Notes, Notes, Notes.

From Todd Williams, Production Manager:

Notes, Notes, Notes. Our world premiere of Mauritius by Theresa Rebeck has been all about the props thus far… . The show is now in previews at the Calderwood Pavilion and the notes continue. Here’s a sampling of the notes regarding stage props, written by our stage manager at the end of every day, from our first two weeks of rehearsals:

Props 9/12
1) Thanks for ALL the stuff in the rehearsal hall. We will do inventory over the next day or so and then updating our paperwork to reflect what we have.
2) Kris, is there a time (possibly Thursday) that you would be able to walk Maureen and me through where the various office filing furniture is intended to live? Thanks.
3) Please ADD some stamp magazines and stamp catalogues.
4) Please ADD a Starbucks coffee cup and lid.
5) FYI: Stamp book is very old. When it was new, it was beautiful but it has aged with time.
6) What size are the easels and oversized stamps that are on the stage pre-show?

Props 9/16
1) Thank you for the desk that you brought over this morning. It seems that Rebecca and Robert like the desk more than the table so we will be using the desk. Thank you so much.
2) Please ADD several large stacks of old mail and old fed-ex style envelops to the stamp office.
3) Please ADD contemporary stamp catalogues and trade magazines to the stamp office. We have a few in rehearsal that Mr. Dorfman got at the library this morning.
4) Please ADD a second garbage can. It will need to be OVERstuffed and will live next to (attached to) the typing table.
5) Please ADD several small plastic and wood containers that will hold stamp tongs, stamp mounts, etc. that are for sale.
6) Please ADD three small magnifying glasses.
7) Please ADD a Disc-Man and wraparound headphones for Ms. Ireland (JACKIE) The Disc-Man should look old and beat-up; possibly with duct tape holding some of it together..
8) The phone will be living in the drawer of the desk.
9) The typing station on SR will need to be very messy.
10) Mr. Dorfman (PHILIP) will be writing invoices in the invoice book.
11) The credenza on the SR wall, much like the shelves on the SL wall, should be full of stamp books/boxes organized by countries.
12) Mr. Dorfman (PHILIP) feels that the shop has collections of American stamps as well as several Indian Ocean Countries.
13) The shop should be full of as many reference books and catalogues as possible.
14) Rebecca likes the idea of the added glass display USC being slightly messy under the glass.
15) Please ADD a plate of fries that Mr. Gale (STERLING) will be eating in the diner scene.
16) Please ADD a plate of fries and a hamburger that Mr. Aronov (DENNIS) will be eating in the diner scene.
17) Please ADD a plate with a slice of key lime pie that Mr. Aronov (DENNIS) will be eating in the diner scene.
18) Please ADD a paper cup with a lid and a straw for Mr. Aronov (DENNIS) in the diner scene. We would like to seem as if he is drinking a milkshake without having an actual milkshake.
19) There will be two cups of coffee drank in the diner scene. The actors would like to drink cold tea as coffee.
20) Please ADD a small sugar carrier for the diner scene. It will be full of sugar packets that will be used.
21) Please ADD a tissue box to the living room.
22) Please ADD a phone (not practical) to the living room. It will live on the standing lamp table.
23) Please ADD three dirty glasses to the living room.
24) Please ADD an ashtray full of cigarette butts to the living room. It will NOT be used.
25) Please ADD several random old medical supplies to the living room.
26) Please ADD several old magazines and pieces of old mail to the living room.
27) The box of bills in the living room should be extremely messy and disorganized.
28) We love you.

Props 9/25
1) Please CUT the hamburger from the diner scene.
2) Please CUT both plates of French fries from the diner scene.
3) Please CUT the milkshake from the diner scene.
4) The only consumables in the diner scene will be two (2) cups of coffee and one (1) piece of key lime pie.
5) Please CUT the ashtray full of cigarette butts.
6) The large attic box (#2 on breakdown) will need to be sitable. Please reinforce. It will NOT be opened onstage.
7) Please CUT the discman.
8) When will we be able to have the actual stamp book in rehearsals?

Dizzy Yet? Bring the list to the show, and during intermission, see how many of the items you can spot.

(Photo: Marin Ireland, Michael Aronov, and Robert Dorfman in Mauritius. Photo by Eric Antoniou.)