Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Guys and Dolls Dice

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charlz
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Joined: 7/07/05
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Topic: Guys and Dolls Dice
Posted: 1/11/09 at 6:30pm

Has anyone done Guys and Dolls and throwing real dice in the crapshoot? A friend is playing Sky in a theatre in the round and the audience is very close. So they want to use real dice. I'm wondering how to do this without have the dice fly all over the place. Any suggestions would be most helpful.

Thanks,
Chuck

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tristanrobin
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Posted: 1/11/09 at 10:43pm

I've never done it - but I would think making realistic looking dice out of something much heavier than plastic would keep them from rolling too far.

Also, it would help for the actors to put a "backward spin" on them when they throw them.

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Topper
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Posted: 1/12/09 at 12:12am

The rules of "Craps" dictate that the dice must bounce off a backboard for the roll to be considered legal.

Depending on your blocking, you may want to consider placing a board to prevent the dice from scattering into the audience.

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

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pdavis69
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Posted: 1/12/09 at 8:21am

Each Time I have done Guys and Dolls (3 so far and loved every minute of it) the directors have opted for pantomiming the dice. If the audience can suspend their disbelief long enoug to believe a group of gangsters will bust into song in a sewer, I think they will be ok with the invisible dice. I work in a prison with gang members and other assorted criminals and unfortunately so far there has been no spontanious group dance numbers in the facility.

Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

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MartyW
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Posted: 1/12/09 at 1:07pm

Yup, What Patrick said... Never even heard of anyone actually using dice for that number.

Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."

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gaftpres
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Posted: 1/12/09 at 1:35pm

Ditto on the not using real dice......its theatre....its imagination.

Old volunteers never die, they just get recycled!

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KEB54
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Posted: 1/13/09 at 2:37pm

We used the "imaginary" dice for the sewer ballet and Luck be A Lady, but there is a small scene between the two where Big Jule and Nathan are playing and for that we used real dice. However, our's wasn't in the round and we used a short backboard.

KEB

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charlz
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Posted: 1/13/09 at 10:28pm

Thanks everyone. It is much appreciated!

Chuck

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Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup

Author	Message
charlz Player Joined: 7/07/05 Online Status: Offline Posts: 26	Topic: Guys and Dolls Dice Posted: 1/11/09 at 6:30pm
	Has anyone done Guys and Dolls and throwing real dice in the crapshoot? A friend is playing Sky in a theatre in the round and the audience is very close. So they want to use real dice. I'm wondering how to do this without have the dice fly all over the place. Any suggestions would be most helpful. Thanks, Chuck

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tristanrobin Celebrity Joined: 4/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 704	Posted: 1/11/09 at 10:43pm
	I've never done it - but I would think making realistic looking dice out of something much heavier than plastic would keep them from rolling too far. Also, it would help for the actors to put a "backward spin" on them when they throw them.
	IP Logged

Topper Celebrity Joined: 1/27/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 543	Posted: 1/12/09 at 12:12am
	The rules of "Craps" dictate that the dice must bounce off a backboard for the roll to be considered legal. Depending on your blocking, you may want to consider placing a board to prevent the dice from scattering into the audience.
	"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone
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pdavis69 Celebrity Joined: 3/26/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 437	Posted: 1/12/09 at 8:21am
	Each Time I have done Guys and Dolls (3 so far and loved every minute of it) the directors have opted for pantomiming the dice. If the audience can suspend their disbelief long enoug to believe a group of gangsters will bust into song in a sewer, I think they will be ok with the invisible dice. I work in a prison with gang members and other assorted criminals and unfortunately so far there has been no spontanious group dance numbers in the facility.
	Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse
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MartyW Celebrity Joined: 2/02/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 555	Posted: 1/12/09 at 1:07pm
	Yup, What Patrick said... Never even heard of anyone actually using dice for that number.
	Marty W "Till next we trod the boards.."
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gaftpres Star Joined: 11/14/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 80	Posted: 1/12/09 at 1:35pm
	Ditto on the not using real dice......its theatre....its imagination.
	Old volunteers never die, they just get recycled!
	IP Logged

KEB54 Celebrity Joined: 7/24/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 227	Posted: 1/13/09 at 2:37pm
	We used the "imaginary" dice for the sewer ballet and Luck be A Lady, but there is a small scene between the two where Big Jule and Nathan are playing and for that we used real dice. However, our's wasn't in the round and we used a short backboard.
	KEB
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charlz Player Joined: 7/07/05 Online Status: Offline Posts: 26	Posted: 1/13/09 at 10:28pm
	Thanks everyone. It is much appreciated! Chuck
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Topic: Guys and Dolls Dice( Topic Closed)