Removable facing design challenge

[DaveSHS]

Hi everyone,

I have a design challenge for our upcoming production of Legally Blonde the Musical and I would love some ideas. We will be using a revolve with a wall down the center to divide it into 2 sections. In the center of the wall we are planning on building a door to allow for entrances and exits. What we are looking to do is find a way to add and remove facing from the hidden (upstage) side of the door so that we can repeatedly use the same door, but change the look of it from scene to scene.

Since it will be hidden from the audience's view when we make the change it doesn't have to be a quick change, but we need to be able to do it quietly. If you have had any luck doing something similar or have ideas I would love to hear them. Thanks for your thoughts.

David

 

[TheaterEd]

I would personally just go with a nondescript door and hang something different on it to suggest the different locations. For example Elle's bedroom I would go with a dry erase board that can be quick changed with holiday messages during the chip on my shoulder number. Hang a room number on it for the law classroom. Hang a mirror or something for the hair affair.

I'm usually the one looking for the easy/ cheap way out though. I would love to hear others suggestions for this.

Another option, for the trailer scene with dewy, you could open the door towards the upstage side and place the trailer set piece in front of the door way with its own working 'trailer' door.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

If both doors can swing away from wall, two doors, each with loose pin hinges to change, and the upstage or not visible to audience door is simply opened 180 degrees. If the door has to swing out of the room that is "on" or playing, I think Theatre Ed's idea is viable, though you could do a kind of panel with picture hooks or velcro that simply was replaced in the scene change. A slot or ledge or tray at bottom of the door to set the face panel on and someway to hold top to the hinged portion.

 

[kicknargel]

If you do a replaceable panel, you just want a material that will sit very flat on its own (not warped). 1/4" MDF might be good, but heavy. Perhaps gator foam if you can be careful with it. Or coroplast with a muslin layer.

 

[nquinn2]

You could use french cleats with multiple panels of 1/4" MDF. No fasteners needed.

Cheers,
Nick