Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: parade float

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Nanette
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Joined: 8/01/06
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Posts: 399

Topic: parade float
Posted: 4/19/07 at 7:52pm

Has any theatre out there ever entered a float in a parade? We want to have a float in our local parade this August and would love some suggestions. (NOTE: We're limited to a pickup truck, unless someone comes up with a flatbed for us ... so something that could be expanded if that flatbed comes through.) Thanks.

In a world of margarine, be butter!

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biggertigger
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Joined: 4/16/07
Location: United States
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Posts: 188

Posted: 4/20/07 at 8:42am

I know of a couple of theater groups that have entered parade floats in to events. Most usually try to incorporate the show that they are currently work on (big way to advertise) but this is not always the case. Here is one website that takes parade float design and building step by step, hope this helps.

http://www.ncpride.org/pride/library/articles/floatbuilding.pdf

The two greatest days in a theater persons life, the day you start a new show and the day the damn thing closes.

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gracie
Walk-On
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Joined: 4/04/07
Location: United States
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Posts: 0

Posted: 4/22/07 at 10:56am

On our 40th anniversary, we had a float in a parade. Several luan cutouts of children's production characters were made...Pooh, Alice, Pinnochio, etc...and painted (a lot of work). They were then put on a hay rack and pulled behind a truck. Members of our theatre also rode on the float.

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suzecue1
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Joined: 9/19/06
Location: United States
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Posts: 90

Posted: 4/22/07 at 7:44pm

Our CT normally is involved with our annual 4th of July parade. We usually borrow a flatbed. We seem to do something different every time. Probably because it is someone different in charge every year. Once we were doing a murder mystery and set up the flatbed like the stage, complete with a (stuffed) dead guy and police tape. We have also dressed characters up like melodrama characters: the villain, hero and heroin and had them walk behind the flatbed doing anf redoing short scenes. We have also enlisted the help of our children's workshop kids, wearing there colorfull show shirts, and passing out flyers with our upcoming shows, or pencils or whatever. Its usually fun - if it doesn't rain - and it's good PR to get our faces out in the community.

Sue
*****
So many hats.....so few heads!

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neilfortin
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Joined: 11/20/06
Location: United States
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Posted: 5/01/07 at 9:01am

Thats a great starter on building a float! What do you want to do with your float...advertise a show that your doing? Or just get your name out in the public eye? If you want to advertise a show you should gather some of your larger props/scenery and dress a few of your characters up who can wave and throw out flyers/candy/pencils to drum up publicity...otherwise how about choosing a show you did in the past and digging out the old costumes allow your audience to remember what a great show it was and hopefully they will come see another!

Community Theater makes us smile

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Joan54
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Joined: 10/03/05
Location: United States
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Posts: 207

Posted: 5/04/07 at 8:15am

The last parade I worked on we borrowed a flat bed from a local car mechanic.....he only lent it to us for a few hours on parade day so we had to have everything ready and then staple a quick "skirt" around the edge pf the bed of the truck and pile everything on.....if you only borrow for a few hours you might get some help.

"behind a thin wall of logic panic is waiting to stampede"

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Nanette
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Joined: 8/01/06
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 399

Posted: 8/20/07 at 3:47am

Update ... we went with advertising for our upcoming show "Legend of Sleepy Hollow". The entire process went smoothly (less than a month for the building and painting of it, AND making costumes), and the work paid off as we came in 3rd (out of over 100 entries). Also, the newspaper from two towns over saw our float in the parade, were intrigued, and want to do an interview!

In a world of margarine, be butter!

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Author	Message
Nanette Celebrity Joined: 8/01/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 399	Topic: parade float Posted: 4/19/07 at 7:52pm
	Has any theatre out there ever entered a float in a parade? We want to have a float in our local parade this August and would love some suggestions. (NOTE: We're limited to a pickup truck, unless someone comes up with a flatbed for us ... so something that could be expanded if that flatbed comes through.) Thanks.
	In a world of margarine, be butter!

	IP Logged

biggertigger Celebrity Joined: 4/16/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 188	Posted: 4/20/07 at 8:42am
	I know of a couple of theater groups that have entered parade floats in to events. Most usually try to incorporate the show that they are currently work on (big way to advertise) but this is not always the case. Here is one website that takes parade float design and building step by step, hope this helps. http://www.ncpride.org/pride/library/articles/floatbuilding.pdf
	The two greatest days in a theater persons life, the day you start a new show and the day the damn thing closes.
	IP Logged

gracie Walk-On Joined: 4/04/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 4/22/07 at 10:56am
	On our 40th anniversary, we had a float in a parade. Several luan cutouts of children's production characters were made...Pooh, Alice, Pinnochio, etc...and painted (a lot of work). They were then put on a hay rack and pulled behind a truck. Members of our theatre also rode on the float.
	IP Logged

suzecue1 Star Joined: 9/19/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 90	Posted: 4/22/07 at 7:44pm
	Our CT normally is involved with our annual 4th of July parade. We usually borrow a flatbed. We seem to do something different every time. Probably because it is someone different in charge every year. Once we were doing a murder mystery and set up the flatbed like the stage, complete with a (stuffed) dead guy and police tape. We have also dressed characters up like melodrama characters: the villain, hero and heroin and had them walk behind the flatbed doing anf redoing short scenes. We have also enlisted the help of our children's workshop kids, wearing there colorfull show shirts, and passing out flyers with our upcoming shows, or pencils or whatever. Its usually fun - if it doesn't rain - and it's good PR to get our faces out in the community.
	Sue ***** So many hats.....so few heads!
	IP Logged

neilfortin Celebrity Joined: 11/20/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 210	Posted: 5/01/07 at 9:01am
	Thats a great starter on building a float! What do you want to do with your float...advertise a show that your doing? Or just get your name out in the public eye? If you want to advertise a show you should gather some of your larger props/scenery and dress a few of your characters up who can wave and throw out flyers/candy/pencils to drum up publicity...otherwise how about choosing a show you did in the past and digging out the old costumes allow your audience to remember what a great show it was and hopefully they will come see another!
	Community Theater makes us smile
	IP Logged

Joan54 Celebrity Joined: 10/03/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 207	Posted: 5/04/07 at 8:15am
	The last parade I worked on we borrowed a flat bed from a local car mechanic.....he only lent it to us for a few hours on parade day so we had to have everything ready and then staple a quick "skirt" around the edge pf the bed of the truck and pile everything on.....if you only borrow for a few hours you might get some help.
	"behind a thin wall of logic panic is waiting to stampede"
	IP Logged

Nanette Celebrity Joined: 8/01/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 399	Posted: 8/20/07 at 3:47am
	Update ... we went with advertising for our upcoming show "Legend of Sleepy Hollow". The entire process went smoothly (less than a month for the building and painting of it, AND making costumes), and the work paid off as we came in 3rd (out of over 100 entries). Also, the newspaper from two towns over saw our float in the parade, were intrigued, and want to do an interview!
	In a world of margarine, be butter!
	IP Logged

Topic: parade float( Topic Closed)