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  • 1.  Prop Sandbags?

    Posted 10-06-2016 13:00

    Hi everyone! Long time lurker, first time poster. 
    This is my second year directing the fall play and I have ZERO experience in theater prior to this! I'm doing a lot of learning on the go. 

    Anywho, we're producing Front by Robert Caisley, a WWII play and we need a sandbagged warden's post. I'm not about the haul 50 full, heavy sandbags in! 

    I'm looking for suggestions on how to make prop sandbags that are lighter, but still look realish. They need to be stable enough to not fall over either (I may find a way to connect them to each other for this). We don't have a lot of money for props, so the cheaper the better. We have a few good sewers on hand if we need to go that route as well. 

    Thanks everyone! 

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    Paige Junge
    Teacher, Speech Coach, Thespian Director
    Marion, Iowa
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  • 2.  RE: Prop Sandbags?

    Posted 10-07-2016 06:25

    You can get muslin and sew it into bags, the question is do people need to rest on them, you could fill the muslin bags with fiber batting, if you need to rest on them fill the specific ones with play sand and fiber batting in the rest, before filling the bags you will want to darken them up, I recommend soaking them in watered down brown paint

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    Jerry Onik
    V.P. Theatrical Supplies and Equipment
    Omaha NE

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Prop Sandbags?

    Posted 10-07-2016 06:40

    Most sand bags are similar in shape to pillow cases. You could use natural color pillow cases or sew some simple bags that would be smaller. Fill them with some polyfill and you can make them sit up. If you want them to move a bit more like sandbags, do a mixture of polyfill and bean bag fill, both are available at fabric and craft stores (I know Joann's carries both).

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    Matthew Banaszynski
    SAISD
    San Antonio TX

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Prop Sandbags?

    Posted 10-07-2016 17:12

    Sew up some muslin bags and fill with unflavored plain popcorn. Could be a fun project for your cast and crew.  And a good lesson in sewing.  I would suggest those packing peanuts but they don't make those anymore.  Flame treat the bags as you would any canvas material for the stage.  Paper mache would also be an option if you can make a suitable mold out of foam.  Just cover the mold with some sort of release agent-- cooking spray, etc and go to town.  Might make up three different molds for some variety.  BTW, you'll only need half of the bag for the mold, just paper mache the two halves together.  Weight the shapes or canvas bags down with whatever-- shot, bean bag fill as mentioned before, etc.

    Just some ideas.

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    Michael Johnson
    Trinity NC

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Prop Sandbags?

    Posted 10-08-2016 16:55

    You can buy sand bags. Or check with your town maintenance department for a donation or local source.  They aren't muslin but with an aging paint job and the "20-foot rule " they can look pretty good. I'd like some stuffing ideas. I think we used bean bag stuffing at about $12? For 4 cubic feet.  It was messy. Or maybe peat moss? That's cheap and you put it in the garden later.  Newspaper was kind of lumpy. 

    Looking forward to seeing other's ideas. 

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    Bob Sedoff
    Board member Mn chapter EdTA
    Sedoff, Inc.
    Edina MN

    Original Message


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