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Almost, Maine Winterized Porch

  • 1.  Almost, Maine Winterized Porch

    Posted 03-14-2018 13:15
    Sorry to post again but we are doing Almost, Maine again (after 6 years). We did it as a black box production the first time but now we are doing it in a 1300 seat proscenium. "Seeing The Thing" takes place in a winterized porch. I'm at a loss as to what that is. Can anyone help me? What did you do?

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    John Perry
    Drama Instructor
    Atherton High School
    Louisville KY
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  • 2.  RE: Almost, Maine Winterized Porch

    Posted 03-14-2018 13:39
    I've never done the show (and likely never will, sadly, as long as we live in this very conservative community), but I read it recently. For me, "winterized porch" means a porch that's been snowed on? I'd do porch rails with foam or batting "snow" on them and dress your cast for cold weather.

    Have fun! I'm jealous of everyone who gets to do this show - I loved reading it.

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    Josh Kauffman
    Teacher
    Winfield AL
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Almost, Maine Winterized Porch

    Posted 03-15-2018 07:53
    Love this show!! Here's my porch. :) such a fun show, well received. 



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  • 4.  RE: Almost, Maine Winterized Porch

    Posted 03-15-2018 06:11
    A winterized porch has been set up so it can continue to be used even during cold winter weather.  Think of a screened porch that would be comfortable during the summer, but too cold to spend time in during a Maine winter.  Some people put up plastic sheeting over the screens and do other things to insulate such a porch a little.  It's still pretty chilly, but hardy northern types can continue to make use of a porch with such temporary seasonal trimmings.  Once spring arrives, the winterizing elements come down.  I didn't do much of anything with that because I staged my production in a small black box and went very minimal with the scenery.

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    Jeff Grove
    Theatre Teacher, Aesthetics Department Chair
    Stanton College Preparatory School
    Jacksonville FL
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Almost, Maine Winterized Porch

    Posted 03-15-2018 06:11
    A winterized porch is an exterior porch that has been enclosed and insulated and heated so that you can continue to use it through the winter.  I wouldn't think that setting is integral to that scene.

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    Christopher Sheldon
    Performing Arts Teacher
    Bancroft School
    Worcester MA
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Almost, Maine Winterized Porch

    Posted 03-15-2018 06:36
    A winterized porch is a porch with glass windows but no heat. We did this by wheeling out two flats for a back wall, constructed to look like a porch with windows, and had the actors stay in front of the walls and mime the door. Easy.

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    Elisabeth Ledwell
    Falmouth MA
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Almost, Maine Winterized Porch

    Posted 03-15-2018 09:05

    I believe a "Winterized Porch" is a porch that has the ability for the porch screens removed, and glass panels inserted for the winter.  It could also mean a porched that was been modified with the window screens permanently removed and replaced with glass or Plexiglas windows.

     

    I hope this helps you out. 

     

    Jeff Luty

    Rochelle School of the Arts




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  • 8.  RE: Almost, Maine Winterized Porch

    Posted 03-15-2018 09:14
    We did every scene except the bar scene and the ironing scene, sorry I can't remember the names of those two, on a bench outside.  Each scene could have been In a backyard or at a skating pond or any outside location.  I left that up to the audience.  So we didn't used the winterized porch.

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    Rob Albrecht
    Aurora OH
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Almost, Maine Winterized Porch

    Posted 03-16-2018 12:57
    I grew up in Maine. I agree with those who describe a winterized porch as an enclosed porch where either the screens have been replaced by glass panels or the windows covered over with the plastic for the winter.

    From your original post, I'm assuming that doing the show in a large theater means that you're doing more with the set to distinguish each location in the show. So for set dressing on the winterized porch, I'd suggest containers/paper bags for holding bottles and cans to be returned for deposit, stacks of newspapers to be taken to recycling, shovels and other manual snow removal tools, de-icing salt, and then things waiting to be brought elsewhere or picked up by others. Our porch door was never locked, so people could stop by and pick things up from it, but also we wouldn't keep anything too valuable out there. Some Mainers wouldn't lock their house either, but my parents always did.

    So, I'd say probably no patio furniture -- not that kind of porch.

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    Cora Turlish
    Metuchen NJ
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Almost, Maine Winterized Porch

    Posted 03-21-2018 10:36
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    We did a production in the fall in a large auditorium like yours.  We flew in a flat with a door to represent the wall of the cabin and built a wood frame attached to an 8x12 wagon for the porch.  We put clear plastic sheeting on the sides and a "cut-away" triangle of plastic on top, leaving the front open.  We secured the downstage side of one of the side sheets with magnets so it could be pulled open and shut for an entrance onto the porch.  Because of the sightlines in our theatre, the side pieces of plastic sheeting didn't interfere. Used a rustic 2-seater bench as pictured.  Break a leg!

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    Michelle Ludwig
    Director of Drama
    Kinkaid School
    Houston TX
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    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Almost, Maine Winterized Porch

    Posted 03-22-2018 15:23
    I'd like to thank everyone for their response. Your sets look great! I love seeing the variety in concepts!

    Thanks again! This is a great community and I'm going to miss it.

    AP

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    John Perry
    Drama Instructor
    Atherton High School
    Louisville KY
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    Original Message


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