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  • 1.  Charlotte's Web

    Posted 04-23-2017 22:00
    Anyone done Charlotte's Web? I'm considering it for next season but am a little concerned with costuming. I've also been told Charlotte should be flown. Thoughts? Suggestions?

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  • 2.  RE: Charlotte's Web

    Posted 04-23-2017 22:42

    Hey Ellen,

    We did Charlotte's Web last year and did not fly Charlotte. We did some creative costuming for the animals like using a leotard with stuffing sewn on for the sheep.

    For Templeton we found an awesome pink and grey plaid suit coat, used pipe cleaners for whiskers, and a long piece of stuffed pink felt for his tail.

    For Wilbur, we just happened to find a pig sleeper at Wal-Mart.

    Now Charlotte's costume my wife hand made. Use fosshape (heat sensitive material that hardens). For eyes, we used the mesh covers off a pair old hand held microphones. My wife then sewed a few extra eyes on a black ski cap.

    I'm happy to answer any specifics if you'd like to contact me directly: theatreartsteach@gmail.com

    Best to you,
    Aaron




    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Charlotte's Web

    Posted 04-24-2017 06:30
    We also did Charlotte's Web this past fall, and took a different view of the animal costumes. Charlotte wore black spider tights, a black long-sleeved turtleneck leotard and spider gloves. We made her "shell" and legs from a string backpack stuffed with nylon net pouf balls (like you'd make for a wedding decoration) and cardboard forms from a bolt of fabric (we were too late in the year to get swimming pool noodles, our first thought). We covered the backpack and legs with gray fleece and united the extra 6 legs with black yarn and attached them to her wrists with ribbon and duct tape bracelets. The legs were loose enough that they moved when she did, but were rather independent. I'm glad we didn't use the pool noodles because the cardboard had a crease that actually made the legs look like they had a joint.

    We added a cow, horse and rooster to our farmyard, and costumed the cow and the two sheep in black or khaki and added vests--one made with a cow print cotton and two made with synthetic fleece like the inside of a sheepskin coat. We bought plastic headbands and my costumers made ears for them. The goose wore white leggings and top, a yellow feather boa we had lying around, and a fluffy tutu-type skirt; the gander wore gray knickers, a white shirt and a yellow vest and knee socks. We added pointed hats that looked like beaks and felt shoe covers to look like claws. The rooster wore shades of red--pants, shirt and vest with a feathered headband and shoe covers. The horse wore brown and we made a yarn tail, and used her own incredibly beautiful brown hair for the mane. The cow, horse and rooster took some of the storyteller parts, were the judges at the fair and Charlotte's children. As judges they changed into dresses and as the baby spiders they were in all black with spiderweb headbands. Wilber was dressed in pink jeans, shirt and vest with a pink baseball cap we attached the pig nose to. We added a curly tail.

    Templeton was dressed in plaid knickers and a colorful fitted vest that we made (the sheep, lamb and cow's vests were bolero style) We added a tail and ears we got at Party City (it was close to Halloween, so we did a lot there)

    All of the humans in the cast were dressed in very typical "farmer" types of clothes--shorts for Fern and Avery, housedresses, overalls, etc. But the cast and I decided we didn't want to make the costumes so animalistic they took over the story. That's why we went with costumes that allowed the human actor to be seen. 

    The kids had a blast with it--we took teaser scenes to our elementary schools, did a coloring contest and posted about 1000 pictures grades K-5. Students who "won" the contest got a free ticket to the show and say with the storytellers on stage for the first part of the show. It was the most fun we had had in a long while!



    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Charlotte's Web

    Posted 04-24-2017 10:16
    We did the show with a double-cast a few years ago and had a great time! My two Charlottes were very different body shapes and sizes, and the loft we created for her wasn't easy to climb. Those two facts changed my original vision of Charlotte -- black leotard, four legs across the back (total of 8 appendages), and she'd climb up and down into her "web".  

    I went to Pinterest (well, I got lost in Pinterest) and found inspiration. We created the web-hair and makeup pictured below. Each Charlotte had a dark chiffon dress with lots of "flowiness". These combined to make Charlotte mysterious and unusual, but not creepy or cartoonish.  Our audiences responded well to her, and many parents of little ones in the audiences appreciated the not-so-scary-spidery look.


    Wilbur wore a pink and white striped shirt with pink corduroy bib overalls.  Templeton wore black leggings and a black leather vest over a black and white striped shirt with black combat boots.  Goose and Gander had great big "duck butts" and wore yellow tights/leggings and big duck feet made from vinyl that fit over their shoes with elastic.  They had matching shirts and straw hats. Sheep wore an "old lady" dress and dark veiled hat and used a walker, while Lamb wore a pastel dress and white straw hat.

    We contacted local schools and they brought their students to our auditorium for the show, so we had some big audiences for our four elementary school matinees.

    Love this show and wish you all the best!








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    Makala Witten
    Director, Troupe 3070
    Christiansburg High School
    Christiansburg, VA
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Charlotte's Web

    Posted 04-24-2017 08:06
    We performed Charlotte's Web last fall and it was a huge hit! We also did not fly Charlotte and it wasn't an issue at all. We placed her on a tall platform and that's where she stayed for almost the entire show. We rented some costumes from a local shop for some of the animals. It's a great show with a lovely message.

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    Tracey Filben
    Monarch Company Director
    Glen Dale WV
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Charlotte's Web

    Posted 04-24-2017 08:20
    We didn't exactly fly Charlotte.  We rapelled  (dropped) her from the catwalks over the stage  for her first entrance with the help of a local climbing (insured)  expert!  It was a pretty cool entrance.

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    Valerie Scott
    Drama Teacher/Director
    Perimeter School
    Johns Creek, Ga
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Charlotte's Web

    Posted 04-24-2017 09:22
    Hello :) I have directed Charlotte's Web a few times. I'm happy to talk to, or message you specifics. CK

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    Carolyn Kovar
    McCluer North High School
    Ferguson-Florissant School District
    Florissant MO
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Charlotte's Web

    Posted 04-24-2017 12:33
    Try contacting Little Theatre in New Smyrna Beach, FL. They did it this season. (:

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    Heather Cribbs
    Theatre Director
    New Smyrna Beach High School
    New Smyrna Beach, FL
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    Original Message


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