Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Arsenic and Old Lace without the balcony?

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jayzehr
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Topic: Arsenic and Old Lace without the balcony?
Posted: 6/25/06 at 6:44pm

Hi All:
I'm working on a set design for Arsenic and Old Lace for a theater with a low ceiling. Any good ideas on how to handle the stairs and balcony?
Jay

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dougb
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Posted: 6/26/06 at 10:47am

I saw a picture of a production of AOL several years ago that had just three steps up then a six or eight foot landing then a couple more stairs behind a flat so it looked like the actor was going up again as they exited. The steps were arranged so that the actor faced upstage as he went up the three steps then turned to run along the landing yelling "Charge" before disappearing.

Our stage has a twelve foot ceiling and we routinely use stairs with just three steps before it goes out of sight.

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Houdini
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Posted: 1/31/07 at 8:43pm

We did Arsenic in a Little Theater with a 9' ceiling. We accomplished the mutiple levels with a couple of ways. The entry door was standard height and we started from the ceiling down. A platform was built that pushed the door all the way to the ceiling, then the platform had a 4' run with a bannister along it, then steps at the end to the main interior of the house. This bannister was used in place of the balcony. The only trick is to have enough landing on the exit side of the door so he can run through it and not take a dive.

Cardboard is my best friend

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POB14
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Posted: 2/01/07 at 9:49am

When we did it (at a very small theatre) I "charged" up the aisle through the audience.

When I went over there for about the third or fourth time one night, the guy with the front row aisle seat groaned, "Oh, no, not again!" So use this suggestion at your own risk.

POB
Old Bugger, Curmudgeon, and Antisocial B**tard

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MartyW
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Posted: 2/01/07 at 12:34pm

I agree with dougb, Turn and burn is the best advise for the low clearance stage...

Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."

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

Topic: Arsenic and Old Lace without the balcony?( Topic Closed)

Author	Message
jayzehr Celebrity Joined: 8/11/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 537	Topic: Arsenic and Old Lace without the balcony? Posted: 6/25/06 at 6:44pm
	Hi All: I'm working on a set design for Arsenic and Old Lace for a theater with a low ceiling. Any good ideas on how to handle the stairs and balcony? Jay

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dougb Celebrity Joined: 3/30/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 148	Posted: 6/26/06 at 10:47am
	I saw a picture of a production of AOL several years ago that had just three steps up then a six or eight foot landing then a couple more stairs behind a flat so it looked like the actor was going up again as they exited. The steps were arranged so that the actor faced upstage as he went up the three steps then turned to run along the landing yelling "Charge" before disappearing. Our stage has a twelve foot ceiling and we routinely use stairs with just three steps before it goes out of sight.
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Houdini Walk-On Joined: 1/31/07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 1/31/07 at 8:43pm
	We did Arsenic in a Little Theater with a 9' ceiling. We accomplished the mutiple levels with a couple of ways. The entry door was standard height and we started from the ceiling down. A platform was built that pushed the door all the way to the ceiling, then the platform had a 4' run with a bannister along it, then steps at the end to the main interior of the house. This bannister was used in place of the balcony. The only trick is to have enough landing on the exit side of the door so he can run through it and not take a dive.
	Cardboard is my best friend
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POB14 Celebrity Joined: 7/01/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 349	Posted: 2/01/07 at 9:49am
	When we did it (at a very small theatre) I "charged" up the aisle through the audience. When I went over there for about the third or fourth time one night, the guy with the front row aisle seat groaned, "Oh, no, not again!" So use this suggestion at your own risk.
	POB Old Bugger, Curmudgeon, and Antisocial B**tard
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MartyW Celebrity Joined: 2/02/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 555	Posted: 2/01/07 at 12:34pm
	I agree with dougb, Turn and burn is the best advise for the low clearance stage...
	Marty W "Till next we trod the boards.."
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