Thin tombstone
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Printed Date: 6/09/25 at 9:10pm
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Topic: Thin tombstone
Posted By: Bethey
Subject: Thin tombstone
Date Posted: 10/03/05 at 10:39pm
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We are doing a production of A Christmas Carol that has the RIP
Ebeneezer Scrooge tombstone on the bottom of a trunk. The trunk
is tipped up at the appropriate moment and voila! Tombstone! Then
the trunk falls forward. I want to make a realistic looking stone
but it has to be thin enough to fit on the bottom outside of a trunk
that is on stage during the entire play. And whatever we make it out
of/paint it with, has to be durable enough not to chip or break when it
is slammed down again. Any suggestions? My first post--but I love reading this board. Thanks! Beth |
Replies:
Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 10/04/05 at 9:25am
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Hello Beth, This is just a thought, but what if you put a wooden edge around the bottom of the trunk to protect whatever you decide to make the tombstone out of? I would use that wonderful blue or pink insulating foamboard you can get at the harware store. It carves easy and takes paint great. It also come in a variety of thicknesses. If the tombstone is set back just a bit, the wooden edge will take all of the impact. If it for some reason it does get broken. It would be easy to replace it between shows. Good luck. Linda |
Posted By: Shatcher
Date Posted: 10/04/05 at 11:52am
| I like Lindas idea. I was going to sugest small feet like you might find on the bottom of a table leg so the trunk rest on the feet. I would use a hard surface(plywwod, MDF) instead of the foam to avoid damage. unless youe aduience sits right on the stage they won't know the letters are not carved in. a good painter can make it look 3D. |
Posted By: Bethey
Date Posted: 10/04/05 at 8:44pm
Thanks for the suggestions! I like the small edge around the
bottom. As I refinish the trunk, I will add that on. Now
all I need to do is find a good painter! We are a fledgling
company (we've done 4 shows after this one) so we don't have a real
depth of backstage talent. Yet! And it would figure that the ONLY two classes that I didn't take towards a theater degree in college were directing and technical theater. Here I sits directing and asking technical theater questions. Isn't that the way? Beth |
Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: 10/05/05 at 9:55am
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Another solution would be to make the tombstone
out of several sheets of plywood, glued and screwed together. Build this up into whatever thickness you desire. With a jigsaw and drill, cut out the lettering from the top layer of plywood. When attached to the second layer, the letters will look carved into the "stone." Don't worry about making the letters like a stencil, simply cut out the outline of the letter and glue in the smaller pieces (Like the two half-moon interiors of letter "B" in Ebeneezer or the interior of "O" in Scrooge). This should be sturdy enough to be knocked around quite a bit. ------------- "None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone |