Fake snowman to be destroyed live

[Ddobrovich]

Hi All,

I am currently in rehearsals for a production of Meet Me In St Louis. We were hoping to build a snowman for the Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Tootie hysteria. In short, if you don't know the show, Tootie lashes out and says if she can't bring her snowman to New York City, no one can have him, and she literally destroys it on stage.

My question is, does anyone have any fancy schmancy or simple idea on how to make a snowman that will be realistic in it's destruction?

I was thinking some kind of foam packing materials, but have yet to experiment.

Thanks

Dan
Cranbrook Schools
Bloomfield Hills, MI

 

[MarshallPope]

Well, I've used wet instant mashed potato flakes for snowballs, but that would take a heck of a lot for a whole snowman, unless you can get away with a mailbox-top mini snowman or something.

 

[zmb]

Maybe the snow balls could be made out of some interlocking chunks of styrofoam that would fall apart when knocked over? If it needs to appear more broken up, make the chunks smaller.

 

[FatherMurphy]

I'd stay away from styrofoam solutions just from the standpoint of not wanting to deal with the static clinging shreds.

How 'destroyed' does the snowman need to be? If just separating the stacked balls, and pulling off any hat/arms, face pieces work, would making balls of white fake fur that magnet or velcro together be enough?

 

[BrianWolfe]

We made the reverse for Christmas carol at the paramount. It was three vacuum formed sections rolled out and assembled. Could do the reverse. Will post photos tomorrow.