A Pit of Dirt

[BFPele18]

I just had a meeting with a director for an upcoming show and he wants a pit of dirt on the stage. Real dirt. Then he wants it to rain. Real water plus real dirt equal Mud. I am not looking forward to that clean up.

However my concern comes from the dirt. I want to make sure that the dirt won't make actors or audience members sick. I once worked on a show with dirt and 3 actors and a technician got respitory complications.

Any suggestion on what kind of dirt I should look for?

[Footer]

Don't use dirt, used cut up tires. Its the same stuff they make running track out of, and it looks extremly close to dirt onstage if you get a few different colors and blend it. Unless you really want the mud thing, if so... stay with the dirt... How you will revert from the mud state to the dirt state overnight I really do not want to know.

[gafftaper]

Definitely like the idea of something other than real dirt. Although for the back of your mind you can get makeup grade dirt from Ben Nye (I think) which is very safe to use... it's too expensive to make a dirt pit out of but great for making sets, clothes, props, or people dirty.

[Footer]

Originally Posted by gafftaper

Definitely like the idea of something other than real dirt. Although for the back of your mind you can get makeup grade dirt from Ben Nye (I think) which is very safe to use... it's too expensive to make a dirt pit out of but great for making sets, clothes, props, or people dirty.

That would be a lot of little bottles.... I think that would use all the ben nye product for the year. Would be a fun phone call to make however.

[gafftaper]

Originally Posted by Footer4321

That would be a lot of little bottles.... I think that would use all the ben nye product for the year. Would be a fun phone call to make however.

I think it comes in gallon size jugs, but they will cost you... "Sorry, I didn't have any money left for the set or royalties, but I've got a lot of really nice dirt!"

[avkid]

Ground up Oreo cookies and chocolate pudding.

[gafftaper]

Originally Posted by avkid

Ground up Oreo cookies and chocolate pudding.

Dude you'd have people lined up to try to eat the set.


Which reminds me I did Flowers for Algernon and one of the scenes takes place in a donut shop. I had this really nice glass display case for the donuts to be in, but I didn't want to have to buy donuts over and over for the week long run. So I got four dozen donuts and a can of shellac. I gather the entire crew together and made them watch me spray two boxes. I gathered the entire cast together and made them watch me spray the other two boxes. When the show was done, there was one bite missing from one donut.

[avkid]

Originally Posted by gafftaper

Dude you'd have people lined up to try to eat the set.

Not after the first day, when the pudding starts molding.

[gafftaper]

Originally Posted by avkid

Not after the first day, when the pudding starts molding.

But we want brown dirt, not greenish-bluish mold colored dirt

[avkid]

Originally Posted by gafftaper

But we want brown dirt, not greenish-bluish mold colored dirt

You could use that kind doesn't need to be refrigerated.