rec.arts.theatre.stagecraft

On Nov 13, 10:09 am, "Milo" wrote:
> In the spring we'll be doing a production of Sweet Smell of Success, a
> 1950's, very dark musical. The script has many different settngs, among them
> 5 different nightclub scenes, sometimes changing scenes within a half page
> of dialog. One of the things I'd like to do is come up with is some signage
> with a different look/color for each of the five clubs. Just a big sign with
> the name of the club. I seem to recall that there's a way to make good
> looking fake neon on the cheap. I'll probably want to make some fake neon
> and some bulb by bulb lettering, just for the different look I'd get. Have
> looked around the web and google groups but haven't really found any great
> ideas. I think the Yale Tech Notes had something but I don't have their
> books anymore.
>
> Any suggestions or guidance appreciated.
>
> Michael

It might not be exactly what you're looking for, but when we did 42nd
Street we had to make several broadway looking signs. We ended up
taking sheets of foam installation and painted them black. Then we
spelled out the names of various shows with ropelight and glued halves
of ping pong balls around the edges. From the back of the foam, we
poked small christmas lights into the ping pong balls. We had a few
sets of the xmas lights that are controlled with a knob - they speed
up, or speed down, or blink in certain patterns. It did the job really
well, and was cheap.

Also, people who "mod" their pcs sometimes use something called EL
cable.. it's a little expensive though:

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