Any ideas on props?

Question:hello.. im searching for ideas for a drama im involved in.. my school, we're taking part in this drama, district level. im involved in props for the drama.. so, the setting is like this long house, and a jungle scene. we also need a tree structure.. any ideas on how to make it? i has to be long and looks realistic enuff, including a hard bark of the tree.. so.. any ideas, guys??

thanks for replyg..

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: hello.. im searching for ideas for a drama im involved in.. my school, we're taking part in this drama, district level. im involved in props for the drama.. so, the setting is like this long house, and a jungle scene. we also need a tree structure.. any ideas on how to make it? i has to be long and looks realistic enuff, including a hard bark of the tree.. so.. any ideas, guys??

thanks for replyg..

punion's idea is good if you use some artistic shading to make cardboard trunk have shadows to match those created by stage lighting on the surrounding 3d objects.
however, if you need a 3d tree, use one of the poles that supports a volleyball net, put plastic bag around the bottom to keep it clean, wrap chicken wire around it as thick as you want the tree trunk to be. get brown bulletin board or brown kraft paper, wad it up, then smooth it out, wrap this around the chicken wire and secure with glue and masking tape on the side that the audience won't see. if you have time, paper mache on top of the paper that you wrapped over the chicken wire. if you need a tree that has branches more like an oak tree, you'll need some pieces of plastic pipe secured to the net pole before you begin putting the paper on.
after the paper is on, sponge on some neutral colored paint for more realistic bark color variation. add real branches of what ever type tree it's supposed to be. this tree is a lot of work, so get help. if your prom is scheduled soon, ask the decorating committee if they'd like to use it before you destroy it to return the net pole to the athletic dept.
be sure to ask local plant dealers if they would like to loan you some potted palms and other large plants (conceal the pots behind other props and fake plants)
in the long house you would probably only have primitive looking baskets, wooden spears, hammocks, drums, woven mats, maybe some wooden bowls, animal skulls
good luck

if you can hang from aboveyou can cut it out of cardboard box.and use palm sprouts for leaves.if you are artistic enough you can make that palm look alive bent trunk and all

Yes. If you go to a Roofing Company they have Roof Compound Sheets made of Foam with cardboard on both sides with the Foam sandwiched in between. It is Light Weight,sturdy and can be cut into any shape with a razor knife. They run about 5 to 10 dollars a sheet and is widley used by Stage crafters around the world.
Good Luck

You could make a light weight tree from something like plaster board. Get someone to attach a couple of handles and then you could have one of the stage crew move the tree on and off stage at the right moment.

Use spray on foam for the tree and paint it brown to resemble the bark.