Bathtub on Wheels Is Tough
Page 3
Prop Designers Toil for Play
By Kelly Smith
"You are sitting in a 13th century Caucasian wheel chair."
"But it doesn't wheel."
Laughing, Stephanie commented that "the worst problem was the loom. Oh, but don't tell them about that."
This last confident statement came from Bob Chambers, Kansas City senior, who is special properties designer for the next University Theatre production, Bertolt Brecht's "Caucasian Chalk Circle."
"THIS BATHTUB was a problem." Bob said. "We built three before one was accepted. All were cut down from barrels in a special tailored job for the individual who has to use it."
Bob and his assistant, Stephanie Smith, Prairie Village sophomore, have toiled about 72 hours apiece within the last three weeks, creating props which range from one dirty official-looking document to a 13th century Caucasian bathtub on wheels.
Bob added that he had designed a 13th century loom from a book, but had not been able to find out how large the looms were.
"Authentic research begins three months ahead of time for every production." he explained.
The loom was made to be the size of an average desk, but after checking the art department, they discovered the actual Caucasian loom was the size of a four-poster bed.
"People slept in them," he said, then added, "but they certainly won't be sleeping in ours. It's rather small."
"Many of the props we need are kept in stock. The prop room is like
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Fibber McGee's closet and has anything in it, or almost anything if you keep looking."
STEPHANIE COMMENTED that some of the props were actually quite easy to make. For instance, she was using wood blocks to create a pair of dice and a cake of soap.
"Something else I'll have to remember to get are two gross of cookies that the characters eat on stage. I'll buy the cheapest I can find."
Pointing to a head on a stick, Bob said, "I worked on this this afternoon. It's made with chicken wire and elastic. Celastic is a type of cloth tape which when dipped in chemicals is as easy to use as paper mache."
Pine wood, chicken wire,celastic cloth and paint are basic materials used in making props.
"And this is a log, also made out of celastic," Bob said. "It had to be designed to be light enough to hit someone with and yet not really injure them."
STEPHANIE SMILED and leaned against a work table loaded with lances, a gavel, a war-ax, leather whips and two wooden milk pails. "We don't have a goose yet," she reminded Bob.
"Not a live goose," corrected Bob. "We're going to use a stuffed goose for one of the scenes, but Stephanie's right. We haven't made one up vet."
"The other prop we haven't finished is a body which is to be hung from a noose in the middle of the stage." Bob commented.
"We considered putting a harness on a real person, but the body has to hang on stage for a considerable length of time, then is pulled up to the fly loot at the top of the theater. Needless to say, we can't expect a person to hang that long."
Bob said they would make the "body by stuffing a pair of long underwear.
Bob and Stephanie's jobs are done
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"I LIKE SOLVING the little problems." Bob said. "True, they aren't earth shaking, but a whole bunch of little successes make a big one. This job is a challenge and I like it."
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"Some of the props could tell people much more than we can." Bob added. "For instance, this mug was made last year for 'Brigadoon.' Since then it has traveled all over the Pacific. Some of the props must have been here for years."
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