Set Design and Construction: rotating stage

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rotating stage

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=5094
Printed Date: 4/28/24 at 2:30am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: rotating stage

Posted By: occpleader
Subject: rotating stage
Date Posted: 6/13/11 at 9:53pm

We are preparing for our production of "Annie" and are wanting to have a movable, rotating stage for two of the scenes. I have never built one, and being a small childrens theater, neither have any of our volunteers. The floor space needs to be approx. 12x12 with the ability to hold up to 1000 lbs. Any input would be helpful.

Replies:

Posted By: David McCall
Date Posted: 6/13/11 at 11:23pm

Where are you?

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David M

Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 6/14/11 at 9:59am

We produced Annie this past season and used four rotating rounds each eight feet across. Over the years we have found it works best to mount casters upside down on the floor so the wheels point up. The reason we put the wheels on the floor facing up instead of on the round facing down is that it reduces the wear on the stage surface. We used 16 wheels per rotating platform set in two circle patterns. The platform needs a solid anchor point in the center. For this we used cast iron flange and pipe. Make sure you secure the anchor point realy well before you build on the round. Someone (me) didnt do that with our rounds and we had to use rolling automotive jacks and jack stands to get under the round to reattatch them with the set already built on top.

Looking at the pictures on the OCP website it does not appear you can secure directly to the stage floor, so a layer of plywood would have to be laid first to attatche the wheels to.

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Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

Posted By: startingout
Date Posted: 9/19/11 at 12:06pm

I made this for noise off it was 40 feet wide 75 casters latter

I have also have done annie with a two story set with two 16 foot pieces (I could send pic just ask) that we moved

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys_UxkNzo84 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys_UxkNzo84

Posted By: KiltedTechie
Date Posted: 11/20/12 at 8:53am

I agree that mounting the wheels to the deck instead of the platform will protect the stage surface, we still have caster marks in our deck from our first production of noises off from over 15 years ago. dont scrimp on the casters either, my first wagon show we grabbed whatever we could find and opening night they all blew out. had to drag thump it for every set change which was not pretty. "you know what you call a wagon without wheels? A drag

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KiltedTechie@gmail.com
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