Wild Dust, anyone?

[azylka]

Hello again, it's been a while since I've been asking dumb questions, but here I am again!
I'm sort of in the designing stage of a high school production of Flip Kobler's "Wild Dust." I'm just wondering who has done this show, and what seemed to work well for them, and what was tough. Understanding that only oil lamps were used for lighting (in the year 1880), and that the show takes place in a boarded up bar, I'm wondering if anyone had any tricks for setting the scenes to look warm and homey, yet somehow flickery? That's probably a terrible description...
Anyway, any thoughts on this? Not looking for people to design the show, but I'm interested in solutions that others might have, or suggestions for making this show look authentic.

Thanks!

[cpf]

Ideas: let the audience see the boarded up windows, and depending on time of day, either shoot sharp beams of "daylight" through them, or softer, bluer moonlight.

Lots of possibilities for practicals for light sources, invest in lots of dollar store LED tea lights and candles.

Not to state the obvious, but for general lighting needs, lots of soft warm anything, but don't be afraid to toss in some cooler, shadowy-er areas for emphasis, or variety.

Less of a lighting thing, but appropriate sound effects could go a long way towards selling this. Whistling wind, howling coyotes, creaking, specific effects, etc.

Never having heard of the show, these are just my ideas for it.

[chausman]

Based on you description, along with lots of practicals, probably a lot of ambers and such, less light cool colors, except from possibly windows.

[azylka]

You guys have basically confirmed what I've been thinking. Trying to find a bunch of lovely practicals with flicker lamps, which I'm sure is the least of my worries. What would you say to one front wash of R99 Chocolate, and then another system of something like R302 front? I'm considering my options here as well with haze - as the reason the bar is boarded up is for protection from a terrible dust storm. Think it's worth it for getting beams through windows and the like?

[chausman]

I've heard from many people that R99 is good for old-timey sepia looks. I think haze would also add an interesting effect.

[Cooperhodges]

Haze would make it look pretty interesting. Before you use haze though, be sure to contact your local fire marshal and ask about procedures on using haze in a building like that. I've had that problem, actually setting off the building's alarms by the haze being detected by duct detectors above the stage.

[azylka]

We're all set with haze - we own an MDG Atmosphere APS, use it basically for every show, minus straight plays, which this is one of. May just pull it out for this show too. We did however have a scare/evacuate a show of H2$ when one of the smoke detector covers was either removed (from a very difficult spot to get to, so unlikely) or somehow fell off. That was a fun show... it was already 3 hours long w/out delays.

[MPowers]

...... in the designing stage of a high school production of Flip Kobler's "Wild Dust." ....... that only oil lamps were used for lighting (in the year 1880).... takes place in a boarded up bar, .........look warm and homey, yet somehow flickery? .......suggestions for making this show look authentic......

You don't say if you are doing the straight version or the musical, but it really doesn't matter, the show really should not necessarily be warm, homey or authentic. It's a comic romp, it is tongue in cheek from the first moment. The author's description of the musical opening scene has all the ladies, prostitutes and prigs alike, appear in "Little Dale Evens Outfits, Skirts and vests. Sequins, the Cowgirl that never was". Verisimilitude is not called for. The action is the downstairs saloon of a brothel, not a bar, there is a difference. It is boarded up only because of the pending dust storm, not because of disuse or decay. The furnishings should reflect recent and constant use. Even if it's a "wild-west" brothel-saloon, brothels were often the best decorated place in town, if not always in the best of taste. Remember, if you are thinking realistic in nature, everything in the saloon is 'New" or recent to the characters in the show, not old.

Now for the light. Not all light in 1880 was oil lamps. Gas light was common by then and even in a town like the one in question, the use of the Argand burner invented in 1780 was wide spread. The incandescent mantle for gaslight (think Coleman lantern) was introduced in the late 1880's but even though far brighter than the early electric lamps, never really caught on for interior lighting before it was bypassed by electricity. The Argand burner produced a light about 10 times brighter and whiter than a plain oil lamp, but TANSTAAFL, it burned about 3 times the fuel. At the start of the 19th century they were mostly the province of the well-to-do, but by the 1880's were wide spread. However, in a small western town, It is possible that kerosene lamps were the main source of light, with or without the Argand burner.. That said, oil lamps by the 1880 were almost all kerosene and with a clean fuel supply and with clean well trimmed wicks, tended to burn steady with little flicker. For research, go down to a hardware store and buy a cheap oil lamp and some lamp oil. Soak the wick a bit, then squeeze it out before the first light. Trim any fuzzy's off, either clip just the tip of the corners off for a clean flame. Experiment, do some research, cut a shallow notch in the middle of the wick (about3/16" deep and slopped to the corners) to make a batwing flame, cut a couple notches. Let the lamp burn for 30 minutes without any other light (including your cell or laptop) and you'll be surprised at how much light there is.

So, IMHO, what you are looking for is the "flavor" of the time while balancing with the style and type of production your director is looking for. Comedies and Musicals tend to be light and bright, so don't be surprised if that's what your director asks for.

You asked what the tough part was...... Not laughing out loud at some of the jokes and one-liners during the show, that was tough!

Hope this helps a bit.

[azylka]

Thanks for your suggestions/background knowledge so far. What do you guys think would be an acceptable "upscale" wall sconce for the 1880s? I guess I'd be going for either oil or gas lamps... may need to rummage around in our props cave to see what we have already. What I've found so far doesn't seem period-type by a long shot...

[MPowers]

Here is a quick look at a few.

Hurricane Oil Lamp - Sconces And Wall Lamps - Compare Prices, Reviews and Buy at Nextag - Price - Review

The key to oil lamps, also known as hurricane lamps, is the open top glass chimneys. They needed a way for the heat and especially the soot to dissipate. Gas light fixtures produced very little soot and could have inverted burners. Both gas and oil could have open top, only gas could have open bottom. Gas fixtures had to have a tube in the structure, plain or highly decorated that went from the light to the wall. Oil lamp fixtures could have open lacework metal frames or be hung by chain with out any tube to feed the gas. Also notice that many of the glass chimneys were not clear so you did not actually see the flame. The glass was also there to prevent air movement from making the flame waver or flicker. The goal of lamp design of the period was to make a lamp that DID NOT flicker. Flicker would make reading difficult, sewing impossible and many other chores and pastimes difficult. In general, Gas light did not flicker unless the mains pressure fluctuated. Thus the premise of the the famous play "Gaslight" or the American version, "Angel Street"
Gas Light - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Some more examples of period "style" fixtures:
The designer Wheat Gas 1-Light Wall Sconce Antique Brass 36617 at discount prices - LampsUSA.com
Amazon.com: Wall Sconces. Lexington 3 Light Gas Sconce With 4" Fitters: Home Improvement
Amazon.com: Vintage Wall Sconces. Alameda Double Gas Sconce With 4" Fitters: Home Improvement
Amazon.com: Wall Sconces. Alameda Gas Sconce With 4" Fitter: Home Improvement

Let Google be your friend when looking for ideas.

Hope this helps, let us know how the production goes!

[kiwitechgirl]

As MPowers has said, hurricane lamps don't flicker much at all. I did a production of Arsenic and Old Lace where we lit a kerosene-fueled hurricane lamp on stage (suitably risk assessed and with all pertinent safety measures in place etc etc!) and it produced an amazingly steady light. It paired very nicely with chocolate gel (I think we used L156 rather than R99, but that's neither here nor there) to create a nice warm glow. My dad had a couple of beautiful old "Aladdin" lamps (not kero-fueled though, I can't remember what they used except they had a mantle rather than a wick) until the September 2010 earthquake hit Christchurch and both the glass chimneys were smashed.

[MPowers]

Thank you kiwitechgirl, the Aladdin lamp had slipped my mind. The Aladdin lamp was a hybrid of the Argand burner lamp introduced in 1780 and the invention/development of the incandescent mantle first introduced (unsuccessfully do to the greenish color) in 1888. The Aladdin lamp basically uses an Argand burner to heat a mantle to incandescence. It uses the same K-1 Kerosene or lamp oil, a wick, and a perforated tube "burner" as the flame/heat source as the Argand lamp. It is simple in construction, does not require a pressure tank like Coleman or other white gas fueled lamps. However, even though the Aladdin lamp was brighter than an oil lamp or an Argand lamp, it was not as bright as the white gas incandescent mantle lamps like the Coleman.

The Aladdin lamp would not be "historically" appropriate for this production as it was not introduced until 1909, but many of the styles shown on links are perfectly ok for the Wild Dust time frame. For some "illuminating" information, check out the links below.

Aladdin Lamps, Aladdin Lamp Shades, Oil & Parts from Aura Creations

http://www.auraoil.com/PDF/aladdin_enjoyment_manual.pdf

[gafftapegreenia]

I did a production of Arsenic and Old Lace where we lit a kerosene-fueled hurricane lamp on stage (suitably risk assessed and with all pertinent safety measures in place etc etc!)

I'm not trying to pass judgement and assume I know all the details of your situation, I just that I can't think of any AHJ here in the States that would allow that! I was always told oil lamps on stage are on of the big No-No's, but there are exceptions to every rule I suppose.

[MPowers]

Oil lamps and other open flames, in and of themselves, are not in violation of any national code. (If I'm wrong here and have missed a specific code issuance, please point it out to me so I can stay current and accurate) However, there may be local codes that ban them. The problem is too many AHJ's have seen the cowboy movies where the tipped over oil lamp sets off the raging fire. The truth is, kerosene does not burn at room temp. If you doubt me, go pour a pint of kerosene on your driveway and try to light it with a match. If you have a torch made with burlap wrapped around the end of a stick and dipped in kerosene, the best way to extinguish it is to dip it in an open bucket of......kerosene. Kerosene or lamp oil has to be heated to produce a vapor that does burn, thus the wick. Like a candle, the fuel (candle wax, bee's wax, paraffin wax or petroleum wax {I believe???} to our British readers, [paraffin in Brittan = kerosene] relies on the heat generated by the flame to vaporize the fuel and what is burning is not the wick or the solid/liquid form of the fuel, but the vapor version. In the case of a candle the heat first liquifies the fuel so the wick can draw it up and then as the liquid approaches the flame, it turns to a vapor which is what actually burns.

Now, all that said, to have a live flame on stage accepted by the AHJ requires a number of things and it is far more demanding now than just a few years ago. The Station fire opened the eyes of a lot of people as to just how dangerous live flame/pyro effects can be if not monitored very carefully by very trained people. Step one is to approach the AHJ with a well thought out plan, outlining the reason for the gag, the prep steps, the contingency steps, the actual engineering and construction of the gag and it's mechanical parts. For something as simple as a candle or an oil lamp, demonstrations for the AHJ may be needed, showing what the worst case is and how it would be handled. Yes, a lot of hoops, but it's worth it. You get to do the gag, the audience gets entertained and you get to go home and sleep at night 'cuz "everyone lives.....Everyone gets to live".

For example one effect I created for Thunder Knocking on the Door involved a gas kitchen stove. Hot food is being cooked on the stove with a visible open flame. The woman character (I forget the character's name) takes the pan off the stove an puts it on a hot plate on the kitchen table. The actor portraying the devil persona threatens her and to show the extent of his power, gestures at the stove and the flame grows to a pillar of fire about 10' tall.

How did I get the AHJ to ok this? Just like I outlined above. First I designed and engineered a system that had complete control of the flame. The actress merely mimed lighting the stove, the fuel and ignition was controlled by a technician. The flame was on a dead man switch, the secondary fuel supply for the gag was fed by an independent system with a predetermined cfm and psi. We informed the AHJ of what we had in mind, sent him a set of drawings showing the mechanical set up, the plumbing etc., explained how the gag worked and what the safety precautions were. He came over and examined the set up. I designed a CO2 gas circuit that would fill and purge the entire fuel line system in less than 1.5 seconds. The CO2 system also was an "either/or" system with the fuel, not an "And" system. The introduction of the CO2 into the supply lines automatically cut off the fuel supply. The CO2 system was also on a reverse deadman switch. For the igniter to fire and light the stove, the CO2 switch had to be pressed and held. Releasing it would trigger the the CO2 and kill the fuel supply. In addition we had a hand on standby with a fire extinguisher in hand while the gag was in progress. AHJ said "Fine, go for it".

[gafftaper]

With you saying that it's a high school production, I'm guessing you don't have the budget for a lot of these really nice lamps. Ikea has several items that could be used to cheat. For example, two of these mounted on the walls next to each other with LED candles in them could be a reasonable facsimile of those $200 sconces listed above. But these only cost $4 each!


These come in 11" and 17" high versions. Again, no they aren't authentic but on a high school budget at $8 and $15 they could be acceptable substitutes.


Here's the link to the Ikea's lantern page

This is a great show to get to know your local professional, community theater, and college/university prop people. Call or e-mail around and find out who will loan/rent you props and set dressing. You may be surprised at the good things you can get for free or very cheap.

[kicknargel]

I don't know the show, but when I think "old timey" I think footlights. Even though it wouldn't exist in a saloon, I think some light up from the ground gives a wild west feel. Or even a shin buster position. Really give the feel that the lighting is coming from the room and not overhead. And especially if things are supposed to seem dusty, light through window slats with haze will be spectacular.

[emoreth]

Thanks for your suggestions/background knowledge so far. What do you guys think would be an acceptable "upscale" wall sconce for the 1880s? I guess I'd be going for either oil or gas lamps... may need to rummage around in our props cave to see what we have already. What I've found so far doesn't seem period-type by a long shot...

Speaking as someone who used to work at an 1880s historical farm, I remember seeing a lot of things like this on the walls. We also had parlor lamps with shades like this and the hurricane chimney sticking out of the top. Those gave a pinkish light, which may be quite appropriate for your setting. Lehman's also has a great selection of table lamps; any of their stuff with a cut or embossed glass base would fit nicely in an upscale 1880s room and there are several models that are under $20 apiece.

[MPowers]

Just curious, has your show gone up yet? If so what solutions did you come up with? Curious minds want to know???

[azylka]

Alright, here's the deal... kind of answering your question, MPowers.
The show opens October 18th. I have just put together a plot, and since I have unlimited time until the show, I have started to put up a plot/adjust the old plot from a summer rental production I designed. I have ordered 5 sconces that the set designer and I agreed on, and hopefully they come in soon, because we're about to transition from this show's set to building one for a show that opens November 15th.
So, I can't really say that I've really gotten very far, but if you want to know about the plot, I can describe it...

Link to sconces: RW2195/1GLS/ORB,One Light Wallbracket Oil Rubbed Bronze ,Oil Rubbed Bronze

[MPowers]

Those are cool sconces.

If the set design is finalized, and you can post a PDF or sketch of the floor plan, we'd love to see what you are planning.

BTW, are you doing the straight version or the musical???

[azylka]

Those are cool sconces.

If the set design is finalized, and you can post a PDF or sketch of the floor plan, we'd love to see what you are planning.

BTW, are you doing the straight version or the musical???

The set design has been finalized, and the set is actually nearing completion. Will post pictures soon.
And we're doing the straight play.

[azylka]

Pictures!



The walls will be that maroon-ish color, with orange stripes, visible DSR in the 3rd picture. We're getting there!

[MPowers]

Pictures!.....The walls will be that maroon-ish color, with orange stripes, visible DSR in the 3rd picture. We're getting there!

Cool! BTW, is that you taking the 3rd pic, reflected in the booth glass? Are you in the first pic or are you behind the camera?

[azylka]

Cool! BTW, is that you taking the 3rd pic, reflected in the booth glass? Are you in the first pic or are you behind the camera?

I'm behind the camera in all three, and yes that's me in the third.
May post more, but here's a rundown of lighting if that interests you at all. Still a little less than a month until opening night for our very short run.

Lighting:
14 x S4 26* 575w
4 x S4 36* 575w
2 x S4 50* 750w
12 x S4 Jr. Zooms 25-50 575w
13 x S4 PAR WFL 575w
8 x ETC Selador Vivid-R 11"
2 x PAR64
5 x Practical Sconces

I have warm and cool front from 10 x 26*s and 10 x Jr. Zooms, top with 12 x S4 PARs, front wash with the 8 x Vivid-Rs (which must be accessible for another event a week before our show), and everything else is some sort of set wash/special.