The Stage Door will be an online information depository for those involved in the technical aspects of a given production.

The section will include, but is not limited to:

• Sound Plots
• Costume Plots
• Set Decoration Items/Themes/Properties
• Recipes for 'Edible' Stage Properties

The Exact Center of the Universe: Sound Plot

SCENE	SOUND/MUSIC TITLE
Pre-show	MP3/WAV  Benson Orchestra of Chicago    Ain't We Got Fun?  MP3/WAV  Isham Jones & His Orchestra   The Original Charleston  MP3/WAV  SOPHIE TUCKER    50 Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong    Aren't Women Grand    Hello My Baby    I Don't Want To Get Thin I'm Doin What I'm Doin For Love I'm The Last Of The Red Hot Mamas 1929 The Lady Is A Tramp 1937 Life Begins At Forty Never Let The Same Dog Bite You Twice No One Man Is Ever Going To Worry Me Some Of These Days 1911 That Man Of My Dreams Too Much Lovin What Good Am I Without You When A Lady Meets A Gentleman Down South You've Got To See Mama Every Night (With Jimmy Durante) As Ready As I'll Ever Be BACK TO THE TOP BACK TO THE SOUND PLOT
Act I, Scene 1	MP3/WAV  Sound Effects:   Doorbell Chime   Telephone Ring   Doorbell Chime Doorbell Chime BACK TO THE TOP BACK TO THE SOUND PLOT
Act I, Scene 2	Musical Underscore For Scene "Bring Back My Blushing Rose"
Act I, Scene 3	MP3/WAV  Sound Effects:   Car Horn #1 Car Horn #2 BACK TO THE TOP BACK TO THE SOUND PLOT
Intermission	Songs From Pre-Show/Intermission Music
Act II, Scene 1	MP3/WAV  Sound Effects:    Doorbell Chime ************* Musical Underscore Begins with:   "Bring Back My Blushing Rose" *************** Segues Into:   "Fancy Little Nancy" BACK TO THE TOP BACK TO THE SOUND PLOT
Act II, Scene 2	MP3/WAV  Sound Effects: Telephone Ring ************ Musical Underscore "Bring Back My Blushing Rose" BACK TO THE TOP BACK TO THE SOUND PLOT
Curtain Call	MP3/WAV Musical Underscore ************ "Stardust"    Version 1: Isham Jones & His Orchestra    Version 2: Full Orchestra Rendition   Version 3: Nat King Cole

ACT I, Scene 1 [Tuesday Morning In February, 1950s]

• White Linen Suit
• Steel Rimmed Spectacles
• Camellia in the lapel
• Panama Hat

Mary Lou Mele:

•  "A vision of loveliness" in a pastel, pushing the season suit

Vada Love Powell:

•  No Description Given [N.D.G.]

ACT I, Scene 2 [Same]

Vada Love Powell:

•  Same as I,1

Mr. Powell:

•  High, stiff collar
• Gentleman of the 1920s attire

ACT I, Scene 3 [Wednesday Afternoon, (The  Next Day) In February, 1950s]

Enid:

•  Retired schoolteacher [N.D.G.]

Marybell:

• The Perfect Southern Belle [N.D.G.]

Vada Love Powell:

• "Perfectly dressed"
• White Gloves
  
• Matching Purse

Mary Ann Mele Powell:

•  Traveling suit
• Matching Hat

Apple:

•  As in I, 1

ACT II, Scene 1 [Tuesday Morning In February, 1960s]

Vada Love Powell:

•  [N.D.G.] Looks considerably older

Apple:

• [N.D.G.] Looks older, more distinguished

Mr. Powell:

•  Same as Act I

Mary Lou Mele:

• Jeans
• Jacket
• Matching Purse

ACT II, Scene 1 [Tuesday Afternoon In February, 1960s]

Vada Love Powell:

•  Same as Act II, Scene1

Apple:

• Same as Act II, Scene1

Marybell:

•   [N.D.G.] Looks considerably older

Mary Ann:

•  [N.D.G.]

Enid:

•  [N.D.G.] Looks oldest of all
  
  **Costuming Note: With the exception of Mary Lou Mele and Miss Enid, all other characters have been or presently are married, therefore 'wedding bands' will be a part of some characters' accessories**

The Exact Center of the Universe:      Stage/Set/Properties Plot

ACT I, SCENE 1

Ø        The Sitting Room of Vada Love Powell

♥  The Room is:

·         Overstuffed

·         Overdone

·         Inviting

·         NOT Overwhelming

·         “A surfeit of honey”

♥Contains the following items:

¨       A small table, set for tea

¨       Photographs in ornate frames

§All photographs for Act I are of Apple, stages ranging from infancy to adulthood, save  1 – the portrait of Mr. Powell

¨       Small sofa

¨       Armchair [at least one, two preferred]

¨       Straight backed chair

¨       “Exquisite” Tea Tray

§  Tea Tray

§Tea Service with:

§  Teapot

§  Cups

§  Saucers

§  Spoons

§  Milk

§  Lemon

§  Sugar

§  The Following Baked Goods:

·         Vada’s Bacon Biscuits

·         Vada’s Praline Parfaits

·         Luscious Lemon Squares

·         Not-So-Petit Petit Fours

·         Bourbon Balls

¨       Silver Salver with:

Ø  Doily

Ø  Macaroons

¨       Telephone Stand

¨       2 Rotary Telephones

¨       Liquor [Sherry] Decanter Set, bottle and glasses

ACT I, SCENE 2

           Ø  Same as ACT I, SCENE 1

ACT I, SCENE 3

            Ø  The Treehouse Set

§  Located in front of the “brick wall”

§  Tree image [on canvas or flat] affixed to brick wall

§  Small Stage placed in front of wall

§  Rails affixed to front of platform stage

·         On The Treehouse Set:

¨       Card Table

¨       4 Chairs

¨       Small serving table with:

Ø  Strawberry Cake

Ø  Lemonade

Ø  Table Setting for Four

§  Glass, Cake Plate, Fork for each seat

§  Cake Server

¨       2 Decks of Playing Cards

¨       Glasses for Sherry

¨       Bottle of Sherry

ACT II, SCENE 1

           Ø  Vada’s Sitting Room [As it appears in I, 1 with the following additions/changes]

§  In one corner:

·         Photograph of Mary Ann

·         Several photographs of ‘the children’ 2 girls, and one boy

§  On the table

·         Silver Coffee Service

-      Two Cups, Saucers, spoons

-      Silver Salver with:

        Beignets with powered sugar

               § In Mary Lou's Purse:
                  -      Plane Ticket
                  -      Car Keys

ACT II, SCENE 2

Ø  Vada’s Sitting Room [As it appears in II, 1 with the following additions/changes]

            §  On the table

                     -       Table is now set for tea as in I, 1
                     -      Snack tray contains only:
                             - Pennies From Heaven
                             - Mille Spice Squares
              § Enid brings in:
                      -     Letter

Below are listed are recipes for the various edible props found within the script.
These are not the 'must have' recipes - merely the first to come along in searching for them.

Black Pepper-Bacon Biscuits
Southern Living, NOVEMBER 2007

Prep: 20 min., Chill: 10 min., Bake: 15 min.
1/3 cup cooked and crumbled bacon slices (about 5 slices)
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/4 cups self-rising soft-wheat flour
1/2 cup cold butter
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Self-rising soft-wheat flour
2 tablespoons melted butter

1. Combine bacon and pepper with flour in a large bowl.

2. Cut butter with a sharp knife or pastry blender into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Sprinkle butter slices over flour; toss butter with flour mixture. Cut butter into flour with a pastry blender until crumbly and mixture resembles small peas. Cover and chill 10 minutes. Add buttermilk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.

3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead 3 or 4 times, gradually adding additional flour as needed. With floured hands, press or pat dough into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle (about 9 x 5 inches). Sprinkle top of dough with additional flour. Fold dough over onto itself in 3 sections, starting with 1 short end. (Fold dough rectangle as if folding a letter-size piece of paper.) Repeat entire process 2 more times, beginning with pressing into a 3/4-inch-thick dough rectangle (about 9 x 5 inches).

4. Press or pat dough to 1/2-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface; cut with a 2-inch round cutter, and place, side by side, on a parchment paper-lined or lightly greased jelly-roll pan. (Dough rounds should touch.)

5. Bake at 450° for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; brush with 2 Tbsp. melted butter.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used White Lily Self-Rising Soft Wheat Flour.
Yield:  Makes 2 1/2 dozen

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After-the-Dance Pralines

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 egg white, beaten
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, lightly toasted

Preheat oven to 400°.

Stir together brown sugar and beaten egg white, and fold in chopped pecans.

Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto a heavy-duty aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

Turn off oven; place baking sheet in oven, and let pralines stand 8 hours in oven.

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Luscious Lemon Bars

Prep: 20 min., Bake: 1 hr., Cool: 1 hr.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar
Garnish: lemon rind curls

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom and sides of a 13- x 9-inch pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.

2. Pulse 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and 1 cup butter in a food processor 5 to 6 times or until mixture is crumbly. Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan.

3. Bake at 350° on an oven rack one-third up from bottom of oven 25 minutes or just until golden brown.

4. Whisk together eggs and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl until blended. Combine baking powder, salt, and remaining 1/4 cup flour; whisk into egg mixture until blended. Pour lemon mixture into prepared crust.

5. Bake at 350° on middle oven rack 30 to 35 minutes or until filling is set. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Lift from pan onto wire rack, using foil sides as handles, and let cool 30 minutes or until completely cool. Remove foil, and cut into 24 (2-inch) squares; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish, if desired.

Coconut-Pecan-Lemon Bars: Preheat oven to 350°. Place 1 cup chopped pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring after 5 minutes. Proceed with recipe as directed through Step 2, adding toasted pecans to flour mixture before pressing mixture into pan. Bake crust as directed. Proceed with Step 4, decreasing granulated sugar to 1 1/4 cups and adding 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut and, if desired, 1 Tbsp. coconut rum to filling. Proceed with Step 5 as directed. Garnish with Toasted Coconut, if desired.

Toasted Coconut Garnish: Preheat oven to 350°. Place 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring once after 4 minutes.

Blackberry-Lemon Bars: Prepare recipe as directed through Step 4. Pulse 2 cups fresh blackberries and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a food processor 3 to 4 times or until blended. Transfer mixture to a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Pour through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, gently pressing blackberry mixture with back of a spoon; discard solids. Drizzle over lemon mixture in pan. Proceed with Step 5. Garnish with fresh mint and blackberries, if desired.

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Red Velvet Cake Petit Fours With Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended; add vanilla, beating until blended.
Yield:  3 1/2 cups

Southern Living, NOVEMBER 1996

==================================================

Beat shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.

Stir in food coloring and vanilla, blending well.

Combine flour, salt, and cocoa; set aside.

Combine buttermilk, vinegar, and soda in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup. (Mixture will bubble.)

Add flour mixture to shortening mixture, alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes; pour batter into 3 greased and floured 8-inch round cakepans.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top of cake. Garnish with chopped pecans, if desired.

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Bourbon Balls

1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar
1/3 cup bourbon
1/4 cup butter, softened
50 pecan halves (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels
1 tablespoon shortening

Stir together first 3 ingredients until blended. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Gently press pecan halves into 2 sides of each ball. Chill 8 hours.

Melt chocolate and shortening in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Dip bourbon balls in chocolate, and place on wax paper.

Chill 1 hour or until hardened.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select Bourbon.

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Coconut Macaroons

Layered Strawberry Cake

1 (18.5-ounce) package butter recipe golden cake mix
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 large eggs
1/2 cup strawberry preserves, divided
2 cups whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 quarts fresh strawberries, sliced
Garnish: fresh strawberries

Beat first 4 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer until cake mix is moistened. Beat at medium speed 4 minutes. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans.

Bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans. Brush top of each layer with 2 tablespoons preserves. Cool completely on wire racks.

Beat remaining preserves with whipping cream and powdered sugar at high speed with electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Arrange half of strawberries over layer; top with half of whipped cream mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining layer, strawberries, and whipped cream mixture. Garnish, if desired.
Yield:  1 (2-layer) cake

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Beignets with powdered sugar

Ingredients:

• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (approx. 105°)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 7 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup shortening, softened
• oil for deep frying
• powdered sugar

Preparation:

In large bowl, sprinkle yeast over the warm water; stir to dissolve and let stand for 5 minutes. Add sugar, salt, beaten eggs, and evaporated milk. Whisk or use electric mixer to blend thoroughly. Add 4 cups of the flour; beat until smooth. Add shortening; gradually blend in remaining flour. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 4 hours or overnight. Roll out on floured board to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 2 1/2 to 3-inch squares. Deep fry at 360° for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned on both sides. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar. Serve hot with coffee.
Dough can cut and frozen, separated in container with waxed paper.

Makes 4 to 5 dozen.
2008 About.com, Inc.

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PENNIES FROM HEAVEN

Autumn Spice Squares