FAUX FOOD
Sheet cake from Twilight Bowl
A partially-eaten sheet cake from Jaycee's going away party in UW-Madison's University Theatre production of Twilight Bowl (April 2019). An insulation foam cake is frosted with white spackle and decorated with colorful spackle, then mounted to a cake board and placed into a plastic clamshell cake box. Prop fabrication by Lydia Berggruen (Props Master), production photos by Beau Meyer. Materials: insulation foam, white acrylic caulk, featherweight spackle, acrylic paints, plastic cake board, plastic clamshell cake box, acrylic cake server
Bakery display from Into the Woods
A variety of breads and pastries to fill the Baker's kitchen in UW-Madison's University Theatre & University Opera production of Into the Woods (February 2019). The display includes: foam loaves of bread, muffins, cookies, and danishes; clay pies and sticky buns; styrofoam cupcakes; and malleable pie dough that can be rolled out during each performance. Prop fabrication by Lydia Berggruen (Props Master), bakery counter built by Greg Silver (Master Carpenter).
Bread loaves & muffins
Expanding urethane foam is poured into aluminum bread tins and silicone cupcake molds, left to rise and cure, then is painted with amber shellac to give a "freshly baked" golden finish. Some of the muffins are topped with sawdust "streusel" during the curing stage, and some of the loaves of bread are topped with a mixture of rolled oats and flex glue between the curing and painting stages. Materials: Smooth-On FlexFoam-iT! X, Smooth-On Universal Mold Release, amber shellac, flex glue, sawdust, rolled oats, aluminium and silicone baking molds.
Jelly danishes
Danishes are sculpted out of upholstery foam, coated in flaky paper-mache, and topped with silicone "jam" and drizzles of puffy paint "icing". Materials: upholstery foam, flex glue, tissue paper, amber shellac, ShoeGoo clear shoe adhesive, Smooth-On Silc-Pig red color tint, pearlescent white puff paint
Mini pies
Wooden beads are glued to an insulation foam base, secured into a mini pie tin, painted, and topped with a latticed pie crust made of model magic clay. Materials: Crayola model magic clay, insulation foam, low temp hot glue, wooden beads, acrylic paints, amber shellac, mini pie tins
Sticky buns
An oval of model magic dough is painted and sprinkled with sawdust crumbles before being rolled up and topped with model magic pecans and drizzles of hot glue "caramel". Materials: Crayola model magic clay, acrylic paints, sawdust, flex glue, low temp hot glue, amber shellac
Dinner platters from Don Juan
Platters of roasted meat, green beans, and wax beans for UW-Madison's University Theatre production of Don Juan (October 2021), taking place in the southern United States. The beans are sculpted from model magic clay, and the meat slices are shaped out of sliced FlexFoam bread, coated in spackle, and painted. Prop fabrication by Lydia Berggruen (Props Master). Materials: Crayola model magic clay, loaf of FlexFoam bread (see Casting & Molding section), spackle, sandpaper, scenic paint, Rosco CrystalGel, tissue paper
Sandwich from Heathers: The Musical
A sandwich from UW-Madison's University Theatre production of Heathers: The Musical (April 2022). The sandwich, which has a hole through the middle, is stolen off of Martha's lunch tray during the opening number. Prop fabrication by Lydia Berggruen (Props Master), production photo by Beau Meyer. Materials: sliced loaf of FlexFoam bread (see Casting & Molding section), yellow felt, silk cabbage leaves, rubber gasket sheet, low-temp hot glue
7-11 Slurpee from Heathers: The Musical
A cherry slurpee in a vibrant retro cup that J.D. and Veronica share during UW-Madison's University Theatre production of Heathers: The Musical (April 2022). Graphics are created in Photoshop, then sealed with contact paper before being applied to a plastic cup. The slurpee is made of styrofoam painted a bright cherry red. Graphics and fabrication by Lydia Berggruen (Props Master), production photos by Beau Meyer. Materials: styrofoam ball, acrylic paints, Rosco CrystalGel, plastic cup and lid, plastic straw, white spray paint, clear gloss spray paint, low temp hot glue, printed paper label, contact paper
Drinking gourds from Rashomon
Two Japanese drinking gourds that characters sip water and wine from in UW-Madison's University Theatre production of Rashomon (July-Sept 2021). Paper-mache gourds are coated in spackle and sanded smooth before being painted, sealed, and wrapped in twine. Prop fabrication by Lydia Berggruen (Props Master), production photo by Beau Meyer. Materials: papier-mache gourds, spackle, sandpaper, scenic paint, Rust-Oleum clear lacquer spray, rubber corks, twine
Lollipop from The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
An oversized rainbow lollipop for Young Dogsborough to snack on while the adults are talking in UW-Madison's University Theatre production of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (February 2018). Seven colors of Sculpey clay are rolled out and twisted together, baked, and mounted on a wooden dowel. Prop fabrication by Lydia Berggruen (Props Master), production photos by Michael Sullivan. Materials: Sculpey polymer clay, dowel, hot glue, spray enamel, white acrylic paint
German chocolate cake from Twilight Bowl
A real slice of German chocolate cake is eaten by an actor during Act II of Twilight Bowl (April 2019). The slice is "cut" from a faux cake created from styrofoam and a mixture of clear silicone caulk, paint, and real coconut flakes that seamlessly blend with the real cake topping. Prop fabrication and food preparation by Lydia Berggruen (Props Master), production photo by Beau Meyer. Materials: insulation foam, low temp hot glue, acrylic paints, clear silicone caulk, coconut flakes, chocolate cake mix (prepared), German chocolate cake topping
Frozen pizza from Twilight Bowl
A frozen pizza that is unwrapped and "baked" behind the bar during Twilight Bowl (April 2019). Circles of pepperoni are sliced from a repurposed model magic sausage, painted, and glued to a model magic crust alongside yarn and curling ribbon "cheese". The final prop is wrapped in saran wrap. Prop fabrication by Lydia Berggruen (Props Master). Materials: Crayola model magic clay, acrylic paints, amber shellac, white yarn, white curling ribbon, low temp hot glue, cardboard circle, saran wrap
