Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Bleacher Bums

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timmytoons
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 2/25/08
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Topic: Bleacher Bums
Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:08pm

Has anyone ever done this show?

Was it successful? And by successful, I mean did people laugh? and did a lot of people show up?

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teridtiger
Star
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Joined: 10/24/05
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 69

Posted: 8/19/08 at 2:11pm

Our audiences LOVED it! We also got a local author who wrote a book about the Cubs to do some book signings. It was a lot of fun and very well received. It's a true ensemble piece of work.

My biggest piece of advice is to get the sound ASAP, because the actors need it for timing. The sound is another character in the show, and if the sound is not there or timed incorrectly, then the lines don't work.

Teri - www.onstageplayhouse.org

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timmytoons
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Joined: 2/25/08
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Posted: 8/21/08 at 3:13pm

What is the sound you are referring to?

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ClintonHammond
Player
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Joined: 7/28/08
Location: Canada
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Posts: 28

Posted: 8/21/08 at 4:07pm

The sound of the baseball game that goes on constantly through this play...

The ambient crowd noise... the announcements of batters... the play-by-play over the radio.... peanut-and-hot-dog-hawkers...

All the sounds of a baseball game.

It's been studied... if you accompany a lower quality image with hi-quality sound, people will believe the image they're seeing is better than it is... Paint a good soundscape over a play and the audience will think your show is better than it really is, and won't know why!

It's all about controlling what people think and feel...

;-)

Without actors, a techie is a person with a list of marketable skills.
Without techies, an actor is just a goof, emoting alone in the dark.

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teridtiger
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Joined: 10/24/05
Location: United States
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Posts: 69

Posted: 8/21/08 at 4:30pm

It's a very tight ensemble piece, we had outstanding actors, but the constant soundtrack is another character in the play. Also, the role of the announcer should really be a live person - not pre-recorded. Because if any lines are dropped/skipped, the announcer can put everyone back on track. Read it, you'll see what we are referring to.

Also, it's written without a true intermission, but rather a seventh-inning stretch. We brought up the house lights and left the actors on stage to do seventh-inning stretch stuff (i.e., sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame")and go get another "beer". To keep the stretch a little shorter than a regular intermission, we sold raffle tickets for an apple pie instead of our usual fare (but still offered bottled water and coffee). The winning ticket was drawn by "The Kid" each night after curtain call, and the lucky audience member went home with an apple pie! A local restaurant known for their pies (Marie Callendar's) donated a fresh pie each night. The audience loved it. And it was our biggest refreshment income of the season.

It's a very fun and entertaining show!!

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Author	Message
timmytoons Walk-On Joined: 2/25/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: Bleacher Bums Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:08pm
	Has anyone ever done this show? Was it successful? And by successful, I mean did people laugh? and did a lot of people show up?

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teridtiger Star Joined: 10/24/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 69	Posted: 8/19/08 at 2:11pm
	Our audiences LOVED it! We also got a local author who wrote a book about the Cubs to do some book signings. It was a lot of fun and very well received. It's a true ensemble piece of work. My biggest piece of advice is to get the sound ASAP, because the actors need it for timing. The sound is another character in the show, and if the sound is not there or timed incorrectly, then the lines don't work. Teri - www.onstageplayhouse.org
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timmytoons Walk-On Joined: 2/25/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 8/21/08 at 3:13pm
	What is the sound you are referring to?
	IP Logged

ClintonHammond Player Joined: 7/28/08 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 28	Posted: 8/21/08 at 4:07pm
	The sound of the baseball game that goes on constantly through this play... The ambient crowd noise... the announcements of batters... the play-by-play over the radio.... peanut-and-hot-dog-hawkers... All the sounds of a baseball game. It's been studied... if you accompany a lower quality image with hi-quality sound, people will believe the image they're seeing is better than it is... Paint a good soundscape over a play and the audience will think your show is better than it really is, and won't know why! It's all about controlling what people think and feel... ;-)
	Without actors, a techie is a person with a list of marketable skills. Without techies, an actor is just a goof, emoting alone in the dark.
	IP Logged

teridtiger Star Joined: 10/24/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 69	Posted: 8/21/08 at 4:30pm
	It's a very tight ensemble piece, we had outstanding actors, but the constant soundtrack is another character in the play. Also, the role of the announcer should really be a live person - not pre-recorded. Because if any lines are dropped/skipped, the announcer can put everyone back on track. Read it, you'll see what we are referring to. Also, it's written without a true intermission, but rather a seventh-inning stretch. We brought up the house lights and left the actors on stage to do seventh-inning stretch stuff (i.e., sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame")and go get another "beer". To keep the stretch a little shorter than a regular intermission, we sold raffle tickets for an apple pie instead of our usual fare (but still offered bottled water and coffee). The winning ticket was drawn by "The Kid" each night after curtain call, and the lucky audience member went home with an apple pie! A local restaurant known for their pies (Marie Callendar's) donated a fresh pie each night. The audience loved it. And it was our biggest refreshment income of the season. It's a very fun and entertaining show!!
	IP Logged

Topic: Bleacher Bums( Topic Closed)