Character renovates a set between scenes

[richak]

I'm scene designing a show this summer (I Ought to be in Pictures by Neil Simon) and need to come up with a solution for the part when the daughter redecorates her father's home. This includes the fact that she re-paints the walls. The space we're in is very small, so rotating walls is not an option. Any ideas you think I should look into? As always, the cheaper the solution, the better!

Thanks

 

[Morte615]

How much time do you have to pull off the switch? And does it have to happen in front of the audience or can it happen in a blackout (or behind a curtain)?

I haven't seen or read the play so not sure how it works but one idea is to do the walls on canvas and drape it over the wall, either the original color or the second color, probably do whichever one is on stage less as the canvas.

Also you could do it with lighting if it is just a simple wall color. Paint the wall white and wash it with one color, then change the wash after the scene change.

Just a few quick ideas.

 

[beardedbil]

I come from the world of haunted attractions so forgive me if this idea does not apply. You could build your flats/structure and just detail a piece of thin luan. This way once you remove your thin detailed luan a new set is underneath. May or may not work with timing or if the sound of screwing off the luan is too loud. Just a thought

 

[Morte615]

Depending on time constraints you could use bolts and wing nuts to secure the luan panels, that way you could just get on a ladder, unscrew the wing nuts, lower the luan and then you have the new set underneath.

 

[danhr]

We did a similar thing some years ago with George Washington Slept Here. Between scenes in Act I the house goe from a wreck to fixed up. We built the "fixed up" set first, solidly, then made "wreck" flats and hung them over the set with u-straps at the top and added some random junk that could be easily pulled off. It took most of the cast and crew to do the change but we got it down to about 45 seconds.

 

[cnnrward]

We did this show at our high school a few years ago.

We made a frame and used strong velcro to hold the walls up. When it was time to redecorate, we just switched panels.

 

[Amiers]

Idk if it is cost effective but backdrops in photo studios have their backdrops sometimes on a crank. I bet with a little bit of design you could do it with painted muslin or different color fabric sewed together but like everyone said what is the time frame if it is instantly and in front of the audience then white wall and lots of color.