Need help w/ creative ides for school play props

[cotomom]

I am the lucky person in charge of props for a very LOW budget but elaborate elementary school play. Do you mind if I throw out some issues I am having and see if anyone has any suggestions?

This play is about 50% 1950's/Elvis/Beach Blanket Bingo type and 50% under the sea/Little Mermaid type.

I need pretend oversized telephone handsets in bright colors for girls to sing a song with. They need to have curly long cords. I've thought of paper mache or cardboard for the phone part, but having tough time finding a solution for a long curly cord that can be painted a bright color?

I need to create some 'Sea' musical instruments. I have conch shells for them to blow. I also have some pretend gold trumpets. Wondering what to do to the gold trumpets to make them more 'under the ocean' looking?

I need a big pen to be used in the 'Sea' portion. I'm thinking like a big feather pen but something in an ocean version? What could be used to make those hole-y sea fan looking things?

Finally, I need a gavel for a Judge (Supreme Court of Clams) to use. They don't want a real looking gavel, but something 'under the sea'. I attempted to pass a big shell for them to bang, but they weren't real gung ho about it.

I will take any help I can get because I am NOT a creative person! I signed on for producing, but since no one volunteered for props, guess who got stuck with it too?

Thanks,

Kendra

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

What is your time frame like? My mom is pretty talented but it may take a few days to come up with some ideas.

The telephones could just be cut out of cardboard and for the curly cord I would try to unravel paper towel tubes or wrapping paper tubes. These would be pretty easy to paint.
Small harps would be good for instruments and they would be pretty easy to make. I can't find a picture right now but the ones I'm talking about are a fancy u shape that can be carried.
The trumpets could have some flowy fabric draped off of them to represent the flow of waves with maybe some small cardboard shells hanging down.
The pen could be fabric with a bit of wire in it but still looking flowy, maybe cut in the shape of kelp?
The gavel should definitely be a shell on a handle, if they don't like it then tough, nobody else volunteered. Ooohh or maybe a small tritons staff that could be banged on the bottom of the handle instead of flat like a gavel. Holding it vertical instead of horizontal.

Off to get haircuts but I will brainstorm some more in the car.

HTH!!!!

 

[cotomom]

Thank you! I have a few weeks to get this all accomplished. I'm off to peruse Dollar Store and Big Lots, etc. to see if anything jumps out at me!

 

[MommyBoo!]

You could use curling ribbon for the phone cords. Sometimes you can get a small multicolor pack inexpensively or maybe the parents have some to donate?

You can stick pictures of starfish or other fish on the trumpets.

Crepe paper is also good for decorating under the sea stuff since it is wavy.

I agree, if they don't like, too bad. Who else is going to do it?

 

[cotomom]

I found 25 ft. phone cords at big lots for like 1.49! I thought that was well worth it!

I also found a clear plastic drum with strap and filled w/ other instruments, rattles, kazoo, ? at Target on clearance for 3.xx. Now to maybe wrap 'seaweed' around drum to make it more sea-esque?

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I found 25 ft. phone cords at big lots for like 1.49! I thought that was well worth it!

I also found a clear plastic drum with strap and filled w/ other instruments, rattles, kazoo, ? at Target on clearance for 3.xx. Now to maybe wrap 'seaweed' around drum to make it more sea-esque?

I would maybe hang seaweed crepe paper from the top rim of the drum down, that way when it moves it can be flowing. Use 2 or 3 different shades of green in a layering effect.
If you can't paint the phone cords then try to find some cheap ribbon if you wanted them in bright colors and wrap the cords.
I'll talk to my mom tomorrow and see if she can come up with anything. If she can draw some stuff out then I can scan and e-mail it to you.