The first of the props found!

So, part of my job with doing the set and lights is finding all of the funky things to go on the set that make it real.  Now, I have a large collection of crap to choose from and my father has even more.  Sometimes I have to beg, borrow, steal or buy something that we need.

A significant amount of action in RENT, particularly at the beginning of the show, takes place at a payphone on the street.  I had two payphones available for borrow. Unfortunately, both were rotary dial phones...too old for the 1990's and not likely to be installed outside on the street.  So, I went shopping to the great electronic flea market...eBay!

That should do...and still cheaper than the antique TV for Night of the Living Dead! 



















I want it in one of the pedestal stands with the aluminum rain guard that says "PHONE" across the front. Those things are PRICEY! I guess they are popular in man-caves and they are several hundred $$$ on eBay. So, I will be making one in the scenic shop out of plywood and chip board...who'll know the difference, right?!?

Next item on the agenda...the script calls for Mark to be running around NYC filming a documentary on 16mm film.  Now, I'm kinda an old guy and I remember this stuff.  Growing up, my dad was the AV coordinator for a metro-east school district. Part of his job was to go to the football and basketball games and film them for the team to review. Now it is all digital, but in the 70's and 80's it was film. As a kid, I would go with my dad, climb the ladder to the top of the press box and sit there while he filmed in 16mm. So, I knew that he had a tripod and he used to have a wind-up camera.  A rather involved call to him turned up...

He couldn't immediately lay his hands on the camera, but told me that I was welcome come by and go through a garage full of boxes of stuff from the past 20+ years to see if I can find it...maybe this weekend.

Scott also asked for a 16mm projector so that Mark can show his film at the end of the show.  Low and behold...

It is over 30 years old, but even the bulb still works...waddaya know? And he had a film that we can run thru it. As long as no one can see what the content is, it should work.

I need to track down an old early 90's computer and 14" green-screen monitor for the desk yet but have a lead on that.  

Once we get moved into the theater, I'll pull some furniture that I know I have available. We will definitely put out an all-call for chairs. Scott wants 16 on stage and I suggested that they shouldn't all match.

More as I track it down...

R