SCENERY: The spike tape thread of DOOM

[Libby]

So I will be going out on tour for the first time and I am running into a spiking issue. We have two rolling walls that constantly are being turned around and moved to different positions on the stage by actors during scenes. This is a small tour, and we are not always promised enough time to lay spikes during our morning load in (childrens musical = very early load-ins/performance). I have a number line that we can lay out downstage for each show. As of right now the cast is just being told to roll that to SL8/SL10 (for each corner of the piece) and also up/mid/down stage. The problem I am starting to have is that there are a few actors who just CAN'T learn the angle the piece should be. I've thought to have a tapeline going running US off stage left and right, but with so much scenery rolling on and off I'm worried that it will just get pulled up.

Thoughts?

[Mac Calder]

For getting the angle, use the clock - 12 o'clock is down stage, 6 o'clock up stage, or vice versa.

Positions give relative to the center point.

[ScooterSM]

Is it possible to lay a number line downstage and one upstage or one downstage? That way you could give them 2 reference points kind of like an X/Y axis (ie go to 8SL and angle to 6SR).  They would still have to remember whether they are facing upstage or downstage, but it might make it easier.

You may want to test running the walls over the tape and see how much it gets damaged.  Depending on how many shows you do in each space, and the kinds of flooring/tape, etc you may find that having a line running upstage to downstage on one of the sides is worth it, even if you have to replace it occasionally.

[BalletPSM]

For fast spiking that's always the same, use triangulation.

Pick two points on your number line SL and SR.  So if you measure out from center starting with 1, and go to 10, pick 5 on each side. (just using an example)

Get two measuring tapes and run one from each point to the place you need to spike -- note where the measuring tapes meet (10'6 on SR tape and 8'5 on SL tape).   Put your mark down, and you can always easily find your spikes. That way, whatever house you're playing in, you can always go from those two points and your spike will always be exactly the same.  Then even if you have to replace after every show or every two shows, it's very simple to make sure the marks are still in the same spot.

[centaura]

Is there one actor who can remember the angles?  Can you put them in charge of checking at the end of the most important changes?  Depending on the venues that you're in, taping or marking the floor could become an issue.  Also, how long has the cast had to work with the pieces?  Is it something that the might be able to learn with a few more rehearsals?

-Centaura

[yoyomankind]

To prevent spike tape from coming up, dance floor tape is very useful.  If you don't have the money for that, packing tape can be a cheap alternative to that.

[BalletPSM]

if you do have dancers in your cast, or if actors have to do a lot of running around or have difficult movement, be careful with marley tape -  - it's is very slick and can be dangerous.

[planetmike]

For my upcoming run of Pippin, we are using 6 periaktoi (three sided rotating platform, 8 feet tall, sides are 6 feet long, 6 feet long and 3 feet long, each side has a flat on it, so you can't see through the periaktoi) that we will rotate and be moved on stage by the Players (the ensemble). For rehearsals, I spiked the corners and about 6 inches of each side straight near the mid point of each side. That didn't work too well, the cast is having a hard time seeing where to place the periaktoi. Would spiking the entire length of each side be a "bad" thing to do? I'm afraid of having too much tape on the floor that may confuse them even more than just the corners are. Any suggestions on how to get these periaktoi into the correct position would be greatly appreciated.

We'll be running a periaktoi positioning session at our tech rehearsal Monday, so hopefully that will help significantly. Of course, that'll also be the first rehearsal where each side will have the flat attached.

[KMC]

Are you using different colors for each position?  That would be my first recommendation if you aren't already. 

If they're still having trouble finding their marks you can try to tape the whole side, but this would likely look very tacky if any of your audience members can see the stage.  For tricky positions in the past I've started with a lot of tape, then as the performer becomes more comfortable with their mark gradually pare down the amount of tape used until you get to a "normal" spike.

[Libby]

Different colors are key, also talk to the actors about which corner would be best for them to see. Sometimes hitting the spike that you are turning to isn't the best solution. I would also start with large/brighter color tape, and then see if you could gradually make it smaller. How precise are the turns? The actors will get the handle on where they should generally be, so soon enough it should become less of a problem. I just did a tour with 2 rotating and moving periactois and we put tape down in the beginning (during the rehearsal process) knowing that we wouldn't have time to do this for the performances (The longest sit downs we had were 2 day). Throughout the rehearsal process I would make the spikes smaller and smaller, and the cast and I would look at the periactoi in it's position and then look and see if there was anything they could base it off of (another set piece/etc).

and hay, if the audience can't see the stage floor during the show, make them as large as the actors need.