Cardboard Scenery?

Question

I am directing an extremely low budget school play--what are some ideas for keeping cardboard scenery both stationary and upright?

Answer 1

you could use cheap wood from the hardware store, ask if they have any broken, bent or damaged 2*4s or other wood products, make a right triangle behing the cardboard and it will hold it up well. A lot of times places like home depot or lowes will give schools this stuff at a discount or free, since it is damaged anyway.

Answer 2

you can buy dowelrods (very cheap) or collect a few yard sticks (often they are free at lumber yards and fabric stores) and duct tape them to the back sides of the cardboard shapes (leave about 8 inches or so at the base of the shape where the duct tape does not adhere the dowel rod to the cardboard) -- then fill some empty paint cans with sand and insert the bottom of the dowelrod into the pain can and this will give some weight to anchor your cardboard scenery in place (better for it not to be more than four or five feet tall -- if you need anything taller than that you might be forced to spend some money (not a whole lot) and buy some eight foot tall inch thick styrofoam sheets from the lumberyard or home improvement store. they come in panels 8feet by four feet and make excellent walls or can be cut to desired shapes (like trees or a city skyline and stuff) sometimes you can get donations from lumberyards and home improvement stores in exchange for an advertisement in the play program (and don't forget to get your tax free paperwork since it's a school to help save money)

Answer 3

Do not use cardboard. An empty stage will focus the audience attention to the actors. Cardboard will make it seem like a cheesy low budget school play. An empty stage will make it seem like a daring attempt by a director to focus the audience and cast away from cheep visuals and towards the complex interactions of the cast.
But use them if you wish.
B