Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: pick axe prop

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JCCTony
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Joined: 2/03/05
Location: United States
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Posts: 73

Topic: pick axe prop
Posted: 4/04/06 at 11:13pm

I'm doing props for The Death Of Trotsky fromt the show All in the Timing and was wondering if anyone had any ideas of how to mak a pick axe be pokig out of someones head for the show. He's not supposed to know it's there. It's also got to be secure because at one point he falls to the floor.

I'm stumped.

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Tom_Rylex
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Posted: 4/05/06 at 1:08am

JCCTony,

If your pickaxe were made lightweight enough, perhaps you could secure it to a wig, and the wig to the actor.

-Tom

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
-R. Frost

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Topper
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Joined: 1/27/05
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Posts: 543

Posted: 4/05/06 at 1:27am

In our production of "All In The Timing" our propmaster built a helmet-like skull-cap appliance to which the Trotsky wig and pick-axe were attached. Fortunately, the real Trotsky had an impressive mop of unruly hair that lent itself easily to this application.

Our propmaster used fibreglas and rather than building the head-piece and pick-axe separately and trying to attach them, he constructed the axe as part of the helmet, filling in the hair around it. It was a very solid piece of work.

If you're not familiar working with fibreglas, then it might be possible to use plaster or papier-mache.

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

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Kathy S
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Posted: 4/05/06 at 3:26am

Gee, it seems to me that something akin to the old Steve Martin arrow-through-the-head trick might work -- something on a sort of metal headband? With the actor's hair back-combed and hair sprayed around it to give the look of that unruly mop?? No, probably not...a pick axe is probaby too heavy to do this way. Interesting challenge...can't wait to see how this is resolved.

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Shatcher
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Posted: 4/05/06 at 12:08pm

You might try doing a search of Halloween suplliers. I would bet that someone sells the very thing you are looking for. Rubies Costume has a wide variety of prop items like that. Other wise I like the helmet idea

Good Luck

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Darlin Barry
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Joined: 8/25/07
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Posted: 11/21/07 at 1:55pm

contact Orlando Theatre Project. I saw it there and it was a great prop. Here's the director's email: duxoop@gmail.com He might know who has it now.

theatre counts.

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

Author	Message
JCCTony Star Joined: 2/03/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 73	Topic: pick axe prop Posted: 4/04/06 at 11:13pm
	I'm doing props for The Death Of Trotsky fromt the show All in the Timing and was wondering if anyone had any ideas of how to mak a pick axe be pokig out of someones head for the show. He's not supposed to know it's there. It's also got to be secure because at one point he falls to the floor. I'm stumped.

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Tom_Rylex Star Joined: 5/07/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 60	Posted: 4/05/06 at 1:08am
	JCCTony, If your pickaxe were made lightweight enough, perhaps you could secure it to a wig, and the wig to the actor. -Tom
	The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. -R. Frost
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Topper Celebrity Joined: 1/27/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 543	Posted: 4/05/06 at 1:27am
	In our production of "All In The Timing" our propmaster built a helmet-like skull-cap appliance to which the Trotsky wig and pick-axe were attached. Fortunately, the real Trotsky had an impressive mop of unruly hair that lent itself easily to this application. Our propmaster used fibreglas and rather than building the head-piece and pick-axe separately and trying to attach them, he constructed the axe as part of the helmet, filling in the hair around it. It was a very solid piece of work. If you're not familiar working with fibreglas, then it might be possible to use plaster or papier-mache.
	"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone
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Kathy S Celebrity Joined: 8/21/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 303	Posted: 4/05/06 at 3:26am
	Gee, it seems to me that something akin to the old Steve Martin arrow-through-the-head trick might work -- something on a sort of metal headband? With the actor's hair back-combed and hair sprayed around it to give the look of that unruly mop?? No, probably not...a pick axe is probaby too heavy to do this way. Interesting challenge...can't wait to see how this is resolved.
	IP Logged

Shatcher Celebrity Joined: 2/21/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 251	Posted: 4/05/06 at 12:08pm
	You might try doing a search of Halloween suplliers. I would bet that someone sells the very thing you are looking for. Rubies Costume has a wide variety of prop items like that. Other wise I like the helmet idea Good Luck
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Darlin Barry Walk-On Joined: 8/25/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 11/21/07 at 1:55pm
	contact Orlando Theatre Project. I saw it there and it was a great prop. Here's the director's email: duxoop@gmail.com He might know who has it now.
	theatre counts.
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Topic: pick axe prop( Topic Closed)