Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: 1940’s Radio hour

Author

Message

Aimee
Guest
Guest

Topic: 1940’s Radio hour
Posted: 8/31/04 at 10:56pm

Anyone know either where I can find an "ON AIR" and APPLAUSE" sign, OR how can I make them...cheaply. I have an extremely low budjet and I work with high school kids. Any ideas at all?

Thanks a bunch!

Aimee

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Kathy S
Celebrity

Joined: 8/21/04
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 303

Posted: 9/01/04 at 1:52am

Here is a very simple solution. A piece of 1/4 inch plywood with a bit of trim-board around the perimeter. Draw your letters on it with pencil as large as you want. Mark regular intervals with a pencil along the lines of your letters and drill holes where you have made your marks with a drill bit just large enough for the tiny Christmas tree lights to go through. I really don't know how many strings of lights you would need, I guess it depends on how close together your holes are drilled. We had a local "Christmas light artist" make a "Hot Box" lighted sign for our production of Guys and Dolls like that and it was very handsome. Good luck!

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Linda
Lead
Lead

Joined: 2/09/04
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 29

Posted: 9/01/04 at 1:26pm

Is there anyone you know in your area who has produced the show in the last few years? I have directed the show twice and both times borrowed the "Applause and "On Air" signs from a neighboring theater.

They were home made but worked very well. I can give you a list of materials they used. They were each constructed of wooden frame about foot deep and 2.5 feet long, with a groove in the front to slip in a piece of glass or plexiglass. The back was left open for ventilation. Three sockets for lightbulbs were wired into the top of the frame. The glass was painted in block black letters outlined in yellow. The whole frame was painted black. They worked very well and were run from the lightboard.

Good luck. It is a great show!

Linda

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bob baker
Guest
Guest

Posted: 9/13/04 at 10:03am

Build your shadow box frame around a piece of plexiglass, line with white paper, apply your stick on letters to the top of the plexiglass. Install a florescent (sp) blub(s) behind it all. Short cut is to have your letters printed on the white paper by a copy center. You can also use a large 4 blub florescent ceiling mount fixture, insert your 14" X 4' lettered sign behind the cover and hang or mount to wall. Install a off on flip switch onto the cord. I've done both and it works!

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Author	Message
Aimee Guest	Topic: 1940’s Radio hour Posted: 8/31/04 at 10:56pm
	Anyone know either where I can find an "ON AIR" and APPLAUSE" sign, OR how can I make them...cheaply. I have an extremely low budjet and I work with high school kids. Any ideas at all? Thanks a bunch! Aimee

	IP Logged

Kathy S Celebrity Joined: 8/21/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 303	Posted: 9/01/04 at 1:52am
	Here is a very simple solution. A piece of 1/4 inch plywood with a bit of trim-board around the perimeter. Draw your letters on it with pencil as large as you want. Mark regular intervals with a pencil along the lines of your letters and drill holes where you have made your marks with a drill bit just large enough for the tiny Christmas tree lights to go through. I really don't know how many strings of lights you would need, I guess it depends on how close together your holes are drilled. We had a local "Christmas light artist" make a "Hot Box" lighted sign for our production of Guys and Dolls like that and it was very handsome. Good luck!
	IP Logged

Linda Lead Joined: 2/09/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 29	Posted: 9/01/04 at 1:26pm
	Is there anyone you know in your area who has produced the show in the last few years? I have directed the show twice and both times borrowed the "Applause and "On Air" signs from a neighboring theater. They were home made but worked very well. I can give you a list of materials they used. They were each constructed of wooden frame about foot deep and 2.5 feet long, with a groove in the front to slip in a piece of glass or plexiglass. The back was left open for ventilation. Three sockets for lightbulbs were wired into the top of the frame. The glass was painted in block black letters outlined in yellow. The whole frame was painted black. They worked very well and were run from the lightboard. Good luck. It is a great show! Linda
	IP Logged

bob baker Guest	Posted: 9/13/04 at 10:03am
	Build your shadow box frame around a piece of plexiglass, line with white paper, apply your stick on letters to the top of the plexiglass. Install a florescent (sp) blub(s) behind it all. Short cut is to have your letters printed on the white paper by a copy center. You can also use a large 4 blub florescent ceiling mount fixture, insert your 14" X 4' lettered sign behind the cover and hang or mount to wall. Install a off on flip switch onto the cord. I've done both and it works!
	IP Logged

Topic: 1940’s Radio hour( Topic Closed)