Suspension bridge on stage

[White, Jeff]

I'm working with my high school's director to try to come up with a way to do a suspension bridge on stage. Only two characters will be crossing on it, but the show also needs to travel. Because of that, I'm guessing we would need to simulate the suspension effect somehow.

Anyone on this talented list have any ideas how we might simulate this on stage?

Jeff White
South Forsyth High School
{Sent from my iPhone}

[Scott Parker]

Some questions:
How long and how high does it need to be?
Does anyone or anything need to pass under the bridge?
Does it need to enter/leave the stage during the show?
"Suspension", does it need to sway like it's really suspended?

My first thoughts are to build a platform unit(s) as the base bridge
part. Then, add the towers and ropes/cables as set dressing of sorts.

Scott

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Scott C. Parker
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[Mike VanPelt]

Jeff -

 

1.    do you/the director have a bridge you’re using as a mental model? Are you thinking “Golden Gate” or some rope thingie in the middle of a jungle a’la Indiana Jones?

2.    length/width/height and does it need to be seen from the end, perpendicular, or @ an angle? Is it in the middle of the stage or creeping on from one side?

3.    by “travel” – do you mean traveling on/off-stage or between venues?  If between venues, how small does it have to break down for transport?  If on/off-stage, how much room is in the wings for it and does it have to come apart to get back there?

 

Mike

 

 

=========================================

 

"Logic will get you from A to B.  Imagination will take you everywhere." - Albert Einstein

 

Facta Non Verba!

(Deeds, Not Words)

=========================================

Mike VanPelt

Stage Technical Director

Riverside University High School

1615 E Locust St

Milwaukee, WI 53211

414-906-5035 (w)

414-507-1408 (c)

414-304-1273 (h)

414-906-4915 (FAX)

van...@mail.milwaukee.k12.wi.us

mvp...@ameritech.net

[Mike VanPelt]

Jeff –

 

Just a thought . . . how about building a base unit to walk on but flying the “suspension” poles and cables?  That’d give the illusion of movement, especially if you could attach the flown items to the base unit with bungees or something.

[Jon Ares]

On Sun, Aug 25, 2013 at 7:23 AM, Mike VanPelt <mvp...@ameritech.net> wrote:
> 1. do you/the director have a bridge you’re using as a mental model? Are
> you thinking “Golden Gate” or some rope thingie in the middle of a jungle
> a’la Indiana Jones?

If it's an "Indiana Jones"-type jungle bridge, here's what I did for
"On The Verge." We used white tricot fabric (stretchy, sheer, satiny
lingerie-type fabric) that was everything from waterfalls, to cliffs,
to avalanches, to rivers. It was also a 'vine bridge' that crossed a
jungle chasm. Pictures at
http://www.arescreative.com/verge/verge.html . Two offstage
stagehands held a long piece taut across the stage, and the actors
"crossed" the bridge, and did all the swaying and swinging.

If you're looking for Golden Gate... um, maybe others have ideas. :)

--
Jon Ares
www.arescreative.com
Follow my twits @jon_ares