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What's With The Toaster?

The Dramatech Toaster has been hidden in plain sight in every DramaTech show since the late 1980s. The idea for this came from an impromptu art installation called Toaster Dreams created by Eddie Maise in the old theater. It featured several pieces of furniture suspended from the grid, with a toaster spotlit in the middle.

This list is a humble attempt to record where the creative folk of DT have tried to sneak this icon into their shows.

Where was the Toaster?
Lunacy	Summer 1990	Hidden in plain sight on the stage-right bookcase.
God	Fall 1990	Carried through by Groucho Marx at the end of the show, during the "Chaos" scene.
The Lion in Winter	Winter 1991	Wrapped as a Christmas present
Pippin	Spring 1991	The toaster came on stage after the song "War." It was hidden in a shopping cart full of dismembered limbs.
Fahrenheit 451	Fall 1991	Stood in for the robotic hunter-killer "dog" in a box on stage.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum	Spring 1992	Incorporated into the set as part of the facade of a Roman Temple-looking building. Right up there at the top, that pointy part that some architecture major should be able to name.
The Collection	Spring 1992	Was the body of a telephone in a phone booth.
The Voice of the Prairie	Spring 1993	Inside an antique radio set.
Late Nite Special	Summer 1993	On a shelf with other decor one would find in a rural BBQ joint.
Assassins	Fall 1993	On the carnival barker's rack of prizes in scene 1.
The Skin of Our Teeth	Fall 1993	Wrapped as a package and carried carried on as a prop.
Agnes of God	Winter 1994	In the psychiatrist's desk.
T-Bone N Weasel	Spring 1994	Used as a prop - The main characters are walking though a dump and Weasel is scripted to pick up a toilet seat and say "Hey, look - a toilet seat!" It was modified to "Hey, look - a toaster!" at which point the portion of the audience that was "in the know" would burst into wild applause and cheers, completely confusing the remainder of the crowd.
The Hostage	Spring 1994	On the band platform, right in front.
The Glass Menagerie	Fall 1994	In the "disco hall" just off-stage. It was not visible, but rather existed as part of a lighting effect.
The Real Inspector Hound	Fall 1994	It was placed inside an old radio, it's plug used as the radio's.
Macbeth	Winter 1995	It was in the shadowbox where the MacDuffs are killed.
Isle of Dogs	Winter 1995	It was used in an attempt to dispose of Lady Emelia's body. The script called for a chainsaw (a Lee/Larson signature), so it was replaced with the DramaTech signature.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat	Spring 1995	Used as part of Pharaoh's throne.
Personals	Summer 1995	It was carried on by movers during the "I'm Movin' In With Linda" number.
Equus	Fall 1995	Hung from the grid as a lighting fixture.
Into the Woods	Winter 1996	In Cinderella's mother's tree.
Godspell	Winter 1997	Used as a prop and referenced by the demons torturing "the rich man" in hell during "The Rich Man and Lazarus" bit.
The Bacchae	Winter 1998	Deconstructed, the guts of the toaster appeared on the underside of the rolling platform. It was used by the actors to designate which side of the platform had the swiveling casters.
The Who's Tommy	Spring 1998	It was part of Tommy's pinball machine.
Slightly Married	Fall 2000	In a large purse, taken out while searching through it.
The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail	Fall 2001	Hidden in the tree
Pirates of Penzance	Spring 2002	Under the Major General's bench in Act 2.
Something Ventured, Nothing Gained	Summer 2003	Cord was used to tie up prisoner and toaster was dragged behind him when running/hopping away.
Lysistrata	Fall 2003	Carved into the columns with other artwork.
Pippin	Spring 2004	Behind the staircase, picked up by Lewis with a look of puzzlement during the song "Spread A Little Sunshine"
VarietyTech/Let's Try This!	Summer 2004	In the shopping cart during Blind Willie and the Talking Dog scene.
West Side Story	Fall 2005	Used as a gavel during "Gee, Officer Krupke"
The Tempest	Spring 2006	Located on the back platform during the banquet scene
VarietyTech/Let's Try This!	Spring 2006	In a picture during the scene Gump, held by all of the stage managers
Black Comedy	Summer 2006	Located back in Brindsley's studio mixed in with all the metal scraps
VarietyTech/Let's Try This!	Fall 2006	Located in a suitcase with the cord hanging out during the number Girl in 14G
Assassins	Spring 2007	Mixed in with the barker's prizes in scene 1. Same place as when we did it the first time.
An Enemy of the People	Spring 2007	in some rolls of paper in the news paper office
Rumors	Summer 2007	Located with the gifts brought in by the party guests
Macbeth	Fall 2007	Klimchak played it as an instrument during curtain call
Urinetown	Spring 2008	Used as a weapon to kill people of the UGC
What Happened to Mr. Sugarlumpkins?	Summer 2008	Located on the table with party food, next to some poptarts
Arcadia	Fall 2008	Located in one of the pictures on the walls
Jekyll and Hyde	Spring 2009	Mixed in with all the laboratory equipment on Jekyll's lab bench
Keeping Up with the Joneses	Spring 2009	In a box of junk from the Joneses basement
Student Directed Scenes	Spring 2009	Used as a heating element in The Lion in Winter scene
Deathtrap	Summer 2009	In one of the posters mounted on the walls.
Twelfth Night	Fall 2009	Carried in like a teddy bear by Malvolio in his night cap.
The Producers	Spring 2010	1. Used as an adding machine on one of the accountant's desks. 2. Hidden in Max's safe: the silver toaster in the silver safe - the white toaster in the white safe.
The Pillowman	Spring 2010	Mixed in with the toys in the boys room during the story telling scenes.
Arsenic and Old Lace	Summer 2010	Several toasters were carried in as part of Teddy's possessions to go off with him to Happy Dale Sanitarium.
Open House	Fall 2010	Flown in from the grid during Deech's introduction
The Count of Monte Cristo	Fall 2010	1. Carved into the stones next to the stage right arch. 2. Carried on as one of the possible weapon choices for the duel.
Black Box Comedy Festival	Fall 2010	Hanging from the grid along with the T
The Shape of Things	Spring 2011	On Adam's shirt.
Little Shop of Horrors	Spring 2011	Flowerpot.
Banquet 2011	Spring 2011	Sitting on a desk during a Monty Python sketch.
Eurydice	Summer 2011	Toasters from Hell found in a trash pile.
Open House	Fall 2011	Orange toaster used as a traffic cone on the construction set.
A Streetcar Named Desire	Fall 2011	Carried across the Black Box in a vendor's basket.
VarietyTech/Let's Try This!	Fall 2011	Carried on and polished by the ASM during "Diva's Lament," the toaster was given a lap dance during "Burlesque."
Banquet 2012	Spring 2012	A pile of toasters was included in the futuristic expo exhibits.
RENT	Spring 2012	Stuffed with eviction notices, the toaster replaced the star or angel at the top of the makeshift Christmas Tree.
WASP	Spring 2012	Located in the refrigerator/safe with the infamous jello ring.
A Logic Named Joe	Spring 2012	Used as a foley prop to make the question lever noise of the Logic.
Wanda's Visit	Spring 2012	Part of the assortment of items contained within Wanda's purse.
The Frogs	Summer 2012	Lugged around by Xanthias in the piles of luggage.
Open House	Fall 2012	On Friday, featured as Ophelia in the excerpt from Hamlet On Saturday, featured during Jeopardy!
Laughter on the 23rd Floor	Fall 2012	On the table with the bagels and coffee
VarietyTech/Let's Try This!	Fall 2012	Used by Micah to clobber and ensnare her beau Tamil in "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)".
after the quake	Spring 2013	Katagiri carried it onstage along with other groceries at the beginning of "Superfrog Saves Tokyo"
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying	Spring 2013	When Finch comes in to work on Saturday, he places a toaster on his desk; when Biggley asks him what he is knitting, he tells him it is a "toaster cozy". One is also lying among the debris after the building is ransacked by treasure hunters.
Banquet 2013	Spring 2013	In the photo booth
Corpse!	Summer 2013	An actual 1930s toaster is located on Evelyn's desk.
Open House	Fall 2013	Used to navigate the ship through space-time
VarietyTech/Let's Try This!	Fall 2013	During the number "Omigod You Guys" Bruiser, the dog, enters the scene on the toaster. It was referred to as ToasterDog.
Figments	Fall 2013	The toaster is located on the back shelf in Rick's apartment. It's used as a radio.
Black Box Comedy Festival	Spring 2014	The hosts for each night were given the toaster before they went on with no explaination.
Radical Love	Spring 2014	The toaster was drawn on the poster of Miloševic.
Young Frankenstein	Spring 2014	One toaster painted into the wall of the castle. Two toasters on the bookshelf in Frankenstein's house.
Banquet 2014	Spring 2014	The toaster was brought on stage and improvised with during Let's Try This!'s presenatation of the Best Properties award.
Let's Try This!	Summer 2014	Toasters were put in all standalone shows. Disney-Prov: On stage the whole stage time holding the curtain speech. Halloween Spooktacular: Brought on at the beginning of the second half by the director. Potter-prov: Brought on by Professor Flitwick during the opening ceremony. Dude Power III Dude Power with a Vengeance: sitting under the props table in the back of the stage. High Tech Improv: Brought on at the beginning by the director as the only prop for the show.
Evolve	Fall 2014	The toaster was seen in the shopping cart that was brought out by LTT! members during "Thrift Shop."
Enchanted Stories: An Evening of One Acts	Fall 2014	The Toaster was carried on by Rumpelstiltskin in The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon.
Cartoon	Spring 2015	There was a crochet toaster on Esther's chair, and a toaster was used on a torture projection.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street	Spring 2015	The toaster was painted on the side of Pirelli's cart and there was an old fashioned toaster on the bottom of Mrs. Lovett's table.
Banquet 2015	Spring 2015	The toaster was brought on stage and improvised with during Let's Try This!'s presentation of the Best Properties award.
Let's Try This!	Summer 2015	Toaster was put in all standalone shows They Fight Crime! - Paul brought it out during the outro credits. Nintenprov - Neeta brought it out during the outro credits. It was supposed to be in the long form. Musical Improv -
Open House	Fall 2015	Friday Showcase: Baby toaster was pulled out of Mad Hatter's hat Saturday Showcase: Toaster was brought on as a prop in Words, Words, Words
Parallel Lives	Fall 2015	Toasters were on the bar
Othello	Fall 2015	On the table where the lighting fixtures were placed, Emilia's cross stitching, the wax seals on the letters, and written on the top of the letters.
George P Burdell Variety Hour	Fall 2015	It was placed on the hosts' table
Five Faces for Evelyn Frost	Spring 2016	A stripped toaster appeared on the monitor tree Toasters were etched onto the shot glasses used during the show. The newspaper that appeared in pictures (Toaster Times) features a toaster. A picture of a toaster that fell from the drop box. A silhouette of a toaster appeared on One's block. A photo of a toaster appeared on Two's block. A toaster appeared on an escort service business card used by Two. A toaster appeared on One's phone case.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee	Spring 2016	The screws in the glasses on the Putnam Optometrists poster were toasters. There was a toaster on the basket of sports equipment. There was a toaster on the poster for the Putnam Chef Society.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?	Summer 2016	On the label of the breakaway whiskey bottle
Open House	Fall 2016	Friday Showcase: a toaster on the TV frame and one on the books Saturday Showcase: a toaster was run across stage during the host act
The Taming	Fall 2016	Held by Katherine in the portrait, in Bianca's phone wallpaper
The Man of La Mancha	Fall 2016	Behind the prison bars, in Cervantes's trunk, on the coins
The George P. Burdell Variety Hour	Spring 2017	In the pile of props for 3 Walls No Blinds
The Importance of Being Earnest	Spring 2017	On the the shelf of the side table. One was used as a flower pot.
Musical of Musicals: The Musical	Spring 2017	There was one toaster on a shelf, and a painting of another in a picture frame
Far Away	Summer 2017	There was a toaster on a crate, a golden wood toaster in the set dressing, and a schematic of a toaster in a hat design.
A Number	Summer 2017	There was a toaster on the bar.
Open House	Fall 2017	There were winged toasters on the pillars on the sides of the stage. Some toasters were hung from the ceiling. There was a sorting toaster.
Dead Man's Cell Phone	Fall 2017	There was a toaster printed on a piece of stationary. There were paper toasters among the paper houses thrown onto the stage. The fake phones had toasters on the back.
Constellations	Spring 2018	There was a picture of a toaster on the beer bottle. There was a toaster button on Marianne's dance bag.
The George P. Burdell Variety Hour	Spring 2018	Newspapers in DT3, Davis' Toasterology textbook, Encyclopedia Toastanica
The Drowsy Chaperone	Spring 2018	There was a DMX-controlled toaster (thanks Wade) on the Man in Chair's side table. There was also a 1920s toaster on the bookshelf and a Toastmaster ad on the back of a magazine.

Copyright 2011 Friends of Dramatech