Open Forum

Hello all,

My name is Jason Wilans, and I am new to this organization.  I am an old hand at theater myself but new to being the Stage Crew Advisor for the High School where I work.  I am trying to get ideas on how people create sets, backdrops, flats, platforms, props, etc...  We are currently working on the play Legally Blonde, and with the multitude of flats and platforms, my space is becoming very limited in the wings.  All of this is also becoming very expensive and difficult to store. Any help and ideas would be greatly appreciated.  

Also, in making the flats and platforms, how do you make them light and thin to be able to store easily but strong enough to last for many years?

Thank you all in advance for your help in this.  It is greatly appreciated.

I sympathize! I have very little wing space and trouble storing materials. If you have an engineering teacher, they could be a great resource. Ours is a mentor to one of my technical theater students, and they are designing periaktoi for us that we can disassemble to store flat and re-use every year. They'll be onstage for the whole show, so I have to choose my 3 settings carefully, but it will help with our small stage. They found some how-tos for this online as well.

Hello all,

My name is Jason Wilans, and I am new to this organization.  I am an old hand at theater myself but new to being the Stage Crew Advisor for the High School where I work.  I am trying to get ideas on how people create sets, backdrops, flats, platforms, props, etc...  We are currently working on the play Legally Blonde, and with the multitude of flats and platforms, my space is becoming very limited in the wings.  All of this is also becoming very expensive and difficult to store. Any help and ideas would be greatly appreciated.  

Also, in making the flats and platforms, how do you make them light and thin to be able to store easily but strong enough to last for many years?

Thank you all in advance for your help in this.  It is greatly appreciated.

Students can get a lesson in set design and the history of theatre as an art form.  Periaktoi (in plural, vs. singular: pariaktus) can sit flat on the floor, or be mounted on 3 caster wheels (individual casters or a set: https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/H-5244/Dollies/Leg-Dolly-1-1-4-Casters?pricode=WB1828&gadtype=pla&id=H-5244&gad_source=1 ) , or on a turntable like a lazy Susan.      Some helpful links:  ___1) The Greek design and description:   https://ancienttheatrearchive.com/glossary-term/periaktoi-%CF%80%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%AF%CE%B1%CE%BA%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%B9/   ___2) Here is a design in which each triangular column is mounted on a lazy Susan at the base: Woodshop plans for the theatre tech crew, with instructions and illustrations.  https://hstech.org/how-to-tech/carpentry/periaktoi/      ___3)  Inverted Periaktoi, a set of 3 sections of wall, each composed of two panels. https://dramatics.org/the-inverted-periaktoi/  [Dramatics magazine uses the same logo as Theatre Educators; they are sibling organizations.]

I sympathize! I have very little wing space and trouble storing materials. If you have an engineering teacher, they could be a great resource. Ours is a mentor to one of my technical theater students, and they are designing periaktoi for us that we can disassemble to store flat and re-use every year. They'll be onstage for the whole show, so I have to choose my 3 settings carefully, but it will help with our small stage. They found some how-tos for this online as well.

Hello all,

My name is Jason Wilans, and I am new to this organization.  I am an old hand at theater myself but new to being the Stage Crew Advisor for the High School where I work.  I am trying to get ideas on how people create sets, backdrops, flats, platforms, props, etc...  We are currently working on the play Legally Blonde, and with the multitude of flats and platforms, my space is becoming very limited in the wings.  All of this is also becoming very expensive and difficult to store. Any help and ideas would be greatly appreciated.  

Also, in making the flats and platforms, how do you make them light and thin to be able to store easily but strong enough to last for many years?

Thank you all in advance for your help in this.  It is greatly appreciated.

I sympathize! I have very little wing space and trouble storing materials. If you have an engineering teacher, they could be a great resource. Ours is a mentor to one of my technical theater students, and they are designing periaktoi for us that we can disassemble to store flat and re-use every year. They'll be onstage for the whole show, so I have to choose my 3 settings carefully, but it will help with our small stage. They found some how-tos for this online as well.

Hello all,

My name is Jason Wilans, and I am new to this organization.  I am an old hand at theater myself but new to being the Stage Crew Advisor for the High School where I work.  I am trying to get ideas on how people create sets, backdrops, flats, platforms, props, etc...  We are currently working on the play Legally Blonde, and with the multitude of flats and platforms, my space is becoming very limited in the wings.  All of this is also becoming very expensive and difficult to store. Any help and ideas would be greatly appreciated.  

Also, in making the flats and platforms, how do you make them light and thin to be able to store easily but strong enough to last for many years?

Thank you all in advance for your help in this.  It is greatly appreciated.

I sympathize! I have very little wing space and trouble storing materials. If you have an engineering teacher, they could be a great resource. Ours is a mentor to one of my technical theater students, and they are designing periaktoi for us that we can disassemble to store flat and re-use every year. They'll be onstage for the whole show, so I have to choose my 3 settings carefully, but it will help with our small stage. They found some how-tos for this online as well.

Hello all,

My name is Jason Wilans, and I am new to this organization.  I am an old hand at theater myself but new to being the Stage Crew Advisor for the High School where I work.  I am trying to get ideas on how people create sets, backdrops, flats, platforms, props, etc...  We are currently working on the play Legally Blonde, and with the multitude of flats and platforms, my space is becoming very limited in the wings.  All of this is also becoming very expensive and difficult to store. Any help and ideas would be greatly appreciated.  

Also, in making the flats and platforms, how do you make them light and thin to be able to store easily but strong enough to last for many years?

Thank you all in advance for your help in this.  It is greatly appreciated.

Hello all,

My name is Jason Wilans, and I am new to this organization.  I am an old hand at theater myself but new to being the Stage Crew Advisor for the High School where I work.  I am trying to get ideas on how people create sets, backdrops, flats, platforms, props, etc...  We are currently working on the play Legally Blonde, and with the multitude of flats and platforms, my space is becoming very limited in the wings.  All of this is also becoming very expensive and difficult to store. Any help and ideas would be greatly appreciated.  

Also, in making the flats and platforms, how do you make them light and thin to be able to store easily but strong enough to last for many years?

Thank you all in advance for your help in this.  It is greatly appreciated.