a prop/costume question

[dfwtheatreguy]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 9:56pm

i'm stage managing a production of the farce "bullshot crummond" and have a prop/costume issue that i have never faced before and could use some suggestions.

the last scene of the first act finds our hero jumping belly and crotch first onto a cake on the floor. when he stands he has "frosting" on his pants. it seems simple enough, right. wrong.

i know the "cake" will be styrofoam and covered with paint and caulk, but it's the frosting on the pants giving me some pause.

what substance that looks like frosting can i top the cake with that will not stain and be easily removed from the pants, not requiring laundering each night.

we have 2 pairs of the same pants, so changing during intermission is not the issue.

i was thinking whipped cream, but it has sugar in it and will probably not come clean, right????

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:00pm

Whipped cream WILL come out. When we did "Teahouse of the August Moon" in high school we were able to get it out of military uniforms WITHOUT using a washing machine.

[Tag]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 11:32pm

I'd try whipped cream as well. No matter what you use always try it out on the fabric first. And try to get the pants laundered after each show! :S

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 6/12/07 at 10:05am

Why not just use shaving cream?

[Mamie]

Posted: 6/12/07 at 10:17am

That was my thought. Shaving cream has soap in it anyway. Whipping cream is 1. expensive (Unless you were actually talking about Cool Whip) and 2. is made from cream, which is high in fat. (Fat - oil - stain)

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 6/12/07 at 10:29am

Yea shaving cream is REALLY inexpensive and it should be fairly harmless to the skin. With a spatula you can just spread it on like icing. I would just rinse off the pants and hang them to dry.

Real whip cream or coolwhip will break down fairly quickly under lights.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 6/12/07 at 12:26pm

We just did this with the frosting on the ginger bread house for the LA Operas production of Hansel & Gretel.

DO NOT used whipping creme or any other form or that. It will spoil and smell and is a bitch to get out of costumes.

Use the cheapest shaving creme you can find, like Gillette. It's doesn't melt, holds it's shape and is easily removable.

[Mythus]

Posted: 6/18/07 at 12:37am

Make false fronts for the pants, if possible - a piece of cloth shaped like the front half of the pants that can be velcro'd (or attached some other way) to the front. After he jumps on the cake, take the false front off and voila, clean pants. It's good to have a handful of them, so you have clean ones to last a few nights, and then you can wash them all at once and start over. Updated On: 6/18/07 at 12:37 AM