Drop Curtain

[TupeloTechie]

I am working on A Christmas Carol and for one of the scenes I am wanting 3 curtains/banners (actually just a bolt of fabric about 15' x 4') located in a sort of upside down 'U' shape across the stage. My problem is that there is no fly system in this space.

What I would like to achieve is some way to drop the curtains into place for the scene then release them to the floor after the scene is over. The second part being like a kabuki drop but most likely activated by the actors or stage crew (by pulling down on it.)

Are there any ideas? I think I can figure out how to create the second part with some of the other post on kabuki drops, but any ideas are greatly appreciated.

 

[jerekb]

Velcro maybe or... For Pimpernel we had fabric hot glued to a huge piece of PVC 9 inch diameter that went the whole length of the stage. It was put in the cats where it rested on upside down wheels and at one end we attached an electric motor and used a remote to make it go up and down. It worked great and we scrapped all this together for free it has such endless possibilities. you can put your fabric on there but dont attach it, so you can lower it to where you want it and when your done lower it till the fabric falls.

 

[gafftaper]

Take the curtain and roll it up and secure it with some short lines that won't be visible when released... then secure them in the same way that you would a kabuki drop. So you have a series of cords holding the drop rolled up. Pull the Kabuki line and it drops into place. Then when the scene is over pull the other kabuki line and it falls to the ground. I would run the two kabuki lines in opposite directions and be very careful about position so you are less likely to release the whole thing when you pull the initial line.