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  • 1.  CLUE, THE MUSICAL SET IDEAS?

    Posted 01-06-2016 09:58

    We will be performing the play CLUE, THE MUSICAL in April, but we do not have very much wing space. For those of you who have directed this play, What are some ways you all have created set for this play to transition from room to room quickly? And how well did your students handle performing the different endings of the play?  

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    Suzanne Craig
    MS/HS Theatre Director
    Lipscomb Academy
    Nashville TN
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  • 2.  RE: CLUE, THE MUSICAL SET IDEAS?

    Posted 01-07-2016 06:48
    Suzanne,

    I am not sure what the shipping charges would be, but ATC (Associated Theatrical Contractors) in Springfield, MO owns a backdrop (that resemble the game board, as well as large playing cards). They will rent the pieces for a reasonable price. I am not sure what kind of budget you are working with. Knowing that I would be going on maternity leave for the first month of rehearsals I chose to do this show with the plan that I was going to simplify some of the set themes, but incorporate fun lighting themes and strobes, etc during the murder scene. My art teacher who helps with some of the set details designed large (few feet long) weapons he painted silver and put reflector tape on them, which had a cool effect. We also made character boxes and painted each box in reference to each of the actors character. While Boddy talked in front of the curtain we would move set pieces on and off... It was pretty seamless and allowed for smooth transitions. We did purchase a smaller pool table and put wheels on it and rolled that on. The rest of the rooms were not hard to put together. I also had my business teacher print on banner paper the map that they play twister on. One idea would be to take four flats and create a cube on wheels to create each room and rotate them to change the room... You would need 4 flats per cube X 3... We also added maids and butlers to create roles and supplement vocal parts and incorporated them throughout the show wherever I could to give them more stage time. They would interact at times during the songs, their was a few numbers I had them dance in, and I also used them for scene changes.

    Hope this help!

    Samantha Roop
    --


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  • 3.  RE: CLUE, THE MUSICAL SET IDEAS?

    Posted 01-07-2016 10:40

    This was the first musical I ever directed. Periaktoi are the way to go. Use a three or four sides prism on wheels and then rearrange and turn the pieces to make the different rooms. One person can handle it. Works great.

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    Benjamin Sims
    Indian Trail NC

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  • 4.  RE: CLUE, THE MUSICAL SET IDEAS?

    Posted 01-07-2016 12:53

    Here are two thoughts from the viewpoint of a set designer...   :-)

    As mentioned above, periaktoi are a good "technical" solution to quick scene changes and lack of offstage space. My problem with them, however, has always been that people tend to use them "as is," meaning they have straight up-and-down sides. That can get very visually boring after a few scenes.

    The solution is to add what we call profile pieces (aka flaps) to them which can open out to change the silhouette. A simple example would be a large tree. When you turn the periaktos so the tree faces the audience, you open the flaps and now you have a tree outline instead of straight up-and-down sides. When the scene is over, you fold the flaps back in and turn the unit and maybe open another set of flaps for the next scene.

    The second thought is that you don't need to paint literal "rooms" on the units. This being a musical, you don't have to be literal: you can paint scenes from the game board or the cards or anything else to give the audience a sense of where they are and what's happening. It's much more visually interesting.

    Best, and keep us posted.

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    George F. Ledo
    Set designer
    www.setdesignandtech.wordpress.com
    www.georgefledo.net

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  • 5.  RE: CLUE, THE MUSICAL SET IDEAS?

    Posted 01-08-2016 09:45

    Hi There,

    I directed CLUE a number of years ago and we used 3 rotating platforms.  Each platform was divided into two sections and each section was a room.  All of the platforms were on the stage at the same time.  When various rooms were used the "maids" and "butlers" of the mansion (which I also used as a "chorus"), would rotate the platforms so the correct room was positioned for the audience.

    At the start of the show, the platforms were reversed and since each platform had a back wall, when the platforms were reversed the "outside wall" became the top of the game box.

    My actors had no problems with the various endings of the play.  We used a piano and keyboard on the side of the stage, and the conductor was dressed similarly to Prof. Plum.

    It's a fun, fun show.  Good luck!

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    Michael Hancey
    Musical Theatre Teacher/Theatre Guild Sponsor
    Laramie WY

    Original Message


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