Set Design and Construction: building a trap door show

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building a trap door show

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=5239
Printed Date: 4/19/24 at 7:43pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: building a trap door show

Posted By: startingout
Subject: building a trap door show
Date Posted: 1/10/12 at 11:10am

anyone done this??

Replies:

Posted By: David McCall
Date Posted: 1/10/12 at 2:15pm

I assume that someone has to enter or exit by way of the trap door?

We had to make the witch melt for "The Wizard of Oz". The tricky part is getting the actor in and/or out safely. We used a ladder under the hole at the downstage edge. I bolted a short ladder to the under side of a platform that was built to the exact height for the ladder. The actor steps backward into the hole and a stagehand below the platform grabs the ankles of the actor to safely guide her feet onto each the step of the ladder. The trap door needs to be pretty secure so be sure to use substantial hinges and multiple hefty latches.

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David M

Posted By: DFTDONNA
Date Posted: 12/27/14 at 11:39am

We did a trap door for The Foreigner. We built a platform with a sliding top. The stage hand pulled the top open from off stage just before needed and the actor just stepped back into it on some steps. We lit it from underneath to give a glowing look as the actor dropped in. It worked great.