall in the lab.

C. stage with the black traveller in is for the theatre scenes. But, he's going to build a wagon with a Sound shell drawn on it to place U.s.c. Then, when we get to II/10, the traveller will be open and (with lighting, thank you) the shell will be L.Stage for the theatre scene and Jack Scott in his booth on the upper walkway, with cheerleaders, etc on the R. stairs. And, as always, the lab will be d.s.L. 'in the audience'.

Okay... feedback! Am I gonna be in trouble with any of this? Oh... one of our state Univ. is the Wildcats. I think I have talked the Head of Theatre there into loaning me their Wildcat gobo since major sports will be over. (Actually, one of my well endowed parents is an alum, there ;-) Again, keep me posted this next few weeks and I'll do the same. What a God send this forum and all of you are.

Da Mama Luvs Ya!

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Gaafa
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Joined: 3/21/04
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1181

Posted: 2/05/07 at 11:50pm

I think all your mise en scene set ideas are great!
I don’t the show, but it might be worth while using it as an alternative to Grease in the future.
With your close & possibly fouling fly barrels [pipes/battens].
If you have a good Fly Mechanist/Rigger?
Depending on your counterweight system & number of dropper, there are quite a few ways of Bridling the barrels into an anti fouling situation.
Either by running a rope bridle across the dropper wires, restricting the sway movement either up or down stage. Or bracing the counterweight carriages in tandem, effetely allowing you two barrels as a head batten or under slinging an extra barrel for the set pieces. Doubling the space between battens, operated by one line.
If you are moving the cyc downstage further than the cyc light batten, you could use a reflector cloth behind on the original cyc line & this would save the need to reposition the cyc lighting & re focussing, by bouncing it off the reflector cloth to illuminate the cyc from the rear. Also you could utilise groundrow [z position] lighting masked by the cyc for a better wash.
I use this with great effect for in front projection, using the Selecon Pacific range of lanterns, with Mylar gobo images printed from a computer. {the Pacific lamps are unique because they dissipate the light source heat via the rear of the lantern, allowing plastics to be used between the light bubble & the lens.

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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ictdramamama
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Joined: 2/04/07
Location: United States
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Posts: 22

Posted: 2/06/07 at 12:05am

Oh my, Joe.... I think you may have pushed the reply to the wrong person/ show. I consider myself a good director but... I can only WISH I had a techie like you so I could say with confidence: "Don't try to explain it to da dumb Mama, just DO it!" Anyway, good luck down under!

Da Mama Luvs Ya!

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JShieldsIowa
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Joined: 11/05/06
Location: United States
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Posts: 49

Posted: 2/06/07 at 12:06am

Those Pacific Lamps sound WONDERFUL!

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Gaafa
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Joined: 3/21/04
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1181

Posted: 2/06/07 at 3:11am

While Selecon is a Kiwi Manufacturer, they are available on your side of the pond!
Just hire one & try it out & they are getting cheaper these days:-
http://www.seleconlight.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=34&category_id=11&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=125

G’donya Mama yor a beaut shiela!
I must have been having a Senior Moment when posting.
[The excuse is more plausible now, being recognised officially as an Old Pohmy Bathplug!]

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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quesera
Walk-On
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Joined: 2/21/07
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 2/22/07 at 2:24am

Just finished directing HS Musical with 2 separate casts of 90+ members ranging form 3-8 grade. We sold out 6 shows. We went for minimal set design. We were forced to work around the highschool scenery and lost 10 feet from the back of the stage. We built a set piece that was 2 levels--one 2 feet up and one 4 feet up. Each level was four feet wide and 32 feet long. Picture a large deep 2 level staircase.The back wall for the 4 foot platform was eight feet high. It had a working door and one working locker and was painted to look like the school hallway. We also had the bulletin board there. We used the levels for large dance numbers and it worked really well for status quo. We also had an eight foot extension built at the front of the stage--not something we planned but from the high school set. For status quo we only used 2 tables for Jocks and Brainiacs dance and then removed them--Skaters were on the extension. We had all the rebels gather there for the conflict.

Jack scott appeard on top platform extreme stage left and was hit with a spot then he disappeared.

We staged the decathalon, game and callback using the extension with the call backs center stage and two 8 foot flats for the lab and gym on the extension. We used the CD so we left lights up. The actual singing allowed the audience to follow the action--ex Ryan and Sharpay would mouth words and continue dancing while basketball was highlighted.

Scene changes were minimal, everyone in ensemble appeared at least 3 times and all cast members appeared in the large dances--that's right 90+ students on the stage. We have a great choreographer and our casts were amazing. Hope this helps someone.

Happy Directing

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ictdramamama
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Joined: 2/04/07
Location: United States
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Posts: 22

Posted: 2/23/07 at 10:04am

quesera...thanks for the detailed info and congratulations on the success of your production. I have directed for 47 years and I think DHSM is the MOST fun I've ever seen kids have on a production. Dana, how goes it? I am 2 weeks from production. Finally last night, my music director, choreo-grapher, and I said, we MUST guts it out & do Act II scene 10 VOILA! It works! Remember, no fly system and the entire back of set is a 14 ft hi scaffold with 2 stair cases down the front.

We mask 1/2 of the stair set with the back sides of two of our locker pieces, draped like theatre drapes. Thus, the whole R. stage area becomes the Theatre. D.L. at main curtain is the sci decath. with brainiacs sitting, singing, dancing on apron, stage steps and house floor.

At Center stage just down from the scaffolding is the basketball goal. the jocks are on benches front of the scaffolding, the cheerleaders on platform behind the jocks and the left half of stairs and upper platform is filled with fans, mime-cheering except in their own flashes. It works with an actual 3 on 3 game going on (PRAY they don't drop the ball during one of the other flashbacks ;-)

Tight lighting is the key and being the non-techie I am, I just cut and pasted your lighting element info to our tech director and said, 'Make sure we have plenty of these and please make it work."

Already, as a free lance director, I've been contacted by a huge hispanic middle school. The gym teacher (boxing coach on the side) asked if I could find out when JUMP IN will be a stage show and would I direct it. LOL

Any clues? Got to hand it to Disney... JUMP IN is the first show I've seen that really relates to kids in the AfroAmer/Hispanic population.

Keep me posted... 2 weeks to go and I'll take all the suggestions I can get. Dana, are you getting nervous? DA MAMA LUVS YA!

Da Mama Luvs Ya!

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Mr. Lowell
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Joined: 1/30/07
Location: United States
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Posts: 269

Posted: 2/23/07 at 12:25pm

March 4th update:

Sold out all four shows. Ovations.

Exhausted.

Have to strike PLUS load in the comedy "Dearly Departed" over the next two days.

So it may be a few days before I can post my production photos for all you guys. -Dana

Mr. Lowell,
Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director,
for the Linda Sloan Theatre,
in the Davison Center for the Arts,
at Greensboro Day School

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ictdramamama
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Joined: 2/04/07
Location: United States
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Posted: 3/04/07 at 10:45am

CONGRATULATIONS Dana! I've been thinking about you all week as we go into our tech week for a Friday opening.

I have never seen kids soooo excited about a show.

I know you're busy... but, if you had any real problem areas or... great surprises, clue me in........ I'll take heed for March 9.

Thanks again for all your ideas.

Da Mama Luvs Ya!

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JShieldsIowa
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Joined: 11/05/06
Location: United States
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Posts: 49

Posted: 3/04/07 at 11:04am

YAY! Congratulations to you! We don't open for 10 weeks and there have already been calls for tickets. I think we all chose a great show at a great time! I finally got my show cast. Only went with 38 kids. Have some really talented kids. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be sick of most of the songs in the next couple weeks - but I think it's going to be a great production!

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Directing
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Directing

Topic: Disney's High School Musical( Topic Closed)
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ictdramamama Player Joined: 2/04/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 22	Posted: 2/05/07 at 9:48am
	Thanks soooo much for the two quick replies. And, after cornering my scene shop mgr. once again last night, I am feeling more confident. It appears we are some of the first to tread these waters and it seems we have like minds w/variations and similar problem areas. Yeah, II/10 is the bugger. We have a 5 ft fore-stage with an opening to the stage at each end of the 'runway'. R. stage, he wants to use for the locker/hallway/gym 'room' area. L. stage, he wants to drop down 1 ft. and prop a platform from prosc. site line to the L. house wall. This will limit viewing for 7 seats. BUT, I can permanently house 10 desks & a rolling chalkboard without endless scene changes & clatter. The board will have a narrow container attached all the way across the bottom to hold vials, etc for the lab. Turn it around and the other side will have ? Comedy/ Tragedy masks. They're just going to have to have study hall in the lab. C. stage with the black traveller in is for the theatre scenes. But, he's going to build a wagon with a Sound shell drawn on it to place U.s.c. Then, when we get to II/10, the traveller will be open and (with lighting, thank you) the shell will be L.Stage for the theatre scene and Jack Scott in his booth on the upper walkway, with cheerleaders, etc on the R. stairs. And, as always, the lab will be d.s.L. 'in the audience'. Okay... feedback! Am I gonna be in trouble with any of this? Oh... one of our state Univ. is the Wildcats. I think I have talked the Head of Theatre there into loaning me their Wildcat gobo since major sports will be over. (Actually, one of my well endowed parents is an alum, there ;-) Again, keep me posted this next few weeks and I'll do the same. What a God send this forum and all of you are.
	Da Mama Luvs Ya!
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 2/05/07 at 11:50pm
	I think all your mise en scene set ideas are great! I don’t the show, but it might be worth while using it as an alternative to Grease in the future. With your close & possibly fouling fly barrels [pipes/battens]. If you have a good Fly Mechanist/Rigger? Depending on your counterweight system & number of dropper, there are quite a few ways of Bridling the barrels into an anti fouling situation. Either by running a rope bridle across the dropper wires, restricting the sway movement either up or down stage. Or bracing the counterweight carriages in tandem, effetely allowing you two barrels as a head batten or under slinging an extra barrel for the set pieces. Doubling the space between battens, operated by one line. If you are moving the cyc downstage further than the cyc light batten, you could use a reflector cloth behind on the original cyc line & this would save the need to reposition the cyc lighting & re focussing, by bouncing it off the reflector cloth to illuminate the cyc from the rear. Also you could utilise groundrow [z position] lighting masked by the cyc for a better wash. I use this with great effect for in front projection, using the Selecon Pacific range of lanterns, with Mylar gobo images printed from a computer. {the Pacific lamps are unique because they dissipate the light source heat via the rear of the lantern, allowing plastics to be used between the light bubble & the lens.
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
	IP Logged

ictdramamama Player Joined: 2/04/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 22	Posted: 2/06/07 at 12:05am
	Oh my, Joe.... I think you may have pushed the reply to the wrong person/ show. I consider myself a good director but... I can only WISH I had a techie like you so I could say with confidence: "Don't try to explain it to da dumb Mama, just DO it!" Anyway, good luck down under!
	Da Mama Luvs Ya!
	IP Logged

JShieldsIowa Star Joined: 11/05/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 49	Posted: 2/06/07 at 12:06am
	Those Pacific Lamps sound WONDERFUL!
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 2/06/07 at 3:11am
	While Selecon is a Kiwi Manufacturer, they are available on your side of the pond! Just hire one & try it out & they are getting cheaper these days:- http://www.seleconlight.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=34&category_id=11&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=125 G’donya Mama yor a beaut shiela! I must have been having a Senior Moment when posting. [The excuse is more plausible now, being recognised officially as an Old Pohmy Bathplug!]
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
	IP Logged

quesera Walk-On Joined: 2/21/07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 2/22/07 at 2:24am
	Just finished directing HS Musical with 2 separate casts of 90+ members ranging form 3-8 grade. We sold out 6 shows. We went for minimal set design. We were forced to work around the highschool scenery and lost 10 feet from the back of the stage. We built a set piece that was 2 levels--one 2 feet up and one 4 feet up. Each level was four feet wide and 32 feet long. Picture a large deep 2 level staircase.The back wall for the 4 foot platform was eight feet high. It had a working door and one working locker and was painted to look like the school hallway. We also had the bulletin board there. We used the levels for large dance numbers and it worked really well for status quo. We also had an eight foot extension built at the front of the stage--not something we planned but from the high school set. For status quo we only used 2 tables for Jocks and Brainiacs dance and then removed them--Skaters were on the extension. We had all the rebels gather there for the conflict. Jack scott appeard on top platform extreme stage left and was hit with a spot then he disappeared. We staged the decathalon, game and callback using the extension with the call backs center stage and two 8 foot flats for the lab and gym on the extension. We used the CD so we left lights up. The actual singing allowed the audience to follow the action--ex Ryan and Sharpay would mouth words and continue dancing while basketball was highlighted. Scene changes were minimal, everyone in ensemble appeared at least 3 times and all cast members appeared in the large dances--that's right 90+ students on the stage. We have a great choreographer and our casts were amazing. Hope this helps someone.
	Happy Directing
	IP Logged

ictdramamama Player Joined: 2/04/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 22	Posted: 2/23/07 at 10:04am
	quesera...thanks for the detailed info and congratulations on the success of your production. I have directed for 47 years and I think DHSM is the MOST fun I've ever seen kids have on a production. Dana, how goes it? I am 2 weeks from production. Finally last night, my music director, choreo-grapher, and I said, we MUST guts it out & do Act II scene 10 VOILA! It works! Remember, no fly system and the entire back of set is a 14 ft hi scaffold with 2 stair cases down the front. We mask 1/2 of the stair set with the back sides of two of our locker pieces, draped like theatre drapes. Thus, the whole R. stage area becomes the Theatre. D.L. at main curtain is the sci decath. with brainiacs sitting, singing, dancing on apron, stage steps and house floor. At Center stage just down from the scaffolding is the basketball goal. the jocks are on benches front of the scaffolding, the cheerleaders on platform behind the jocks and the left half of stairs and upper platform is filled with fans, mime-cheering except in their own flashes. It works with an actual 3 on 3 game going on (PRAY they don't drop the ball during one of the other flashbacks ;-) Tight lighting is the key and being the non-techie I am, I just cut and pasted your lighting element info to our tech director and said, 'Make sure we have plenty of these and please make it work." Already, as a free lance director, I've been contacted by a huge hispanic middle school. The gym teacher (boxing coach on the side) asked if I could find out when JUMP IN will be a stage show and would I direct it. LOL Any clues? Got to hand it to Disney... JUMP IN is the first show I've seen that really relates to kids in the AfroAmer/Hispanic population. Keep me posted... 2 weeks to go and I'll take all the suggestions I can get. Dana, are you getting nervous? DA MAMA LUVS YA!
	Da Mama Luvs Ya!
	IP Logged

Mr. Lowell Celebrity Joined: 1/30/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 269	Posted: 2/23/07 at 12:25pm
	March 4th update: Sold out all four shows. Ovations. Exhausted. Have to strike PLUS load in the comedy "Dearly Departed" over the next two days. So it may be a few days before I can post my production photos for all you guys. -Dana
	Mr. Lowell, Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director, for the Linda Sloan Theatre, in the Davison Center for the Arts, at Greensboro Day School
	IP Logged

ictdramamama Player Joined: 2/04/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 22	Posted: 3/04/07 at 10:45am
	CONGRATULATIONS Dana! I've been thinking about you all week as we go into our tech week for a Friday opening. I have never seen kids soooo excited about a show. I know you're busy... but, if you had any real problem areas or... great surprises, clue me in........ I'll take heed for March 9. Thanks again for all your ideas. Da Mama Luvs Ya!
	Da Mama Luvs Ya!
	IP Logged

JShieldsIowa Star Joined: 11/05/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 49	Posted: 3/04/07 at 11:04am
	YAY! Congratulations to you! We don't open for 10 weeks and there have already been calls for tickets. I think we all chose a great show at a great time! I finally got my show cast. Only went with 38 kids. Have some really talented kids. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be sick of most of the songs in the next couple weeks - but I think it's going to be a great production!
	IP Logged