Each summer as we contemplate the logistics of holding a Theater Camp in our backyard, the #1 concern is providing enough SHADE. June weather can be erratic with rain, wind and cold to sun, scorching heat and bone dry conditions! This year, we came up with what we thought was a brilliant solution -- why not set up a parachute shade canopy over our basketball court? That way, we would have another shaded area to practice blocking and choreography and a nice shaded space for audience seating.
Well, the idea was brilliant in theory, but did not remain so through execution! Just how do you suspend a parachute over a large play space? The research we found suggested that it was helpful to have large trees in a forest to hang the parachute from. Oh -- or a crane. Since, we had neither, my engineer husband came up with a different solution. Why not build a large hoop out of electrical conduit with supports of rope to create a light-weight platform to gently set the the parachute on? Then attach the parachute with zip-ties at the edges so that it would stay aloft.
Well, the idea was brilliant in theory, but did not remain so through execution! Just how do you suspend a parachute over a large play space? The research we found suggested that it was helpful to have large trees in a forest to hang the parachute from. Oh -- or a crane. Since, we had neither, my engineer husband came up with a different solution. Why not build a large hoop out of electrical conduit with supports of rope to create a light-weight platform to gently set the the parachute on? Then attach the parachute with zip-ties at the edges so that it would stay aloft.
So we got to work. I cut apart the gathered darts in the parachute and sewed channels for the tubing. My husband bought 72 feet of tent support tubes connected with bungee cording. We threaded the tubing through the channels and connected all the pieces to support the circular shape of the parachute. After my son and husband attached the electrical conduit hoop, or as my neighbor dubbed it "The World's Largest Dream Catcher," to the basketball standard, the apex of the covered patio roof and the neighbor's trees, we slid the parachute up on top. It took extra help from the neighbor boys to get it done, but we got it up there!
But it could not stay there for long. The first few days of camp had ferocious winds that nearly blew the parachute to Timbuktu! So, we quickly had to cut it away from the hoop before the metal was wrenched out of shape. And unfortunately, we lost having the nice shade for a couple of days. When the forecast looked like the winds would be gone, we put the parachute up again. This time it took all of our dinner guests to help us. (Seems we always put our guests to work!)
Anyway, after having glorious shade for a couple of days, the wind suddenly came up again. We raced to get the parachute down just in time! So, once again we were without shade. But I was determined to at least have shade for the audience during the performance. Early Saturday morning, we arranged for the strapping lads from across the street to come help us yet again to raise the parachute canopy as well as set up four other canopies plus all of the chairs we could rustle. (What will we do without those boys when they grow up and leave the neighborhood?) I think our audience really appreciated the shade on that very hot day!
It was a Herculean effort to engineer, produce, attach, and suspend -- and take down and put up two more times--- but in the end, I think our World's Largest Dream Catcher was a brilliant success!
Does anyone have a bunch of very large feathers we can borrow for our picture to send into the Guinness Book of World Records?
Anyway, after having glorious shade for a couple of days, the wind suddenly came up again. We raced to get the parachute down just in time! So, once again we were without shade. But I was determined to at least have shade for the audience during the performance. Early Saturday morning, we arranged for the strapping lads from across the street to come help us yet again to raise the parachute canopy as well as set up four other canopies plus all of the chairs we could rustle. (What will we do without those boys when they grow up and leave the neighborhood?) I think our audience really appreciated the shade on that very hot day!
It was a Herculean effort to engineer, produce, attach, and suspend -- and take down and put up two more times--- but in the end, I think our World's Largest Dream Catcher was a brilliant success!
Does anyone have a bunch of very large feathers we can borrow for our picture to send into the Guinness Book of World Records?
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