# magic carpet for Aladdin & boat for Phantom of the Opera



## lounsbud (Jan 15, 2011)

I am TD for Phantom of the Opera and helping a friend with her production of Alladin, Jr. I am looking for some very low budget ideas for powering the carpet and the boat for both productions. I figure the carpet will have a black skirt to hide any mechanics and the boat will be in cold fog. Anyone have some good ideas keeping in mind both shows are on a strict budget? I know what shows aren't but these are both high school productions.


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## FatherMurphy (Jan 15, 2011)

A few years ago, a local community theater group here did the carpet ride by simply putting ornate rugs on top of 3' tall platforms on wagons, and having stagehands in blackout garb push them about the stage. With careful side lighting and followspotting to keep the hands out of sight, it was reasonably effective, and very cheap. However, it required a large flat floor (no levels), and there was no rocking motion to the carpet, so no banking through turns.

Another approach might be a carpet platform that doesn't move, but is able to be rocked on a center point, and surround it with video or swirly lights to create the sensation of movement. If you're feeling brave, you can try a rocking top on a wagon, but that might be more than the actors can balance with.

The Phantom's boat, in the professional version, is a radio controlled cart with electric motors driving the wheels, probably beyond most HS budgets. A cheaper way might be to put the boat on a wagon with swivel casters in front, and fixed casters in the rear, and tie two ropes to the front, one going to either side of the stage. If the ropes stay low enough, the fog can hide them as the kids pull the boat around on the stage. You might need to affix a pulley to the floor offstage to keep the rope low enough, and keeping enough tension on the non-actively pulling rope will be essential to not running over a rope and getting tangled.

Some possible choreography: Start the boat USR (for instance), and use the SL rope to pull it diagonally towards DSL. Mid stage, use the SR rope to turn the boat straight US/DS and sing a verse. Both ropes to travel straight DS, pull SL rope to turn and continue DSL, then SR starts pulling, and the boat turns and heads SR.

Like the simple carpet platforms above, this will require a flat floor. Use the largest casters (and lightest actors) you can find, to make it as free-rolling as possible. Might need to draft some football players to be rope pullers... this is a cheap solution, not a sweat-free one.


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## chausman (Jan 15, 2011)

Just be VERY careful with having people on platforms with wheels being pushed around onstage by people. (Not that you wouldn't but...) We did Aladdin and the stage hands couldn't see the front of the stage and the whole rig nose-dived with actors on the top . Luckily the people who were supposed to be there were in the bathroom and no one was hurt. Mark everything as clear as possible and have very definitive "DO NOT CROSS" line. The rope trick doesn't take as much safety precautions since It would be rather difficult to pull a boat of the front of the stage with a rope in the wings.


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## MarshallPope (Jan 16, 2011)

Whenever people are on wheels, I think it is a good idea to add a barrier to the edge of the stage. We use a row of 2x4s painted black, with the US side painted white. It keeps castered items from rolling off/into the pit, as well as gives the actors a reference point in blackouts.


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## jungle16jim (Jan 18, 2011)

I heard of a clever fix for Aladdin a while back. They had a carpet with a hole in the center that the actor stepped through. The rug was stiff and attached to his waist. It was outfitted with fake legs in front so that it looked like he was sitting on it. With all the fog onstage (for clouds), he could run around, bank, and had total control over the movement. It might be an easy, safe and clever option for you.

I got nothing on the boat. I just built the car for Grapes of Wrath that has to hold 11 people and move and was able to hide 4 in the back who were Flinstoning it. I'd be tempted to revisit that idea, but a boat is much lower. hmmmm... If you get the images of the Broadway version out of your head and rig up a track of some sort that goes in one direction (across stage maybe), it might solve a lot of problems for you.


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## gafftaper (Jan 21, 2011)

Yeah for Phantom just a simple left to right movement, a little fog and a rope will do the job nicely. 

Thinking off the top of my head here... You could also put the boat on really low casters and build some sort of a friction break mechanism. Take two 2x4 chunks and attach them to a piece of unistrut (maybe 3/4" square steel tubing). Cut out holes in the floor to match. I think I would attach felt or maybe rubber to the 2x4 faces. Add a couple of springs to keep the break mechanism in an upright position, off the floor when not in use. Build some sort of slot to keep the breaks in place. Step on the unistrut and the 2x4's touch the deck, create friction, and your boat slows down. Give the phantom a long stick to push himself and now he has a break to stop. Not 100% sure if this is the best way to execute it, but the general idea of a floor break would be my way of doing it on the cheap.


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## FatherMurphy (Jan 21, 2011)

Having the Phantom propel himself is an interesting idea - I'd put fixed casters in front, and swivels in the rear for that, so he'd have an easier time self-steering. Not sure a brake is absolutely neccessary, most casters aren't that free-rolling, and you'd have hard time building up much speed pushing on a wooden floor with a wooden oar, even with a rubber foot on it.

Poling a boat wagon with two people on it across stage, in mostly darkness, while wearing a mask, and singing... be a fun challenge for the actor!


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## gafftaper (Jan 22, 2011)

FatherMurphy said:


> Poling a boat wagon with two people on it across stage, in mostly darkness, while wearing a mask, and singing... be a fun challenge for the actor!


 
Yeah that's why I was thinking a break would be useful.


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## Dionysus (Jan 22, 2011)

gafftaper said:


> Yeah that's why I was thinking a break would be useful.


 
I agree that a break might be a good idea. I really like the idea of the actor getting to do it themselves, he could have a lot of fun with it. And it's cheaper!

As for Aladdin Jr., last time I did it (very much on the cheap) I just meshed some lighting effects, a little fog, and actors movements on a stationary carpet. worked fine, the kids thought it was cool and the audience certainly did not mind (remember that thing called suspension of disbelief?). So what if they did not actually move around?
Plus it was CHEAP. lol.


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## CrisCole (Jan 30, 2011)

We used a track for PTO. 

It was very simple, there was a black metal rod at the front of the boat that led into the track on the floor. (One of those tracks set pieces run on). The rod pulled the boat along the track, and there were large casters on the back so the Phantom could use his stick to control which way they faced. He would simply push the right side of the boat and the casters would roll left, pivoting on the metal rod in the track. He did get overzealous one night and thought it would be funny to spin them.

He kept pushing and spun the boat in a circle a dozen or so times. As a laugh, our board operator put on a strobe. It was during a tech rehearsal, and gave us all a good laugh and relieved some stress. Even our stage director got a kick out of it.


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## TheatrePros (Feb 2, 2011)

We did the ropes for Phantom and it worked great! the peasouper more than covered the ropes and we gave the phantom a stick with a rubber foot to help steer as a just in case. I still have the boat and 2 dry ice foggers for rent if you are interested. and plenty of pictures to show how we did it (I was TDing at North Central College), let me know!


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## real5459 (Aug 10, 2011)

TheatrePros said:


> We did the ropes for Phantom and it worked great! the peasouper more than covered the ropes and we gave the phantom a stick with a rubber foot to help steer as a just in case. I still have the boat and 2 dry ice foggers for rent if you are interested. and plenty of pictures to show how we did it (I was TDing at North Central College), let me know!



I would love to see those pictures from Phantom. We are doing it this fall at a performing arts high school and any ideas (preferably inexpensive) are welcomed. This is my first time on this site- do I need to send you my email or does it automatically show up on my response?


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## derekleffew (Aug 10, 2011)

real5459 said:


> ... This is my first time on this site- do I need to send you my email or does it automatically show up on my response?


Welcome real5459. It's customary for new members to start their own thread introducing themselves at New Member Board.

To answer your question, anyone can PM (internal private message) you provided you have enabled that option under Settings. They can also email you without your address being disclosed to them. However, we try to somewhat discourage private conversations, as it detracts from the community aspect--if it's something in which you'd be interested, chances are others would be too.


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## beachbum (Aug 10, 2011)

jungle16jim said:


> I heard of a clever fix for Aladdin a while back. They had a carpet with a hole in the center that the actor stepped through. The rug was stiff and attached to his waist. It was outfitted with fake legs in front so that it looked like he was sitting on it. With all the fog onstage (for clouds), he could run around, bank, and had total control over the movement. It might be an easy, safe and clever option for you.
> 
> .


 
We did a production of Madeline's Christmas with just that kind of idea. 12 little girls on ridgid carpets attached at their waists, with fake legs on top and black skirting about half way inside the edges of the carpet. lots of fog, star drop and "rooftops" behind them. They all went all over the stage, and up and down a random series of levels--the whole thing was quite effective. If actors do not have to dismount the carpet, it could be an inexpensive and workable solution


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## alyx92 (Sep 15, 2011)

When I did Aladdin Jr., I used 2 really tight followspots (blue/white) to light the actors on the carpet, which was stationary but tilted toward the audience, blue sidelight to light the fog, and projected a movie of clips of flying through clouds behind them. Actually looked pretty cool! I also threw some star gobos through the fog to make a nice little effect


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## phantomboat (Jan 1, 2012)

lounsbud said:


> I am TD for Phantom of the Opera and helping a friend with her production of Alladin, Jr. I am looking for some very low budget ideas for powering the carpet and the boat for both productions. I figure the carpet will have a black skirt to hide any mechanics and the boat will be in cold fog. Anyone have some good ideas keeping in mind both shows are on a strict budget? I know what shows aren't but these are both high school productions.


 I have an incredible boat for Phantom---see at You Tube Chaffey HS Drama Phantom 6 minute extended trailer
[email protected]


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