📱Can You Hear Me Now? The Cell Phone Props of BANNED and WYSIWYG!

Sometimes the simplest theatrical props get the biggest reaction — and over the years, our handmade cell phones have become some of the most talked-about props we've ever created! For WYSIWYG and BANNED the Musical, mobile phones weren't just accessories. They were an essential part of the storytelling, helping bring the wonderfully absurd world of social media, online identities, and digital communication to life onstage. But rather than putting real smartphones in the hands of our performers, we decided to get a little creative. Using inexpensive materials, simple hardware, and a bit of theatrical ingenuity, we built lightweight cell phone props that could be handled, displayed, and incorporated into the music, song, dance, and choreography without the distractions of actual electronic devices.

Making the phone props for BANNED Musical

The construction was surprisingly straightforward. As these behind-the-scenes photos show, the process involved assembling the phone facades, fitting the components together, and experimenting with different finishes and designs. The result was a collection of colorful, unmistakably theatrical mobile phones. What made these props especially fun was how naturally they became part of the performances. In a musical comedy where characters spend so much of their lives staring at screens, the phones helped emphasize the contrast between their online personas and their real-world relationships. And audiences noticed! Of all the scenery, costumes, and theatrical gadgets we've created over the years, these little cell phones have inspired more than their share of conversations and questions about how we made them. It's another example of how creative prop design, music, dance, choreography, and a little imagination can turn an everyday object into something memorable onstage.

Licensed and produced by Viewmark®.

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