I need help with a prop....please!!!

[boolabella]

Hi Guys!

So I'm doing this show where a martini glass breaks onstage.  I could use some advice with this if you have any.  The situation is...the actor comes on with a martini, drinks it and then drops the glass in the middle of the stage, then they comment on how it broke into pieces.  Any chance you know a tip for doing this or a website where I might be able to find a tip? 

Thanks in advance!
Lauren

[Mac Calder]

Google for "Break away glass" or "Sugar Glass".

Here is a simple receipe for sugar glass, and it melts in warm water (which makes clean up a bit safer - just mop with warm water).

You will need to either buy a mold, or make one (URL - If you are willing to 'waste' a decent martini glass (ie good quality glass) you will be able to use the dipping method (as a general rule, better quality wine glasses are porous, allowing them to 'absorb' odours etc of fine wines), and I would suggest dipping upside down.

[Scott]

Rosco (for one) has a good line of breakaway glasses -- assuming you are in the US, you should be able to find a Rosco distributor who will ship to you.

[loebtmc]

You absolutely want breakaway glass, since you can never guarantee real glass will break, let alone in the direction you want without endangering everyone with flying shards.

However, until it is swept up or melted, breakaway shards are still sharp and will fly - you need to try a few in order to show the actor exactly in what direction and wiht what force to drop it so nothing goes flying into the house or into the actors onstage - and no one gets injured until you have a chance to clean it up.

Have a blast! Breaking stuff onstage (deliberately) is fun!

[zayit shachor]

I don't know what you're budget's like, but here is a site that sells breakaway martini glasses (among other things) for $20 a pop.

http://www.alfonsosbreakawayglass.com/shop.php?main=Glass&sub=Glasses&subsub=Martini

Good luck!

[boolabella]

Hey Guys!

Just wanted to follow up and tell you what happened with the martini glass.  I remembered hearing once that if you paint a couple layers of clear drying glue on glass it won't shatter into small pieces.  I happened to have a bottle of mosaic tile adhesive so we tried it.  We painted 2 thick layers of the glue on the outside and bottom of the glass and then dropped it when it was dry.  It worked perfectly!  The glass broke into 2 big pieces, you could see that it shattered but the glue held the tiny pieces together, pretty much amazing.  Definately a cheap way to do it, and it looked great.  Thanks for all your help.

[zayit shachor]

What a good idea! Glad it worked out.

[Mac Calder]

Nifty idea. I have heard of people using contact (the plastic stuff for covering books) much to the same effect, just never thought of it for use in theatre.