Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: The twits

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amthzako
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Joined: 1/14/07
Location: Malta
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Topic: The twits
Posted: 1/15/07 at 12:21am

hi, i'm taking part in "The Twits" and need to build an upside down sceen. My group's experience is very limited. We're performing in a black-box theatre with adience on 3 sides. Any idea how we can make it happen? Tongue

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Gaafa
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Posted: 1/15/07 at 1:29am

G’day amthzako.
What do you mean by an "upside down screen"?
Can you furnish more info!

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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amthzako
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Posted: 1/15/07 at 6:15am

hi,

Well in this upside down scene, the table, carpet and all the rest of the furniture has to be 'glued' to the ceiling of the room.

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Gaafa
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Posted: 1/15/07 at 9:23am

Ah! You mean a ‘scene’ - sorry about that.
Being a black box what is the height & structure of the ceiling?
Also can you give info about the venue?
Is there Fly’s &/or Boarders, legs as stage masking?
What would the rooms [scene] approx dimensions be the right way up?

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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TimW
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Joined: 8/10/06
Location: United States
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Posts: 83

Posted: 1/16/07 at 1:35am

Hello amthzako.

Like Gaffa said, knowing more about the play space will help.

Until then, if you don't have a fly system, maybe build a grid structure to hang everything from ( 2x2 or 2x4 frame). If you have access to the ceiling, use steel cable to support the grid.

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Gaafa
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Location: Australia
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Posted: 1/16/07 at 7:52pm

G’day!
From your post I assume you are part of play & you may not be privy to all the info!
However I’m not attempting to be a pain or a total sado, not more than usual anyway!
But does the venue management have an inkling that the plays set is to be dead hung above the acting space?
A few of the things that come to mind are does the venue have a qualified &/or Licensed ‘Rigger’ on hand, accident assessor, plenty of insurance covering your group/themselves?
I’m sure a number of members here can suggest & advise how to accomplish this, but I’m rather hesitant because of the lack of experience & empirical knowledge within your group.
In saying that may I suggest producing the furniture from cardboard/ papier mache. However it would need to be coated with fire retardant along with the carpet & material it is mounted on.
If this is your first production have you thought of doing a play with a simple black box set?
Me thinks you might be pushing ‘it’ up hill with your nose!

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

amthzako
Walk-On
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Joined: 1/14/07
Location: Malta
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 1/20/07 at 6:01am

hi all,

thanks for all your support. I'm not trying to be difficult about not providing info, but our tutor/directoris abroad at the moment I there's no way I can get info if not through her. Perhaps to put you more in the pcture you need to know that we're a group of student Primary teachers and this is part of a University credit that has to do with children's theatre.

I like the idea of papier mache furniture. I'm sure we can manage to do that somehow. We were also thinking about projeting the set as a backdrop using a projector.

thanks a geat deal

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Gaafa
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Location: Australia
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Posted: 1/20/07 at 8:31pm

I found a site with some pics, that may help you?

It’s on the Octagon theatre site Bolton UK:- http://www.octagonbolton.co.uk/Twits.htm

From what I can make it out it is a theatre adaptation by David Wood presented in a circus setting.
The upside down bit is an inset upstage as part of a multi set staging.
With the acting area down stage the upside down set is on the floor & purely representative, rather bring above the actors on the deck.
I don’t know how large your space is & it’s resources, but rear projection is a possibility.
However from the review there is a suggestion of ariel acrobatics, this may be only for the ‘mugglewumps [monkeys] to be suspended in the cage, which might be easy to achieve with harness & a good Rigger/Mechanist.
I have worked Circus & it is not something that can be transposed into a theatre setting easily.
I only hope that the Director has the budget to ensure a safe production & hire in the expertise.
Sure I imagine it can be handled low-tech but I doubt it should be tackled by students, without an expert on hand!

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

Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup

Author	Message
amthzako Walk-On Joined: 1/14/07 Location: Malta Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: The twits Posted: 1/15/07 at 12:21am
	hi, i'm taking part in "The Twits" and need to build an upside down sceen. My group's experience is very limited. We're performing in a black-box theatre with adience on 3 sides. Any idea how we can make it happen?

	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 1/15/07 at 1:29am
	G’day amthzako. What do you mean by an "upside down screen"? Can you furnish more info!
	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

amthzako Walk-On Joined: 1/14/07 Location: Malta Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 1/15/07 at 6:15am
	hi, Well in this upside down scene, the table, carpet and all the rest of the furniture has to be 'glued' to the ceiling of the room.
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 1/15/07 at 9:23am
	Ah! You mean a ‘scene’ - sorry about that. Being a black box what is the height & structure of the ceiling? Also can you give info about the venue? Is there Fly’s &/or Boarders, legs as stage masking? What would the rooms [scene] approx dimensions be the right way up?
	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

TimW Star Joined: 8/10/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 83	Posted: 1/16/07 at 1:35am
	Hello amthzako. Like Gaffa said, knowing more about the play space will help. Until then, if you don't have a fly system, maybe build a grid structure to hang everything from ( 2x2 or 2x4 frame). If you have access to the ceiling, use steel cable to support the grid.
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 1/16/07 at 7:52pm
	G’day! From your post I assume you are part of play & you may not be privy to all the info! However I’m not attempting to be a pain or a total sado, not more than usual anyway! But does the venue management have an inkling that the plays set is to be dead hung above the acting space? A few of the things that come to mind are does the venue have a qualified &/or Licensed ‘Rigger’ on hand, accident assessor, plenty of insurance covering your group/themselves? I’m sure a number of members here can suggest & advise how to accomplish this, but I’m rather hesitant because of the lack of experience & empirical knowledge within your group. In saying that may I suggest producing the furniture from cardboard/ papier mache. However it would need to be coated with fire retardant along with the carpet & material it is mounted on. If this is your first production have you thought of doing a play with a simple black box set? Me thinks you might be pushing ‘it’ up hill with your nose!
	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

amthzako Walk-On Joined: 1/14/07 Location: Malta Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 1/20/07 at 6:01am
	hi all, thanks for all your support. I'm not trying to be difficult about not providing info, but our tutor/directoris abroad at the moment I there's no way I can get info if not through her. Perhaps to put you more in the pcture you need to know that we're a group of student Primary teachers and this is part of a University credit that has to do with children's theatre. I like the idea of papier mache furniture. I'm sure we can manage to do that somehow. We were also thinking about projeting the set as a backdrop using a projector. thanks a geat deal
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 1/20/07 at 8:31pm
	I found a site with some pics, that may help you? It’s on the Octagon theatre site Bolton UK:- http://www.octagonbolton.co.uk/Twits.htm From what I can make it out it is a theatre adaptation by David Wood presented in a circus setting. The upside down bit is an inset upstage as part of a multi set staging. With the acting area down stage the upside down set is on the floor & purely representative, rather bring above the actors on the deck. I don’t know how large your space is & it’s resources, but rear projection is a possibility. However from the review there is a suggestion of ariel acrobatics, this may be only for the ‘mugglewumps [monkeys] to be suspended in the cage, which might be easy to achieve with harness & a good Rigger/Mechanist. I have worked Circus & it is not something that can be transposed into a theatre setting easily. I only hope that the Director has the budget to ensure a safe production & hire in the expertise. Sure I imagine it can be handled low-tech but I doubt it should be tackled by students, without an expert on hand!
	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

Topic: The twits( Topic Closed)