# Question relating to seemingly easy props in Forever Plaid...



## propguy (Mar 10, 2016)

I will be doing props for the musical Forever Plaid this summer and had a few props I was wondering how to find and/ or make:

1. ASTHMA INHALER
2. ORTHODONTIC RETAINER
3. LIGHT UP BANANAS for the bamboo banana poles in the calypso number

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions!!!


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## NJJerrySmith (Mar 10, 2016)

I would try maybe contacting a pharmacy about the inhaler, and an orthodontist about the retainer. If they don't have something to give you, maybe they know where to point you to.

As for the light up banana, I don't know that I'd consider it an "easy prop", but I'm interested in hearing how you end up going about it.


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## Amiers (Mar 11, 2016)

I would say buy some big plastic bananas and then buy some of these

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JWFCHSM/?tag=controlbooth-20

And transplant the guts of one into another. And reverse the light so the banana lights up from the inside. Then just lengthen the switch to be at the bottom of the pole.


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## propguy (Mar 11, 2016)

Amiers said:


> I would say buy some big plastic bananas and then buy some of these
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JWFCHSM/?tag=controlbooth-20
> 
> And transplant the guts of one into another. And reverse the light so the banana lights up from the inside. Then just lengthen the switch to be at the bottom of the pole.




I like this idea but the item seems a bit small. I need something a bit more realistic in size or oversized. I was hoping there were novelty patio lights or something. The closest I found were solar powered banana lights. 
http://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...1_558831910.html?spm=a2700.7724838.0.0.VnFTLK
The sights I found these bananas on were only sold in bulk.


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## propguy (Mar 11, 2016)

Going off the key chain idea I thought about mini battery powered string lights. 
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005X9UZ76/?tag=controlbooth-20
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AIA200K/?tag=controlbooth-20
I could attach fake bananas at each light point.

Is this a good idea??? Do you think the effect would turn out or are normal fake fruit bananas too thick of plastic for light to come through well? Also, I would need hollow bananas and not solid plastic ones.


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## venuetech (Mar 11, 2016)

I think if you find some artificial bananas you could easily stuff them with battery powered string lights. but in the end you will need a banana light cue to douse most of the other lamps to give your (well lit) bananas their 15 seconds of fame. It will be hit or miss on finding translucent fruit


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## Amiers (Mar 11, 2016)

I think you missed the part of transplanting into a big plastic banana. Those key chains are no bigger than your finger. Really it's what's inside them that counts.


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## techieman33 (Mar 11, 2016)

propguy said:


> I like this idea but the item seems a bit small. I need something a bit more realistic in size or oversized. I was hoping there were novelty patio lights or something. The closest I found were solar powered banana lights.
> http://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...1_558831910.html?spm=a2700.7724838.0.0.VnFTLK
> The sights I found these bananas on were only sold in bulk.



You can contact the seller and ask to buy a smaller amount as a "demo."


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## JohnD (Mar 11, 2016)

It seems most of the faux bananas are now made of foam with a plastic coating. I remember them as being blow molded plastic. I wonder about DIY vacuum forming.


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## propguy (Mar 12, 2016)

Amiers said:


> I think you missed the part of transplanting into a big plastic banana. Those key chains are no bigger than your finger. Really it's what's inside them that counts.



I did miss the full extent to which you were getting at but got there in a round about way. Still trying to find or figure out how to make big bananas that are translucent enough to let light through.


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## propguy (Mar 12, 2016)

Funny, first thing I looked at on Amazon had a person asking if the bananas were hollow. No, as predicted.


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## propguy (Mar 12, 2016)

So going with the battery powered string lights and attaching a banana idea...what about this. I imagine they are not translucent but what if I drilled pin holes into the fake fruit to let the light out. Could that be a good effect or just be silly???

http://www.zimmermanmarketplace.com/proddetail.php?prod=BANS-R

Saw these...not sure about actual product but looks acceptable and possibly hollow and even a bit translucent.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Arti...355585369.html?spm=2114.40010208.4.157.zr9uRQ


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## JohnD (Mar 12, 2016)

Hmmmm, the zimmerman one is hollow so might work with a string of led lights inside. The Allexpress ones are very small according to the listed dimensions.
How oversize were you considering? How about inflatable?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XAV0JMA/?tag=controlbooth-20


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## Amiers (Mar 12, 2016)

Going really far out there, as the scene is a bit comical you could go with a couple sets of these

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XAV0JMA/?tag=controlbooth-20

Ample space to stick any light source in.


The normal sized bananas I'm sure you could easily cut the plastic away from the foam put your light in and then hot glue both sides back together. 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0082RY39M/?tag=controlbooth-20


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## propguy (Mar 13, 2016)

The oversized ones make me laugh and since the poles are given to audience members could be even funnier. But good call on getting a cheap fake banana and trying to cut and glue back together. 

A lot of useful ideas floating around.

Now back to the other two ideas...the retainer and the inhaler

The reatainer is hardest since usually molded to person's mouth. I have seen videos on how real ones are made but need a cheap way to make one if I go that route.
Also, the inhaler should be empty. Will check pharmacies as mentioned but may need to make as well. Found a tutorial online but it got confusing.
http://www.ehow.com/how_10047475_make-fake-inhaler-school-project.html


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## Amiers (Mar 13, 2016)

Inhaler

http://www.natlallergy.com/index.ph...4G8ct64_tpLcsb2-qLHHm-qrutJBH39CNcaAsCu8P8HAQ

Buy it and use up whatever is in the container. Once it's all outta juice drill a hole in it carefully and slowly to get the rest out.

Retainers are small. Unless he's showing it to the audience would just get some thing like a night guard.


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## propguy (Mar 13, 2016)

Amiers said:


> Inhaler
> 
> http://www.natlallergy.com/index.ph...4G8ct64_tpLcsb2-qLHHm-qrutJBH39CNcaAsCu8P8HAQ
> 
> ...




Yes, for the inhaler you had one of my first thoughts. 
As for the retainer I was looking for a wire retainer.

Thanks again for the guidance!!!


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## Evans Poulos (Mar 30, 2016)

I would imagine if you put the call out to your friends on social media, someone will happily donate a depleted inhaler. 
Likewise, a retainer is not a lifetime commitment and in fact often needs to be changed out as the mouth changes. You might be pleasantly surprised there as well. 
Call your local orthodontist and see if they can connect you to a family that has out grown one. Or to the factory where you might get a failure for next to nothing.


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