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  • 1.  Anne of Green Gables - Breaking the chalk Slate over Gilbert's Head

    Posted 11-10-2017 18:26

    Hello,

     

    I need to have Anne break her chalk slab over Gilbert's head. (It is supposed to break in two.)  Does anyone have recommendations for me on how to do this?

     

    Ginny Schreiber

    Middle School Drama

    Forest Ridge School

    425-679-0143 | www.forestridge.org

    image001.png@01D3200D.7B116E80

     



  • 2.  RE: Anne of Green Gables - Breaking the chalk Slate over Gilbert's Head

    Posted 11-11-2017 05:11
    I did this play a few years ago and we used a break-away board that a girl had brought in- she was taking tae kwon do I believe.

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    Rachel Cunningham
    Elwood IN
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Anne of Green Gables - Breaking the chalk Slate over Gilbert's Head

    Posted 11-11-2017 10:44
    You could cut and paint a piece of foam board or use sheets of balsa wood.  You would have to make one for each show.

    Tom Turner

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    Thomas Turner, PhD
    Theatre Instructor
    Phoenix, AZ
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Anne of Green Gables - Breaking the chalk Slate over Gilbert's Head

    Posted 11-11-2017 12:38
    Such a fun show. I would suggest buying an extra slate and doing a pre-break so all the slates look alike. Fasten it with a couple of small pieces of gaffers or other black tape and you're good to go. Anne can stamp her foot as she brings it down on his head, to add sound to the "break". Good luck!

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    Vicky Ryden
    Assoc. Drama Director
    John's Creek GA
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Anne of Green Gables - Breaking the chalk Slate over Gilbert's Head

    Posted 11-11-2017 17:15
    Just closed AoGG last week. Black foam core/foam board. I bought some at Office Depot, cut them to size, then painted fake wood frames around them. Score with a razor blade to get a clean break. Also, the reaction of the actors is key. Nobody gets hurt, and it looks good onstage.

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    Sarah Haman
    Theatre Teacher
    Bryant AR
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Anne of Green Gables - Breaking the chalk Slate over Gilbert's Head

    Posted 11-11-2017 18:41

    When we did this I got some 'greenware' from a local ceramics place. I think I used a 'tile'. Anyway, a bit of black paint on it and some careful handling and it works like magic when you need to smash it. It crumbles nicely on stage and is easy to clean up.  




    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Anne of Green Gables - Breaking the chalk Slate over Gilbert's Head

    Posted 11-12-2017 12:02
    We took one of our "slates", and then cut it in half with a saw in a zig zag pattern including the wooden frame.  The zig zag pattern allowed Anne to hold it together for the scene easily.  When it came time for her to break it, she turned to Gilbert raised it over his head and then as it was crashing down, pulled it apart.  A student behind Gilbert, watching the action, clapped a piece of wood against the wooden bench at the moment of "impact" and the audience was none the wiser.

    Still have these in our prop cupboard if you want pictures


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    Margaret Watt
    Artistic Director
    Mountain Dream Productions
    Victoria BC
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Anne of Green Gables - Breaking the chalk Slate over Gilbert's Head

    Posted 11-13-2017 13:17
    We also used slates made out of balsa wood.  We had two performances, so our set designer made five "fake" slates, that way we had one for each performance and extras to practice with.  We had each of these specially marked as we had regular slates for the other students.  It was our stage crew's job to make sure Anne got the right slate. 

    The first time we "hit" Gilbert we had Anne go a little softer, just to get him used to it.  Our Gilbert actually preferred getting hit, he said it was easier for him to form a reaction without the pain.  :)

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    Nicole Deckert
    Theater Director
    Northridge Middle School/Northridge High School
    Middlebury IN
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    Original Message


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