Random, household things, you use/keep on stage.

[LCSM]

Tampons. Not only are they great to have if one of your female actors (or possibly even yourself!!) gets their monthly gift a little early. They are also very helpful if you have any form of a liquid spill and dont have any paper towels. 

Similarily, I've used other female sanitary objects as makeshift bandaids when someone cut themselves quite badly.

When doing period shows with lots of hoopskirts and fancy puffed sleeves I tend to keep metal coat hangers on hand. In a pinch they can help prop up the frame of a costume until it can be properly repaired. Also, another coat hanger or two never went awry on a costume-heavy show - neither have clothepins as a matter of fact.

[Cedes]

I use clear nail polish.  It's good for stopping runs in hoes, tights, etc. It also is great for putting over rough edges on sets, as a temp. glue, and quickly sealing things that have ripped. 

[bull]

I would never have thought of using clear nail polish to stop runs in hoes. Rather ingenious if I may say so.

[Amie]

I would never have thought of using clear nail polish to stop runs in hoes. Rather ingenious if I may say so.

Ha! Really? That's an old trick.  Never fails!

[loebtmc]

never thought of that as obscure - but maybe it's cuz so few women wear hose any more - it was common knowledge among us girls in the old days

also hairspray works (tho not as well) - and hairspray and handsoap are great for dimming the glare of onstage mirrors

[Cedes]

I was a dancer for 19 years, and nail polish was a common trick for dance tights.  we still use them at our theatre. Nail polish stops runs VERY well with dance tights.  i've even been able to stitch fishnets back together with it.

[maximillionx]

It sounds gross, but superglue is great for bonding small cuts together.  It's not just for arts and crafts anymore!  I only use this on myself however since I imagine other people might be a little weirded out if I offered superglue instead of a bandaid.

[Amie]

It sounds gross, but superglue is great for bonding small cuts together.  It's not just for arts and crafts anymore!  I only use this on myself however since I imagine other people might be a little weirded out if I offered superglue instead of a bandaid.

Yes, weird. But my father used this method in a pinch when his finger had a small slice in it from moving something. It was bleeding and to be sure it didn't get on his tux, we used the superglue fix.

Crazy.  But it works. I think he had heard of this method from a doctor actually.

[killerdana]

It sounds gross, but superglue is great for bonding small cuts together.  It's not just for arts and crafts anymore!  I only use this on myself however since I imagine other people might be a little weirded out if I offered superglue instead of a bandaid.

This is one of the original uses for super glue--it was a field fix in the Vietnam War.  There's a special formula of the glue that is still used medically today.

[little_owl]

I had a roommate who cut his finger with an exacto knife and used super glue for that. I thought it was messed up but it helped. I don't know if I could do that to myself though.

[Escape84]

I keep hearing about the superglue thing lately... will have to try it.

Chapstick or lip balm is also good for fixing little hair/wig issues at the last second, or for getting tight rings unstuck from fingers!

Gotta second the rubbing-alcohol-as-eraser thing, and add that it also gets white-out spills out of carpet! (You might want to test on a hidden bit of carpet first, though.)

[crazychicksj]

Not sure why I didn't think of this until now... I keep a large metal bottle/can opener on my theatre keys. It's come in handy for prying open traps when the handles aren't attached or break off, as well as for opening stubborn paint cans.