Arsenic and Old Lace without the balcony?
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Set Design and Construction
Forum Discription: Post your questions or suggestions about designing or building a set here.
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1900
Printed Date: 5/18/24 at 4:43pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Arsenic and Old Lace without the balcony?
Posted By: jayzehr
Subject: Arsenic and Old Lace without the balcony?
Date Posted: 6/25/06 at 6:44pm
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Hi All: I'm working on a set design for Arsenic and Old Lace for a theater with a low ceiling. Any good ideas on how to handle the stairs and balcony? Jay |
Replies:
Posted By: dougb
Date Posted: 6/26/06 at 10:47am
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I saw a picture of a production of AOL several years ago that had just three steps up then a six or eight foot landing then a couple more stairs behind a flat so it looked like the actor was going up again as they exited. The steps were arranged so that the actor faced upstage as he went up the three steps then turned to run along the landing yelling "Charge" before disappearing. Our stage has a twelve foot ceiling and we routinely use stairs with just three steps before it goes out of sight. |
Posted By: Houdini
Date Posted: 1/31/07 at 8:43pm
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We did Arsenic in a Little Theater with a 9' ceiling. We accomplished the mutiple levels with a couple of ways. The entry door was standard height and we started from the ceiling down. A platform was built that pushed the door all the way to the ceiling, then the platform had a 4' run with a bannister along it, then steps at the end to the main interior of the house. This bannister was used in place of the balcony. The only trick is to have enough landing on the exit side of the door so he can run through it and not take a dive. ------------- Cardboard is my best friend |
Posted By: POB14
Date Posted: 2/01/07 at 9:49am
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When we did it (at a very small theatre) I "charged" up the aisle through the audience.
When I went over there for about the third or fourth time one night, the guy with the front row aisle seat groaned, "Oh, no, not again!" So use this suggestion at your own risk.  ------------- POB Old Bugger, Curmudgeon, and Antisocial B**tard |
Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 2/01/07 at 12:34pm
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I agree with dougb, Turn and burn is the best advise for the low clearance stage... ------------- Marty W "Till next we trod the boards.." |