Set Design and Construction: Titanic Discussion

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Titanic Discussion

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Set Design and Construction
Forum Discription: Post your questions or suggestions about designing or building a set here.
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4866
Printed Date: 11/23/24 at 3:28pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Titanic Discussion

Posted By: MartyW
Subject: Titanic Discussion
Date Posted: 11/11/10 at 9:51am

Greetings all... Titanic seems to be headed to our theater, possibly in the next season... I'd like to hear about your experinces, maybe even see some pictures etc. As we look at our unique stage, I am looking for any ideas that I can borrow from to make our set/production aspects as Titanic as possible.

Thanks in advance for sharing.

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Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."

Replies:

Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 11/12/10 at 8:09am

I have been thinking about doing a set for Titanic. I envision a sort of whole stage teeter-totter with counter weights and bracing blocks. Just think... 42' feet of sinking ship.

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Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

Posted By: David McCall
Date Posted: 11/21/10 at 6:11pm

A teeter-totter might work well to raise the bow before it goes down. You would have to factor in the actors moving around on deck.

If you had the electricity fail just before it goes under which would give you an excuse to cut the lighting down to "moonlight". For the actual going down you could raise a black curtain from down on the floor to cover the set. In the limited light the audience may loose their bearings and feel like they are going under as well.

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David M

Posted By: jungle16jim
Date Posted: 11/24/10 at 11:14am

Since we could not attach to the floor or the ceiling, I developed a free-standing hinged platform. The bottom bracing ran the full 20 feet and held the hydraulic lift and the hinge bolts (from a dump truck). The top was a series of 4x8 platforms supported on 20 foot long 2x12s. The 3 phase lift took it up about 13 feet in the air--enough that actors were REALLY having to struggle to stay on--maybe 30-35 degrees. I put linoleum on the deck to avoid splinters.

42 feet is a really big stage and it's going to have to go up really high to give a scary effect. I'd be nervous about that. I used high sloping walls to frame the upper platform (which was there the whole show) so that the 20feet stil looked big on our 28 foot proscenium opening. You might want to whittle that down a bit.

I've got a couple of pics of the set finished and of the underside during construction on facebook. Let me know who you are when you send a friend request in order to see my set design album and it might give you some ideas.

http://www.facebook.com/jim.manning2

This show was a huge success for us, but it's a monster to pull off, not only for the set, but also for costumes, music, and that many singing men on stage. Best of luck! Sail on!

Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 11/25/10 at 11:49pm

Just a thought utalising the addage of 'don't raise the bridge, just lower the river'.

If your using a cyc, you could depict a horizon with the use of rear lighting, giving a defined line of light &/or colour.

Tip the horizon with use of masking to represent the sinking of the ship, enhanced by the cast leaning while the set remains stationary.

This can be done slowly over a period of time, to give the impression of the ship going down.

Including the blackout as suggested by David, at the end.

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[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

Posted By: playsthething
Date Posted: 1/18/11 at 6:16pm

I did a high-school production of Titanic last year. We created a Teeter-totter that was 30ft wide and about 8 ft. off the deck. It doubled as the bridge for the ship and as various other portions of the ship during the production. It was only 4ft wide. It had ship's rail along the down stage side. With no fly space in our theater it was a challenge to rig. We used 2 winches, one at each end, and we had escape steps off stage that acted as braces for the 3 different angle settings we used for various portions of the final sequence. The only time it moved "live" with actors on it was the very final sequence, when I was able to limit the actors to just a few, allowing for both ends to be free and all of the weight to be carried by the cables and the center pivot. Once we began the tipping sequences, we used a cut drop with a large circular hole in the middle to mask the rest of the set and reveal only the tipped deck, with no other vertical lines in sight - this enhanced the effect remarkably well. We masked the pivot tower and, when it was raised to its steepest angle, the effect was quite dramatic. Happy to provide details. This was one of my favorite shows to produce/direct.

Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 1/20/11 at 8:42am

Hi Play. Thanks for the info. Would be happy to hear more.

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Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."

Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 9/01/11 at 9:07am

Getting close to this production... Would appreciate more ideas/details.

Thanks

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Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."