For the Wind in the Willows I was a lead for the carpentry and prop construction.

We created a raised (2ft) platform stage, with a second story (5.5ft) on either side, and a third (7.5ft) section that bridged across. Made mostly from our supply of prebuilt platforms with set legs. The hardest was the bridge section which we used 4x4 posts to support and double skinned to make ridged. The columns were made using cardboard form tubes used for concrete work.

The back drop on the sides of the platforms was a rear projection screen with a pair of projectors and operators on each. As the scenes changed the image projected would change to set each scene with illustrations from the book. During this show I was the projector operator on stage left clicking between slides on the stage managers cue.

Another big project I had on this production was the vehicles. Most were constructed out of a modified platform design. We used casters attached to special mounting brackets to turn the platforms into wagons. Then built the vehicle shape onto that using Masonite.

The barge was just big and flat with a fence and a post on it. Then a bit of dry brush wood grain and some set dressings.

The carriage was actually a platform on legs attached to the wagon platform. It had decorative wheels attached to the legs and large yoke boards added for the actor to pull the carriage with. The back was a simple frame skinned with Masonite and an opening in the back so actors could climb into it.

The train was the same type of wagon, but with some extra frame structure built on top. Then using some thin Masonite we made the tight roll for the steam boiler and a cab for the driver. The cow catcher was a bit sketchy and was made of PVC pipe that was mostly hot glued together. Some of the extra details was made using more sona tube and foam pipe insulation cut in half.

The boat had the bottom open so the actors could ‘seat walk’ and push or pull the boat across the stage. The sides were interesting to cut since we did not math out the right size, and instead just mounted the back and then pulled the front into shape and traced out the right profile.

The most interesting was the car. That was bought just for this show, and ate up a large chunk of the tech budget. So to save money I used the shipping pallet wood as the bulk of the wood to build the framing the body was built onto. I cut it to size to securely mount onto the the cycle car without needing anything drilled into the steel frame of the car. Then using the Masonite I was able to build in some curves to make the body look more organic. The lights we attached also had a set of lamps installed with a battery and switch installed in the dash so they could be turned on for their scene. The back section of the car has a flat panel installed so that things like a suitcase and bag could be ‘loaded into the trunk’ during one of the scenes.

On top of that I also produced the spears. They were made using a thermo-plastic sheets formed over a template. We had a lot of stage combat in this production so it was important that the tips would look intimidating, but be safe for the actors around them.

Another thing we sourced was some breakaway bowls made by our art department. One big thing I learned from that was the importance of testing those ahead of time, and not on the actresses head. Thankfully she only got a mild concussion.

Another lesson I learned was that putting more than half your actors in masks that cover most of their face is a terrible idea if you want them to be heard and understood. The directors work around was to mic up those actors, but it was still muffled and hard to understand them.