Set Design and Construction: George Washington Slept Here

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George Washington Slept Here

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=5171
Printed Date: 5/13/24 at 5:49pm
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Topic: George Washington Slept Here

Posted By: ChanaGoanna
Subject: George Washington Slept Here
Date Posted: 9/26/11 at 1:00pm

I'm considering doing this play in the spring at the high school where I'm the director. The only thing scaring me is the set....collapsing chair, wrecking it at the end, rain leak effect, etc. We are a VERY small theater department (it's my job to grow it into a viable program and this is my second year). We do not have access to expert set builders, just a few faculty and parents willing to help. This year we have a new teacher who's much better at tech than I am, but I don't want to dump everything on him. Given those conditions, should I forget this wonderful play and choose something with a less challenging set? Or do you think we could pull it off?

Thanks in advance!

Anna

Replies:

Posted By: Majicwrench
Date Posted: 9/26/11 at 4:56pm

Anna, I am a HUGE fan of going minimalist. I'm betting you can find ways to do this WITHOUT going overboard on the "stuff". Never doubt the power of your audience's imagination. Some of that fancy trick "stuff" if not absolutely perfect, is worse than nothing.

Keith

Posted By: ChanaGoanna
Date Posted: 9/27/11 at 3:13pm

That's reassuring, Keith, thanks! Do you have any specific suggestions for scenes in that play?

Posted By: Majicwrench
Date Posted: 9/28/11 at 10:40pm

Nope! Have never read the play, I was just spouting my mantra. Heck, might have to read it...

Do you have any specific issues you can post here??

Keith

Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 9/29/11 at 1:19am

I agree with Kieth & the aude adage of "Keep it simple - stupid!"

You can do the rain with a simple gobo lighting effext on a scrim, set or cyc.

You might find holding a round table with your helper/techies could resolve the situation, by turning the "impossible into the probable, thus making the improbable into the possible & perfect!".

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

Posted By: Majicwrench
Date Posted: 9/29/11 at 11:52am

Rain?? Actors can hold out their hands, and look up, or cover their heads with newspapers, turn up their collars, put on their hats, the audience will get it. Heck, on of em can look up and say "hmm, raining" if it is not already in script.

Less is More.

Posted By: ChanaGoanna
Date Posted: 10/02/11 at 12:15am

I guess the biggest issue is that the cast wrecks the house at the end of the play, so it would need to be done in such a way that it can be put back together for the next performance. Has no one on the board actually done this play? It's really quite funny and charming.

Posted By: David McCall
Date Posted: 10/02/11 at 11:09am

If it is a night scene, you could use projections of rain.

There is a compositing program called After Effects by Adobe that has a preset that can be tweaked to make a pretty nice rain effect. AE is in many ways like Photoshop with very heavy animation capabilities. You will need a good projector with fairly high resolution, brightness, and width.

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David M