The 2019 SMDC at Purdue University

This year’s Design Challenge

The director and design team for a production of Much Ado About Nothing have decided that during the wedding scene, they’d like to see a beautiful “rainfall” of flower petals over the lovers. It is your responsibility to make this happen. Here are some things you know about the effect:

It takes place center stage.
The area the petals should cover as they fall should be an approximately 3-foot diameter circle.
The petals used for this effect will be silk flower petals, approximately 1½” x 1½” in size.
The petals should fall gently, slowly, and continuously for about 30 seconds (note that neither the director nor the designers have been specific about what “gently” or “slowly” means; you’ll need to make some educated decisions).
The total distance the petals must fall (between the level the lovers stand on and the lowest masked place the petal drop device can exist) is 15 feet.
The petal drop device itself will hang on a 1½” Schedule 40 batten, and must have a footprint not greater than 20” by 20”.
The petal drop device, once installed, will be inaccessible to stage hands or crew, unable to be lowered, and must be reloadable from the ground without using a ladder or lift.
The petal drop device must be operated from 25 feet offstage of the effect; the operator will be on a level 15 feet below the level of the petal drop device.
The petal drop device must be reloadable in less than 10 minutes.
The moment in the play when the petal drop is in use has some musical scoring, but it is light and airy—meaning the petal drop device should be relatively silent.
The producers are interested in any device you design being reusable for other drop effects, including snow, confetti, and ping pong balls.