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  • 1.  Fake Fireworks for You Can't Take It With

    Posted 03-06-2015 09:54
    Does anyone have suggestions for what to use for the "red fire" and the small firecracker Paul brings up to show Penny in the great classic comedy You Can't Take it With You?  Obviously, the fire marshal won't allow us to use real fireworks.

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    Bethany Bax
    teacher and play director
    Greencastle Community Schools
    Greencastle IN
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  • 2.  RE: Fake Fireworks for You Can't Take It With

    Posted 03-06-2015 10:47
    We made our own out of a paper towel tube and put a cone top on it and a little twine tail and painted it red. I can't remember what we did for the firecrackers.Myabe straws tied together? It's been a while. Good luck!

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    Kim Silverman
    Director of Theatre
    The Grier School
    Tyrone PA
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  • 3.  RE: Fake Fireworks for You Can't Take It With

    Posted 03-09-2015 10:43

    There have been some fantastic ideas about this in a few past threads, search for "fireworks" to locate them:



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    Ginny Butsch
    Community Manager
    Educational Theatre Association
    Alexandria KY
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Fake Fireworks for You Can't Take It With

    Posted 03-10-2015 08:09
    I don't remember how exactly we did the red glow but I think it was a battery operated light of some kind. The stage lights are brought low for a late night scene so even the dim illumination from a a battery-operated votive candle can be seen by the audience.  The noise for the firecracker in the frying pan was generated by a mouse trap fixed to the inside of the pan. A short piece of fishing line was attached so that the actor playing Paul could release it at the appropriate time. These are both easy to do. I hope it helps.
     
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    Mark A Zimmerman
    Theatre Director
    Akron School for the Arts
    Akron Public Schools
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Fake Fireworks for You Can't Take It With

    Posted 03-11-2015 10:19

    Hi!  We did this last year.  Our theater is very small and of an age that prevents many special effects, but this one turned out great!  Paul brought the red fire up from the "basement" in a small metal bucket that the audience could not see the inside of.  Then he used a  "match" to light it in the bucket.  Inside the bucket was a hikers headlamp, the first setting of which is red.  The actor clicked the button and slowly released the light with his hand while the stage lights were lowered...the end effect was a soft emerging red glow that the audience say on the actors' faces and the sides of the metal bucket.  It was a very nice effect, cheap and easy to do.  When the lights went out on that scene, the actor covered the red glow with his hand until he was backstage to turn it off completely.  Hope that is helpful!

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    Georgann Lanich
    Lakemont GA
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Fake Fireworks for You Can't Take It With

    Posted 03-11-2015 11:38
    I did it a couple of years ago.  I gelled a battery operated led light and put t in  a cup of water in a pot.  I had the actor light a match and lower it into the pot. drop it in the water and push the on button.  The lights were dim and the actors gathered around and had a red glow on their face.  The science department had some good suggestions but didn't want to burn down the theater. 

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    T. Thomas
    Arvada CO
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Fake Fireworks for You Can't Take It With

    Posted 03-11-2015 17:05
    Edited by Darren Means 03-11-2015 17:07

    Using a table that pulled out to add a leaf, we replaced the leaf with a board that had a hole cut out of one end. I took a red strobe and mounted it to the bottom of the table. I then ran a hose from a smoke machine hidden under the table to that hole. All of this was hidden by a large table cloth, which they folded back for the big scene. For the container we used a springform pan with a lid to hide the fact there was no bottom. after lighting the match, the actors activated a hidden switch that turned on the smoke machine, then moments later one that started the red strobe. I was asked for weeks later how I accomplished this, they were so impressed. Lots of flash for not a lot of expense.

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    Darren Means

    Hardin MT

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Fake Fireworks for You Can't Take It With

    Posted 03-12-2015 14:09
    Very low tech- We used a mirrored bowl and a red special hung on the first electric with a tight focus on the bowl, creating a red glow on the actors' faces.  It worked just fine for the moment.

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    Rick Osann
    Theatre Teacher
    Standish ME
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    Original Message


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