Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Big-The Musical

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Charlie328
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Joined: 11/22/07
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Topic: Big-The Musical
Posted: 1/24/09 at 6:58am

Help,

My director, who is also my wife, is leaning toward doing "Big-The Musical" for her high shcool play next year. I know nothing at all about it.

Since I have to design and build the set for a show I have never seen, I certainly could use some help.

The piano is of course the hardest, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Charlie

"TANSTAAFL" (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch)
Heinlein

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KEB54
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Joined: 7/24/08
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Posted: 1/26/09 at 8:56am

http://www.lacrossecommunitytheatre.org/pages/photo_archives/pa_big.html

This production was done on a modular set -- ie a simple (bur colorful) set of platforms with representational pieces moved on and off. The piano was sort of a thrust built onto the stage and only lit for that scene.

KEB

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Charlie328
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Posted: 1/26/09 at 7:34pm

Thanks Keb54,

I really like your fortune teller....the whole is really set off by the lighting.

I assume that you used plexiglass on the piano keys with lighting from underneath....was this pressure sensitive or controlled from the pit or by computer?

Charlie

"TANSTAAFL" (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch)
Heinlein

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KEB54
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Posted: 1/27/09 at 11:35am

Sorry. I wasn't involved in the production, so I don't know. My guess is the pit ... but I don't know.

KEB

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Spectrum
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Joined: 4/16/04
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Posted: 1/27/09 at 4:09pm

Since we're on the subject of BIG (the musical), I'd like your feedback about something. I own a prop rental company and I have been thinking about building that piano used in the "Chopsticks" dance number for my rental inventory. My design would operate very much like the one in the movie (i.e. keys light up as you step on them and trigger electronics to feed the piano notes played to a PA or amplifier). It has to be built heavy-duty to hold up under multiple rentals, and the cost to me would be somewhere in the vicinity of $350.00 to build. Now, what I would like to know; is the show popular enough to warrant adding the piano (and other major props) to our inventory and if you were doing the show, what would be a reasonable rental fee for the entire run of your show? Would you consider doing the show if you knew you could rent the piano and other major set pieces for the show? Right now I don't have a feel for the demand of that show and whether it would be worth my time and expense to offer it. Help anyone?

Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.

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TomO
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Posted: 1/29/09 at 1:47pm

We are doing a small scale show of BIG in NOVA and we have a set guy building a piano for us - I will check with him on progress etc. It is probably the most important set piece, as everyone wants to see it work.

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jimmy
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Posted: 2/08/09 at 1:27pm

These are really GREAT photos!! We are in rehearsals for this now...I am directing and building set. Actually, I am planning to always show the back of the machine (never the front)...that way, the audience can see that it is unplugged, and I can keep the inside hollow for an onstage switch during the last scene. Although seeing these wonderful pics really makes me want to add it : ) ~ Jim

Jimmy P

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ddave
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Joined: 2/21/09
Location: United States
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Posted: 2/21/09 at 10:21pm

I designed & built a piano for BIG a few years ago.

More details:
http://home.comcast.net/~davidtief/projects/BigPiano/BigPiano.html

Video at bottom of the page.

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Set Design and Construction
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Set Design and Construction

Author	Message
Charlie328 Walk-On Joined: 11/22/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: Big-The Musical Posted: 1/24/09 at 6:58am
	Help, My director, who is also my wife, is leaning toward doing "Big-The Musical" for her high shcool play next year. I know nothing at all about it. Since I have to design and build the set for a show I have never seen, I certainly could use some help. The piano is of course the hardest, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Charlie
	"TANSTAAFL" (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch) Heinlein

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KEB54 Celebrity Joined: 7/24/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 227	Posted: 1/26/09 at 8:56am
	http://www.lacrossecommunitytheatre.org/pages/photo_archives/pa_big.html This production was done on a modular set -- ie a simple (bur colorful) set of platforms with representational pieces moved on and off. The piano was sort of a thrust built onto the stage and only lit for that scene.
	KEB
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Charlie328 Walk-On Joined: 11/22/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 1/26/09 at 7:34pm
	Thanks Keb54, I really like your fortune teller....the whole is really set off by the lighting. I assume that you used plexiglass on the piano keys with lighting from underneath....was this pressure sensitive or controlled from the pit or by computer? Charlie
	"TANSTAAFL" (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch) Heinlein
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KEB54 Celebrity Joined: 7/24/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 227	Posted: 1/27/09 at 11:35am
	Sorry. I wasn't involved in the production, so I don't know. My guess is the pit ... but I don't know.
	KEB
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Spectrum Celebrity Joined: 4/16/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 176	Posted: 1/27/09 at 4:09pm
	Since we're on the subject of BIG (the musical), I'd like your feedback about something. I own a prop rental company and I have been thinking about building that piano used in the "Chopsticks" dance number for my rental inventory. My design would operate very much like the one in the movie (i.e. keys light up as you step on them and trigger electronics to feed the piano notes played to a PA or amplifier). It has to be built heavy-duty to hold up under multiple rentals, and the cost to me would be somewhere in the vicinity of $350.00 to build. Now, what I would like to know; is the show popular enough to warrant adding the piano (and other major props) to our inventory and if you were doing the show, what would be a reasonable rental fee for the entire run of your show? Would you consider doing the show if you knew you could rent the piano and other major set pieces for the show? Right now I don't have a feel for the demand of that show and whether it would be worth my time and expense to offer it. Help anyone?
	Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.
	IP Logged

TomO Walk-On Joined: 1/29/09 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 1/29/09 at 1:47pm
	We are doing a small scale show of BIG in NOVA and we have a set guy building a piano for us - I will check with him on progress etc. It is probably the most important set piece, as everyone wants to see it work.
	IP Logged

jimmy Walk-On Joined: 10/24/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 2/08/09 at 1:27pm
	These are really GREAT photos!! We are in rehearsals for this now...I am directing and building set. Actually, I am planning to always show the back of the machine (never the front)...that way, the audience can see that it is unplugged, and I can keep the inside hollow for an onstage switch during the last scene. Although seeing these wonderful pics really makes me want to add it : ) ~ Jim
	Jimmy P
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ddave Player Joined: 2/21/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 7	Posted: 2/21/09 at 10:21pm
	I designed & built a piano for BIG a few years ago. More details: http://home.comcast.net/~davidtief/projects/BigPiano/BigPiano.html Video at bottom of the page.
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Topic: Big-The Musical( Topic Closed)