Perishables Ideas

[PSMKay]

It's snowing at a rate of two inches an hour here in Chicago, so I thought I'd take some time and churn out a massive tip of the day to send you all into the Yuletide.

• Cigarettes and batteries both last longer if they are kept in a cold place.   Cigarettes can be put in the freezer, and batteries can be kept in the fridge.
  
• Keep a list of food allergies and dietary restrictions of your cast and understudies.   Also find out their cigarette preferences--favorite brands, herbals only, fakes only.  This will help if you have to find perishable props for them later on.
  
• To make sure you always have enough of an item, make small "restock" slips that say, "Buy more ."  Place one where the extras of the prop are stored, two or three away from the last one (Bottom of the stack, back one on the shelf, etc.).  As part of your preshow check, stop by each of the storage locations and check if the restock slip is showing.  If it is, take it and put it on your clipboard so that when you leave for the night you have your shopping list with you.
  
• To keep glasses from sliding on a tray, use mor-tite.  (This is also known as removable weatherstripping, and can be found in any hardware store.)  It is available in several colors.  Warm the mor-tite in your hand until it gets tacky and then use it to attach the glasses.
  
• If actors do not drink from glasses, instead of filling the glasses with liquid, make gelatin of them using the recipes below and adding Knox gelatine.  This makes a slightly more realistic beverage than glasses painted on the inside with translucent dye, and is much easier to clean out.  Plus, the stage crew can have fun eating the gelatine afterwards. 
  
• Red Wine #1: 2 oz grape juice, 6 oz water.  Add 4 drops red food coloring, 7 drops blue food coloring.  Shake before pouring.
  
• Red Wine #2: This makes much larger batches.  You will need *two* gallon containers.  In one container, mix one packet of a red Kool-Aid (unsweetened) with two packets of Black Cherry Kool-aid.  Fill the container halfway with water and stir.  Now, pour half of this mixture into your second container.  Top both off with water and stir.  This one is good if a cast member is allergic to grapes, or if you go through a lot of wine.
  
• White Wine#1: For one bottle of white wine, fill with water and add *one* drop of yellow food coloring.
  
• White Wine #2: 2 oz white grape juice, 6 oz water.  No food coloring needed.
  
• Champagne: 1/2 oz Mountain Dew, 7 1/2 oz. water.  Or, use Ginger ale, which can be cut up to 50% and still be effective.
  
• Whiskey/Bourbon/Brandy: Iced tea, cut with water to your desired shade.(12/11/00)