Hi, Scott. If you have a Tech Theatre class and want to give your new tech students training in building flats, you may want to consider what we used to do when I taught. The classes would build small theatre flats using scrap lumber, and the students would be graded on their construction of the small flats. Using 1- 1/2" screws, we would then join those small flats together into rehearsal cubes, covering the tops in 3/4" plywood for seating area, and the sides with scrap luan or other sheet stock. Hand holes were cut in the luan just under the top rail, and sanded smooth. Edges of the top would be sanded so they were rounded off, then dutched over and painted so students wouldn't snag their clothes.
The typical size was 18" X 18" (for cube sides)
The 3/4" plywood top would be 18- 1/4"
Other sizes could be adjusted for tables and other furniture/props
We were able to use up a lot of our short scrap lumber, give the students experience building small flats so they could make mistakes on smaller scale projects instead of ruining long pieces of lumber, which we all know can be really expensive. Love seats and couches could be made by using several cubes attached to each other using sticky-back velcro.
We used theatre flats, but Hollywoods could be adapted, as long as you allow for the thickness of the rails and stiles. Since our program had 5 Tech Theatre classes/day, we ended up providing cubes to the middle schools, and many of the elementary schools. This could also be a training project for your after school carpenters.
Bob Fowler
Interactive Educational Video, LLC
Original Message------
Anybody have any insight or ideas into where I could find some standard pieces of rehearsal furniture in the NYC area?? I'm building a theater program at a small charter school in Manhattan, and we could really use a few acting cubes, rolling doors, tables, stair units, etc. for our classroom space. I've looked into contacting theater supply companies, but they seem to deal more with tech equipment. Should I reach out to local scene shops? Other schools and/or theater companies? How did you all acquire your rehearsal furniture? If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, I'd love to hear them! Thanks!
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Scott Patteson
Theater Teacher
Success Academy Midtown West Middle School
New York, NY 10019
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