Impaled by a Sword By Kalen Larson and Mathew Willett Michigan Technological University Challenge The Musical Comedy Murders

of 1940 by John Bishop requires a number of murders onstage. The second murder in the production happens when Producer Marjorie Baverstock is stabbed in the stomach with a sword during a power outage. Sergeant Michael Kelly discovers she has been impaled by the sword and removes it from her stomach. Normally this is accomplished by the back of the chair facing down stage and the sword sticking out. This only makes the assumption that she was impaled. Our director chose a more challenging effect by having the front of the chair face down stage with the sword being pulled directly out of her stomach in full view of the audience. Research We started by researching how magicians typically pass swords through their assistants. While magicians dont like to give up their tricks, we found that one technique is to have metal, curved in a fashion similar to two tape measures, facing each other, has been used for the blade of the trick sword. The curved exterior and hollow interior of the blade allows the sword to change from being rigid to flexible when flattened, allowing it to bend. While the sword is simple in concept, it took many prototypes to develop the proper techniques to build a working model. We also found that magicians put a collar, two or more inches thick, around the assistant where the sword enters and leaves. We determined the track has two functions; first to flatten and collapse the sword; second to route it around the body. Because we were creating an effect that had to look realistic, we decided that any visible collar needed to be eliminated. In an attempt to limit the thickness and visually eliminate the track we decided it should be something which would remain flexible in order to stay tight to the body. Building the Sword To build the sword blade we started by cutting two pieces of a tape measure to the length needed for the blade. Then we created the point; because the tape measure is so delicate we found the best way was to sand it into shape, this also helps to limit sharp edges. Rather than paint the sword with metallic paint and risk paint coming off in the track, the original paint on the tape measure was sanded off to expose the raw metal. Now the two pieces were sandwiched together with the convex sides facing out to create the blade. To attach the two pieces together we found clear packing tape worked the best, having enough strength to hold them together while the blade bends. Any bubbles that formed in the tape were worked out with the help of a heat gun on low. Finally, we attached the blade to the hilt; we bolted ours to a hilt that was removed from an existing prop sword. Building the Track Our track was built of vinyl siding, a material which is stiff enough to guide the blade but also flexible enough to wrap around the actor. Using a mat knife, we cut the siding down into two

strips twice as wide as the blade and slightly longer. Our blade was almost three feet long, so friction against the track was a problem. To resolve this, we replaced the section of track nearest the actors body with inch-wide strips spaced approximately 2 inches apart along the length of the track. At the end of the track where the blade is inserted, we reshaped it so that the sword could be pulled out perpendicular to the actors body. We did this by using a heat gun to reshape the vinyl into an 80 degree turn with a inch radius. All the track pieces were then gaff taped together. To effectively hide the track we worked with the costume designer to make it part of the costume. The costume designer added a belt slightly thinner than the track to the dress at the height where the stabbing occurred. We then put the track in a fabric sleeve identical to the belt. When the power outage happened the actor then put on the second belt, preloaded with the sword, directly over the first. We were able to accomplish this effect in some light rather than a true blackout by creating a diversion on the opposite side of the stage.

Sword in Marjorie from audience perspective

Sword partially removed picture from side view to show exposed end of track

Sword removed

Blade in track