Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup: Props for Guys and Dolls

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Props for Guys and Dolls

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup
Forum Discription: For how-to's and where-can-I-find
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3753
Printed Date: 4/04/25 at 2:59pm
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Topic: Props for Guys and Dolls

Posted By: snipit2day2002
Subject: Props for Guys and Dolls
Date Posted: 1/18/09 at 9:18pm

I'm doing props for Guys and Dolls.

During Act II scene ii, when Arvide sings "More I Cannot Wish You", Sarah sits on a box near an Edison Blinker Wagon. Could someone please tell me what that is?

And.. What is a Paper Doll Vendor? Our production will not have this character included; however, I was curious about it. He is in the opening scenes. (with an assistant)

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Sudy

Replies:

Posted By: KEB54
Date Posted: 1/19/09 at 5:45pm

Well, I'm not sure what an "Edison Blinker Wagon" is. I don't remember, does it happen on the street or in the mission? If on the street, I'd guess it is some type of movable blinking barrier for the electric company to mark something like an open manhole.

A "Paper Doll Vendor" is a street vendor that sells paper dolls. He/she probably folds and cuts the paper dolls in front of a small crowd that gathers and then sells it. It's like street entertainment.

The assistant may be a normal assistant type, but in this play he is probably a pickpocket working the crowd while they are distracted by the paper doll vendor.

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KEB

Posted By: snipit2day2002
Date Posted: 1/19/09 at 7:52pm

Thankyou for the answer. It makes sense to me now. It is the scene where the manhole is open.

I like your idea about the Paper Doll Vendor. Another person I talked to today suggested that the "paper dolls" were political satires and/or Betty Boop like items.

I still think it is strange that I am unable to find reference to either of these terms on the internet. I'm glad I found this forum, and helpful people like you. Thanks again!

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Sudy

Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 1/19/09 at 8:11pm

KEB 54 is spot on target about both issues.

usually the paper doll vendor is a man, and the assistant is a woman working the crowd. when the policeman arrives, the whole little paper doll kiosk folds up into a briefcase, and the couple take off, as people realize they're missing the things the assistant stole from them while watching the "vendor"

Posted By: KEB54
Date Posted: 1/20/09 at 10:00am

Remember that Guys and Dolls is based on Damon Runyon's works, so alot of the slang and references are street talk from prohibition Brooklyn. For instance "Edison" is the electric company. I remember there is mentioned "PS" which stands for public school.

One thing you can do to make the show much more interesting is to give each individual chorus member a character from Runyon's works and then let the chorus member create that character. I remember from a production I did that we had chorus people like Itchy Plumbuff, a boxer and his trainer, Dave the Dude, and others.

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KEB

Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 1/20/09 at 12:16pm

I know this is a horrible thing to tell a theatre person, but watch the movie. The paper doll vendor/pick pocket scene is there to see. Watch how they did it and get some ideas.

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Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 1/20/09 at 2:13pm

Don't hold me to it, but if we "extrapolate" on the Edison Blinker Wagon. When I was a kid in the North East, a Blinker was a flashing street lamp, Anything Edison was provided by the electric company and posibbly, in theatrical parlance, the stage directions are saying its mounted on a wagon (a wheeled platform) ???? Just my thoughts...

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Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."