Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Cats

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mvp1114
Walk-On
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Joined: 1/26/08
Location: United States
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Posts: 4

Topic: Cats - and kitty ascending
Posted: 10/28/11 at 3:25pm

Just heard from our director that she's probably doing "Cats" as our spring musical . . . after I recovered from shock my first thought was "Cool - one set!" - and the second was "how do I send the kitty to heaven?"

SO - a question while I wait for a libretto:

Has anyone done Cats and if so, how did you handle the magically ascending kitty? We would have to use floor-based lifting; flight just really isn't an option on our stage - never mind I run like heck every time someone brings up the possibility.

Actually, if I can figure that out I think it might be a pretty good show for us.

Mike

mvp1114

schlechy techy

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startingout
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Joined: 9/09/08
Location: United States
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Posts: 39

Posted: 10/31/11 at 12:16pm

Where Are you doing the show

does the maintance have a lift to change lights ??

make friends with them

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JoeMc
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Location: Australia
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Posted: 11/01/11 at 11:14am

To follow on from Sam's sugestion!

If you use a black scrim as a backdrop, just downstage if the cyclorama. Which is lit, as in a transforrmation cloth, set with a set of treads to differing levels of rostra.

Then as he climbs the rostra treads, shine a lamp in profile from the flys, upstage of the scrim to cover the actors ascent. Adjust the overall lighting state to create the effect.

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

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David McCall
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Posted: 11/04/11 at 2:52pm

I've never see the show, but my first impulse would be to use a projection. It could be a profile spot (formally known as an ellipsoidal) with a gobo. A video projector or a slide projector. If the device has a tight lens, you could mount it in such a way that you could just tilt the image up slowly.

David M

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mvp1114
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Location: United States
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Posts: 4

Posted: 11/08/11 at 9:08pm

Thanks for the inputs - Looks like I'll be doing it with a scissors lift.

Have a new thread starting on this.

Mike

schlechy techy

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JoeMc
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Joined: 3/13/06
Location: Australia
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Posted: 11/12/11 at 8:36pm

A good clue would be to check with your local health & safety bod. as to the requirements you need to put in place.

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

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didj1028
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Joined: 1/25/11
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 54

Posted: 2/02/12 at 8:41pm

We just sent her up a winding staircase of debris/garbage and off into the wings. combined with good lighting it worked like a charm. No need to overcomplicate things, in my opinion.

Geoff Ehrendreich
Waterloo Community Playhouse
Waterloo IA

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drose
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Joined: 8/23/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 162

Posted: 2/13/12 at 3:08pm

Our Grizabella went up a sparkling staircase (complete with mystic fog and lighting

) inside a refrigerator. No lift or fly space needed.

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Set Design and Construction
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Set Design and Construction

Author	Message
mvp1114 Walk-On Joined: 1/26/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 4	Topic: Cats - and kitty ascending Posted: 10/28/11 at 3:25pm
	Just heard from our director that she's probably doing "Cats" as our spring musical . . . after I recovered from shock my first thought was "Cool - one set!" - and the second was "how do I send the kitty to heaven?" SO - a question while I wait for a libretto: Has anyone done Cats and if so, how did you handle the magically ascending kitty? We would have to use floor-based lifting; flight just really isn't an option on our stage - never mind I run like heck every time someone brings up the possibility. Actually, if I can figure that out I think it might be a pretty good show for us. Mike mvp1114
	schlechy techy

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startingout Lead Joined: 9/09/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 39	Posted: 10/31/11 at 12:16pm
	Where Are you doing the show does the maintance have a lift to change lights ?? make friends with them
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JoeMc Celebrity Joined: 3/13/06 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 832	Posted: 11/01/11 at 11:14am
	To follow on from Sam's sugestion! If you use a black scrim as a backdrop, just downstage if the cyclorama. Which is lit, as in a transforrmation cloth, set with a set of treads to differing levels of rostra. Then as he climbs the rostra treads, shine a lamp in profile from the flys, upstage of the scrim to cover the actors ascent. Adjust the overall lighting state to create the effect.
	[western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!}
	IP Logged

David McCall Celebrity Joined: 1/28/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 299	Posted: 11/04/11 at 2:52pm
	I've never see the show, but my first impulse would be to use a projection. It could be a profile spot (formally known as an ellipsoidal) with a gobo. A video projector or a slide projector. If the device has a tight lens, you could mount it in such a way that you could just tilt the image up slowly.
	David M
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mvp1114 Walk-On Joined: 1/26/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 4	Posted: 11/08/11 at 9:08pm
	Thanks for the inputs - Looks like I'll be doing it with a scissors lift. Have a new thread starting on this. Mike
	schlechy techy
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JoeMc Celebrity Joined: 3/13/06 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 832	Posted: 11/12/11 at 8:36pm
	A good clue would be to check with your local health & safety bod. as to the requirements you need to put in place.
	[western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!}
	IP Logged

didj1028 Star Joined: 1/25/11 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 54	Posted: 2/02/12 at 8:41pm
	We just sent her up a winding staircase of debris/garbage and off into the wings. combined with good lighting it worked like a charm. No need to overcomplicate things, in my opinion.
	Geoff Ehrendreich Waterloo Community Playhouse Waterloo IA
	IP Logged

drose Celebrity Joined: 8/23/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 162	Posted: 2/13/12 at 3:08pm
	Our Grizabella went up a sparkling staircase (complete with mystic fog and lighting ) inside a refrigerator. No lift or fly space needed.
	IP Logged