Evening star., 1937-03-21
Set
Gives Best
Play Effect
Curtains Effective as
Young Actors Take
Stage.
Bv A. &. ClOeiineh,

Director, the Penn State Players.
IF WE are going to produce a play
we shall need scenery of some kind.
When we choose our play, it is always
we'll to see that the emery needed
is not so difficult that we can not make
1t. Better to have a simple back
ground than one that is very elaborate.
The best scenery of all is that pro-
eided by nature. I mean that there is
nothing better than to put on our play
out-of-doors. Perhaps you can find
a corner in some ones garden for your
stage. The audience can sit on folding
chairs, or they can even sit on the
ground.
If your play needs throne room
ell you need do is to make a throne
by throwing a colored scarf or shawl
over large armchair. Such throne
would be very appropriate set against
a green background.
If you have an outdoor theater, en-
frances must be made for the actors.
The best thing is pasSageWay be-
tween trees, but if that is impossible,
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the stage. These curtains will hide
the actors until they make their ap-
pearance.
The outdoors is a grand place to
give play in Summer, but when the
weather is cold, another place must be
found. Perhaps theer is large attic
available or an empty room in the
L.
where front curtain can be hung. A
cheap curtain can be made from dark
outing flannel. Small brass rings
should be sewed to the top, about 6
inches apart. These rings are then
put on a wire and the wire fastened
across the stage so that the bottom Of
the curtains is just above the floor
The scenery for the stage should
always be of the simplest. The best
thing is to have the stage hung with
curtains. Outing flannel is very good
so is unbleached muslin, Sateen or
some other inexpensive material 1t is
best to hang the curtains from the
ceiling, hanging them on the three
sides Of the stage, but be sure to leave
room behind the curtains for the
actors to stay when they are not on
the stage. Whenever an actor enters,
he merely pulls aside one of the cur
tains.
Curtains will do nicely for outdoor
seto as well as interior sets. 1t is
not wise to bring real trees on your
stage. Even if the trees are small,
they still take up too much room. Re-
member that the people in the audi
ence have just as much Imagination
as the actors. If you tell your audi
ence the stage is to represent a forest,
the audience can easily imagine that
forest
You should have 10 trouble with
furniture. Almost every attic or base
ment contains some old furniture you
can use. If you have nothing else, you
can always use wooden boxes and
drape them with cloth.
Here are few hints which will help
you to produce your play:
For q woods scene, use green cur
tains, few branches on the floor, and
log or two on which the actors can
sit.
For a palace, use bright colors, par
tcularly purple and orange.
Flowers for a garden can be made
from scraps of crepe paper.
The sound of thunder can be made
by rafting a sheet of tin
Lightning can be produced by turn
Ing an electric light off and on.
To get the sound Of rain, drop rice
on a drum
For the sound Of ind, have several
people whistle softly
hert articles Prouidiug the Costumes.