Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Cabaret "prairie oysters"

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wdipropgal
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Topic: Cabaret "prairie oysters"
Posted: 5/20/06 at 11:12pm

Hello. I'm doing props for our community theatre's production of Cabaret. Any suggestions as to a recipe or hint for creating Sally's "prairie oysters"? (Worcestershire sauce, raw eggs, and gin). The sauce and gin are not a problem, but I'm stumped as to how to create the look of raw eggs being dropped into the glass. I've considered filling plastic eggs with water,at least to give the sound of something being dropped into the glass, but I'm having a hard time finding eggs which can open but aren't technicolour! I'm also worried about a potential costume disaster if the eggs come apart in Sally's fur coat. There must be a better way! Any input would be most appreciated. Thanks!

JAL

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Gaafa
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Posted: 5/21/06 at 1:14am

Why not just use real ones?

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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Posted: 5/21/06 at 10:34am

I would advise using real eggs. After having being onstage under the lights, I would be wary of consuming them

Personally, I would block the scene so when Sally puts the eggs into the glasses she has her back to the audience. If the audience sees the real eggs and hears her crack them open they'll believe she's put the eggs in the drinks when in reality she's dropped them into another cup.

If you dark tinted glasses (amber shade for instance)for them to drink the 'praire oysters' out of and the audience won't even know that the eggs aren't in there.

Another option would be to blow the insides of the eggs out and refill them with water, seals the ends again with some kind of tape. Then she can crack the eggs open in view of the audience. But that takes time, effort, and strong lungs.

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wdipropgal
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Posted: 5/21/06 at 11:55am

Hello.

Thank you for the replies. I really appreciate your suggestions.

My dilemma is that Sally has to face the audience (and naturally, she's practically in their laps!) when she manufactures the oysters. The way Cliff's room has been constructed, she only has a tiny area to use, so doing a quick change with glasses or turning her back to the audience is presently not an option as there's just not space. I agree that real eggs would be best, but I certainly don't want the actors to drink a concoction like that (or get green looking at it! ).

Thanks for the ideas. I'll see if I can work out something with the director. I'll let you know the outcome!

JAL

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Gaafa
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Posted: 5/21/06 at 12:53pm

I suggest it would take a lot of kilowatts of light directly on an egg over a period of time & then it would only cook inside the shell anyway!
As it is the air that gets into the egg via a crack that makes it go off!
I agree that the concoction is an acquired taste. But if you substitute the gin for flat lemonade or sugar water, even adding the sauce, it might be an acceptable type of drink!
But I like the idea of blowing out the egg & agree it would take a heck of a lot of lung power! It possibly would be easier to pierce the yolk membrane with a long needle first!

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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Posted: 5/21/06 at 4:50pm

Oh, yeah. I forgot that part. You do pierce the yolk with a long needle. Makes for blowing them out a lot easier. You also make the hole at one end a bit bigger than the other so the egg mixture can escape easier. Keep in mind the eggs are more fragile this way.

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Posted: 5/21/06 at 8:58pm

And be sure once you've blown out the insides, to rinse the residue clean from inside the shell with soap & water. Any egg left inside will turn bad quickly.

"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone

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Posted: 5/21/06 at 9:02pm

Eggcellent suggestion!

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wdipropgal
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Posted: 5/21/06 at 11:39pm

Oh boy, you are all cracking me up! (Insert symbol crash here).

Blowing out eggs, rinsing shells...gosh, whoever said doing props was easy?

After Bus Stop, I said I'd never do another show with food. Too bad I forgot about the prairie oysters in Cabaret! Ha! But seriously, it's always a learning experience and a lot of fun.

Thanks for the help and the giggles!

JAL

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casey05
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Posted: 5/27/06 at 9:06am

Could you possibly do some sort of switch?

Here's what I'm thinking: Sally could have those plastic eggs, and the table would be preset with pre-cracked eggshells containing whatever artificial eggyolk you have decided on (cooking oil could provide the illusion of egg white, perhaps with appropriately shaped jello for yolk). The pre-cracked eggshells would be hidden behind bottles or something.

Sally could take the eggs, pretend to crack them on the edge of the table - masked behind the bottles - but actually leave the plastic eggs on the table and pick up the cracked eggs, tipping them into the cup. Does that make sense?

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Topic: Cabaret "prairie oysters"( Topic Closed)
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Author	Message
wdipropgal Walk-On Joined: 5/20/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: Cabaret "prairie oysters" Posted: 5/20/06 at 11:12pm
	Hello. I'm doing props for our community theatre's production of Cabaret. Any suggestions as to a recipe or hint for creating Sally's "prairie oysters"? (Worcestershire sauce, raw eggs, and gin). The sauce and gin are not a problem, but I'm stumped as to how to create the look of raw eggs being dropped into the glass. I've considered filling plastic eggs with water,at least to give the sound of something being dropped into the glass, but I'm having a hard time finding eggs which can open but aren't technicolour! I'm also worried about a potential costume disaster if the eggs come apart in Sally's fur coat. There must be a better way! Any input would be most appreciated. Thanks!
	JAL

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Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 5/21/06 at 1:14am
	Why not just use real ones?
	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

Playwright Celebrity Joined: 4/01/06 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 126	Posted: 5/21/06 at 10:34am
	I would advise using real eggs. After having being onstage under the lights, I would be wary of consuming them Personally, I would block the scene so when Sally puts the eggs into the glasses she has her back to the audience. If the audience sees the real eggs and hears her crack them open they'll believe she's put the eggs in the drinks when in reality she's dropped them into another cup. If you dark tinted glasses (amber shade for instance)for them to drink the 'praire oysters' out of and the audience won't even know that the eggs aren't in there. Another option would be to blow the insides of the eggs out and refill them with water, seals the ends again with some kind of tape. Then she can crack the eggs open in view of the audience. But that takes time, effort, and strong lungs.
	IP Logged

wdipropgal Walk-On Joined: 5/20/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 5/21/06 at 11:55am
	Hello. Thank you for the replies. I really appreciate your suggestions. My dilemma is that Sally has to face the audience (and naturally, she's practically in their laps!) when she manufactures the oysters. The way Cliff's room has been constructed, she only has a tiny area to use, so doing a quick change with glasses or turning her back to the audience is presently not an option as there's just not space. I agree that real eggs would be best, but I certainly don't want the actors to drink a concoction like that (or get green looking at it! ). Thanks for the ideas. I'll see if I can work out something with the director. I'll let you know the outcome! J
	JAL
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 5/21/06 at 12:53pm
	I suggest it would take a lot of kilowatts of light directly on an egg over a period of time & then it would only cook inside the shell anyway! As it is the air that gets into the egg via a crack that makes it go off! I agree that the concoction is an acquired taste. But if you substitute the gin for flat lemonade or sugar water, even adding the sauce, it might be an acceptable type of drink! But I like the idea of blowing out the egg & agree it would take a heck of a lot of lung power! It possibly would be easier to pierce the yolk membrane with a long needle first!
	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

Playwright Celebrity Joined: 4/01/06 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 126	Posted: 5/21/06 at 4:50pm
	Oh, yeah. I forgot that part. You do pierce the yolk with a long needle. Makes for blowing them out a lot easier. You also make the hole at one end a bit bigger than the other so the egg mixture can escape easier. Keep in mind the eggs are more fragile this way.
	IP Logged

Topper Celebrity Joined: 1/27/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 543	Posted: 5/21/06 at 8:58pm
	And be sure once you've blown out the insides, to rinse the residue clean from inside the shell with soap & water. Any egg left inside will turn bad quickly.
	"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone
	IP Logged

Playwright Celebrity Joined: 4/01/06 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 126	Posted: 5/21/06 at 9:02pm
	Eggcellent suggestion!
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wdipropgal Walk-On Joined: 5/20/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 5/21/06 at 11:39pm
	Oh boy, you are all cracking me up! (Insert symbol crash here). Blowing out eggs, rinsing shells...gosh, whoever said doing props was easy? After Bus Stop, I said I'd never do another show with food. Too bad I forgot about the prairie oysters in Cabaret! Ha! But seriously, it's always a learning experience and a lot of fun. Thanks for the help and the giggles! JAL
	JAL
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casey05 Lead Joined: 6/17/05 Online Status: Offline Posts: 42	Posted: 5/27/06 at 9:06am
	Could you possibly do some sort of switch? Here's what I'm thinking: Sally could have those plastic eggs, and the table would be preset with pre-cracked eggshells containing whatever artificial eggyolk you have decided on (cooking oil could provide the illusion of egg white, perhaps with appropriately shaped jello for yolk). The pre-cracked eggshells would be hidden behind bottles or something. Sally could take the eggs, pretend to crack them on the edge of the table - masked behind the bottles - but actually leave the plastic eggs on the table and pick up the cracked eggs, tipping them into the cup. Does that make sense?
	IP Logged