Hey guys!

We are constructing our own set for our own devised musical featuring songs from all around the world.

As the theatre has no facilities available for flying or hanging backcloths, we are restricted.

The set we are wanting to create inculdes a series of moevable platforms and steps. This symbolize different levels created in the world...or summat like that! - Because we are not very technical regarding sets we normally just hire it from a company

Does anybody have any ideas as to how we can create this set?

Paul

I think people will need to know the size of the stage, how much room there is in the wings and whether you want to move the staging around or take bits off.

At the risk of being boring, stages on multiple levels like that can be quite dangerous unless you think through how you're going to fix them and whether there is a danger that people can fall off the end of them. Proper stage blocks are obviously safest, but they are expensive to buy or hire. Does the theatre have any rostra you can use?

If you have someone who is able to construct a set I'm sure people here would be quite happy to talk to them direct about a set design but if construction ability is limited probably better to play it safe and do it a different way. Have you thought about using moveable PROPS to "tell the story" eg small pieces of furniture that can easily be carried on and off. Or flags of the world?

In response to your replies

1.) Lesley C - the stage is 34 1/2 foot long. The treads would be moved around and taken off & wing space is about 1/2 the size of the stage

2.) Yes the theatre does have some treads and rostra available

3.) Maureen - we are planning on using props to emphaize the location. I like the flags of the world idea but how would we be able to prop the flags up during the number

Many thanks, guys

The cast could be holding / wearing the flags.

And if they needed to put the flags down, all you need is a large block(s) of wood with appropriate size holes drilled. This can either be fixed to something (e.g, edge of rostra, handrails, stage deck etc), or actually form the handrail. The cast then parade in with them and place into the appointed hole.

A tip for hole drilling if its a handrail. Always start from the top of the rails to prevent splitting and rough edges. If you haven't got a pillar drill, or can't get the rail onto one, then drilling accurately to a depth is always a nghtmare. In that case drill right through and then tack a ply plate along the underside to prevent it falling through.

Are the steps, and stage blocks reversable symetrically? If they are, then you can dress the riser and the tops with different pattern/flags, and then just flip them change the place.

Robin

We're probably becoming a bit obsessed with the flag thing but....

.... you could incorporate the flags into each number in a different way.

So for example, the first number, someone carries a full size flag.
The next time, part of someone's costume is the colours of the flag.
The next time, something they're carrying eg a book/magazine, features the flag.

The audience will look for it each time then!

Us obsessive? What a terrible allegation to make.

Pity it true.

As a pohmy Royalist flag waving obsessive!
The easiest ways to hold them, would be to use plastic electrical conduit full saddles, to suit the size of the staff &/or use conduit as a tube with an end cap glued on, as the staff holder - screwed on to the rostra.
Also you can use a flat attached to one of the end sides of the rostrums. Basically you could have five of them to represent the different continents, double sided flats would work even better!

Many thanks for your help guys

Right we are looking at propping the flags up along the rostra positioned @ the back of the stage.

Our only problem is that flags have seem to always hang, and so consequently you are not able to see what is on it

Has any one got any ideas as to how to make the flag look striaght, rather than hang?
(I'm not making any sense am I???.... !)

Basically the flag should be able to be seen from the back of the auditiorium and the whole flag should be seen, not just a rippled effect - any suggestions on how to achieve this?

Paul

Hang them as standards rather than flags.

Dave

I think the flip chart idea was good - hang them in order, on a board, then pull em off as each one is finished with - could be dead dramatic!

Can they be "wired". A strip of coat hanger type wire sewn into top and bottom edge?

If each country is a new scene, and you want to use flags, have someone walk across the stage carrying each new flag in the style of a wrestling match, perhaps to a few bars of the appropriate anthem. This will also give you time to quickly move people into place for the next country's song.

Alternately, perhaps you could put your treads and rostra up as a sort of "on-stage stage", and actually stage each country's number differently that way.

Or how about painting your whole set white, then using colour in the lights to make abstracts of flags on the white set?

If you normally dead hang your boarders & legs & if you have a Tab track available. You can rig up the flags from the tabs & use it as a traveller, hanging the flags between the hoist grommets & leaving the fly side to hang down. Run them on up stage in order, to an opening in masking or between flats on each side.
You could roll the flags & break them out, by a simple single wrap & pull loop lanyard method to unfurl the flag. If the lanyard pull end is tethered to the lead tab of the next following rolled flag, it will break automatically when it travels to it?s designated position on stage, pulled by the previous flag travelling off.
If you don?t have a tab track at hand, this can be easily rigged up by a wire cable stretched between two anchor points & tightened via cable turnbuckles.

One other thought for the set is to make Periaktoi flats, also known as Medici flats, instead of the lighting effect. They are easy to produce, using jogger flats. Fixed or hinged together, on the side edges [stiles]to form either a three or more sided structure, which can be pivoted around or revolved on a truck castor base. - Normally they are used as revolving wing flats.
You can either drape the flags, hung from the hoist edge on each side of the flat & revolve to the next preset flag. Or using the 5 continent idea just have 5 different single coloured flats. Using two three sided medici revolves, with the last as the Olympic rings - which could be the logo of the London Games!
This might be an alternative to the lighting effect!

Joe,

The Periaktoi flats sounds like an interesting way to arrange the set

Could you give me more information of the idea and especially on how you construct the set - step by step - if possible!

Keep any suggestions coming guys!

Paul

It will depend upon how many flats you require & if the are a preset revolve or a mobile one.
For a 3 flat triangle structure, just place the 3 flats face down on the floor, next to each other with the side ?Stile? edges butted together.,square off all the tail rails, so it has a flush base when it stands up.
I use flap/butt hinge to join the flats together. Place 3 or 4 hinges on each of the two joints between the adjoining flats, created on each side of the central flat - Hinges at the top, bottom & centre of the these joints. You will now have a folding triple book flat. Don?t worry if the top rails of the flats don?t line up, this can be fixed later, as long as the bottom/tail rails line up. If you can get all the flats the same width & height, it does look better ascetically.
Now fold over the left & right flats to make a triangular structure, these edges can be fixed together either by using tek screws or drop pin hinges & /or what ever method you wish.
You can now attach a base board, this can be cut from plywood or other flat board. For a fixed revolving medicci, fix the central spigot to it, which can be as simple as a bolt or whatever, which drops into a floor plate. Choose fixed direction castors with wheel axles that have decent bearings & no sideway slop & not the type which hold the wheels on with a bolt & plastic bearings, also rubber or soft synthetic wheel treads, stay clear of the cheap hard plastic wheel type castors. Mount the castors so the wheel runs in the direction of the flats rotation.
You can use a masking ?Dutchman? over the stile joints on the flats. Depending if they are soft skin [canvas/calico/muslin] or the studio hard skin flats [ply/mdf/masonite or whatever] you can use roller bandage on the soft or tape on the hard. With soft flats, either run the roller bandage thru a container of wallpaper size or the paint you are covering the flats with or just paint the unrolled bandage on, from the top to the bottom.
Cut some black tat material - head cloth or hessian in a strip & attach to the base board as a skirt.
You now have a set of Medici or Periaktoi flats - Honestly it is just as easily as boiling water in a paper bag - even warm props can do that!

I forgot to mention that if you are to have thsem move around stage at random, use swivel castors.
Also what would be a good idea is to find someone who likes to do DIY or a 'chipy' to help out.