COMMUNITY PROJECT

2007 Nutcracker  'Land of the Sweets' Cupcake

     How many calories do you think there are in a 6' 5" cupcake?

 Zero calories if you could eat it, but we sure burned

a lot of calories making it!

  How many pounds of gum-drops and sprinkles would you need

         to decorate a 6' 5" cupcake?

Many pounds!  But since our gumdrops (and flags) are paper

and our sprinkles are glass beads, we're not sure

how many pounds it would take.

     How many children fit inside a 6' 5" cupcake?

Eight or Nine... little ones will pop out of this cupcake

at just the right moment in the Nutcrackers'

 "Land of the Sweets" scene.

Hello!  Cid here.  I am a member of the River Roots Visual Arts Alliance in Dublin, Georgia and in June 2007 the Executive Director of the local Nutcracker production, Ms. Toni Head, was a guest at the RRVAA's monthly meeting.  She had come to the alliance looking for help with a couple of new and special projects for this years' Nutcracker Ballet.  A new backdrop for the "Party Scene" and an unusual, new prop for the "Land of Sweets" scene.   I sculpt with "paper" and so was approached about the unusual prop - a giant cupcake!  The armature for this cupcake was being built of wood and the Nutcracker production wanted the top to be made of papier mache.

Another very active local volunteer, Mr. Frank Brantley, had already begun work on the armature for the cupcake when we met in his workshop to discuss the best design approach for that portion of the armature that would support the papier mache.  With his outstanding woodworking and fabrication skills, he assembled the "fins" for the top of the structure and then, as we had designed, attached a chicken-wire "skin" to the top.  By the end of October, the armature was ready!

What follows is a little history on how the FrogHairs team (with the help of volunteers) met this unique community opportunity.

One of the biggest challenges for the Nutcracker board was to find an available space big enough to allow us to work on the cupcake over several weeks.  The Dublin Laurens Recreation Authority graciously offered a room at the back of their building, conveniently located across from the theatre.  So, with newspapers supplied by the Dublin Courier Herald, all the other materials were acquired and it was time to begin.

Che (the other 1/2 of the FrogHairs sister team) was in Florida at the time, so plans were laid for her to stop in Dublin, Georgia on her way back north to help with the very tedious and critical "anchor" layer of papier mache.  Once she arrived we kicked things into into high gear!

We applied full 1/2 sheets of news paper at a time.  These were somewhat awkward to work with so we used a large storage container with a lip to mix and apply the mache "goop". It only took a few attempts to get the right amount of "goop" on the sheet and then run it slowly across the lip of the container to "squeegee" off any access.   After two intense days the "anchor" layer was completed and Che had to continue her trip home.   I was so thankful for her time!

The following weekend I'd asked the Nutcracker board to put out an "all hands needed" call to the mom's of some of the dancers.  After a little instruction from me, these volunteers helped apply several more layers of papier mache over 2 days.  Over two more weekends of hard work and with volunteers  willing to get covered in "goop" and newsprint, the giant cupcake took form.

The back of the cupcake is open to allow the dancers to get inside and walk the cupcake out onto the stage (Mr. Brantley had installed 5 sets of wheels to allow the cupcake to be moved easily in any direction). 

About 12 layers were applied over the entire cupcake top, then "swirls" were added using newspaper twisted and taped into place, with several more layers of papier mache over those to make them firmly a part of the cupcake.

These were some of the most amazing volunteers I've ever had the pleasure of working with, especially on such a large prop!  So, while waiting for the last layer to dry enough to apply the gesso, and all of us covered in papier mache "goop" and newsprint, we went to one of the local "icon eateries" in Dublin, Georgia... "The Minute Grill".   (PS: If you ever have the opportunity to stop in Dublin for any reason, be sure to go downtown for these "family secret recipe" eats!)

Concerned about costume snags and the safety of the children, I decided the best way to avoid splinters, slivers or scraped heels was to pad the entire inside.  Egg-crate foam and stretch fabric, along with the installation of some "pool noodle" bumpers ensured the young dancers would be safe.  It was exhausting, twisting work and the volunteers tasked they bodies to the limit to ensure a safe prop.

Store bought matching paper plates and napkins were used as "gumdrops" and "flags" and were applied with decoupage technique.  Colored decor glass 1/2 beads were glued as "sprinkles" over the cupcakes white icing.   Mr. Brantley, who made the armature, dropped in for a visit and was overwhelmed with what we and the volunteers had done.  For the finishing touch, a clear crystal flake was dusted on the gumdrops to give them that "sugar coating" look.  The finished cupcake from floor to top of the cherry stands 6' 5"... dwarfing some of the volunteers.

I attended the Saturday evening performance with one of the volunteers and was so pleased to see how beautifully the cupcake fit into the "Land of the Sweets" scene... and that all 9 dancers were able to fit inside!  

For more about this project, click the "NOW Magazine" and "News Article" images below.

Mr. Brantley's armature

Che and I

Che with "goop" bin

Ready for gesso

Volunteers

The Minute Grill

Interior Safety

Exterior work

Mr. Brantley visits

Finishing touches