Set Design and Construction: "Bug" set design question

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"Bug" set design question

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=5364
Printed Date: 4/26/24 at 3:18pm
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Topic: "Bug" set design question

Posted By: GElliott
Subject: "Bug" set design question
Date Posted: 8/21/12 at 10:52am

I'm directing Bug, by Tracy Letts. The show calls for a really quick scene change. It goes from normal room to aluminum foil covered walls. Other companies have done partial cover, or only covered the windows. I'm trying to figure out how to cover ALL the walls in a 2 - 3 minute scene change.

We can't close curtains, and we can't spin walls, so the scene change will take place in audience view. The best idea on the table right now is using foam board, gluing the foil to that and velcroing that to the walls.

Anyone else have a genius idea? Thanks very much!

Replies:

Posted By: dboris
Date Posted: 8/21/12 at 12:25pm

If it doesn't have to change back quickly you could have rolls of myler attached to the tops of the flats with a simple mechanism to release them to unroll. This would allow for a very quick scene change but takes a while to reset.

Posted By: Raging Thespian
Date Posted: 8/22/12 at 11:30am

Those are both good suggestions. I'd go with the mylar if it doesn't have to change back. Trying to unstick velcro in a hurry could be a disaster waiting to happen.

Posted By: vickifrank
Date Posted: 8/24/12 at 10:59am

Think backwards. Have the flats already covered in mylar and never remove that. But have a material that is attached to the back of the flats and thrown over the front to velcro in place.

During a scene change unvelcro the cover material and throw it to the back. This will be easier if you sew a dowel into the bottom.

You want a material that is easy to use...doesn't stretch in any direction and doesn't need side seams. I have some suggestions if you want to take this approach.

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1-800-359-2964

The theater scrim people

Posted By: GElliott
Date Posted: 8/27/12 at 3:19pm

In thinking about it, I believe you all may be correct with the mylar. I've ordered enough for the walls. It's gonna be LOUD unless I back it with something.

@vickifrank, It's a run down seedy hotel room, so we're going to be going with a plywood paneling treatment. With that in mind, I don't think a cover would work.

By the way, no we don't have to reset the stage after this scene, so resetting is not an issue.

Thanks for the input!

Posted By: GElliott
Date Posted: 2/03/13 at 11:21pm

BTW, here's what we ended up doing. We went with the mylar sheets spray glued to large panels of black fabric. We attached thes to the top of the flats. At the bottom of the sheets we inserted pvc pipes in a fabric slot. That gave them weight and allowed for easy roll up. Before the show the mylar was simply rolled up on top of the flats. In the quick scene change the fabric was unrolled to reveal the mylar. Because of the pvc we didn't even need to secure them at the bottom. It worked great.

Here's the facebook page with photos from the show. Mylar pics are at the end. Thanks everyone for suggestions.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151121955758507.452993.130171553506&type=3