This page tracks the 2026 field show, Paradox—inspired by M. C. Escher’s impossible-perspective drawings—which is why the primary props are mobile staircases: each unit combines a short staircase, a working platform, and a slide on a wheeled steel frame.
The units are designed to work on their own or be staged together, including configurations where platforms meet at a corner to create a larger performance surface.
The design is still being validated with students and staff. There are a lot of details to get right, including slide angle, transitions, stability, and how intuitive everything feels under real use. I will document what works, what doesn’t, and how the design evolves here and on the Maker At Play blog.
First concept · version 2 · Backdrops & frames · Trailer · Front stages · Load plan · Progress
Concept & specifications (working)
First prototype targets from design reviews and initial CAD.
L-shaped arrangement (two units): platforms meeting at 90°.
These were the current targets based on design reviews and the first prototype. Expect changes as we get more real-world feedback.
- Footprint: roughly 7 ft wide by 4 ft deep on casters.
- Platform height: about 69 in. to the top deck (just under 6 ft depending on wheel height).
- Stairs: five rises up to the platform; stair width about 2 ft.
- Top platform: about 2 ft deep, shared between the stair exit and slide entry.
- Slide: plywood ramp; final surface material and angle will be set after student trials.
- Sides: coroplast panels mounted to a steel frame; 1 in. tube handles at about the 4 ft height for maneuvering.
- Mobility: locking casters at the corners; wheels are inset slightly to avoid interference when props are staged close together.
Budget and total unit count are still being worked with the program. Early estimates have been in the mid–three figures per unit for materials, before final scope is locked in.
Videos
Prototype checks: slide tryout and walkaround.
Design update: version 2
May 2026 — refining the platform after the first prototype trials.
The thought is that increasing the size of the top platform and lowering it by one step would make it more stable and easier for the students to stand on and transition onto the slide.
This newer version has the top platform at 4 × 3 ft without increasing the overall length of the prop, so it will still fit in the box trucks. It still has the sides extending upward to act as handles, and keeps the same side profile for coroplast. The angle of the slide is the same. I have also modeled a flag trough in the bottom.
I plan to modify the current prop’s top platform to match it and bring the prop to Audition Camp so the students can test it again. Hopefully, that will finalize the design so we can start building in June.
- Footprint: roughly 7 ft wide by 4 ft deep on casters (unchanged overall length for box-truck loading).
- Stairs: four rises to the platform (one fewer than the first prototype); stair width about 2 ft.
- Top platform: 4 × 3 ft, shared between the stair exit and slide entry.
- Slide: same ramp angle as the prototype; surface material still to be confirmed after student trials.
- Sides: coroplast panels on the same side profile; vertical extensions act as handles (~4 ft high, 1 in. tube).
- Flag trough: modeled in the bottom of the frame for pole storage.
- Mobility: locking casters at the corners; wheels inset slightly when props are staged close together.
Backdrops: Media Frames & 10 mm Coroplast
We’re going back to the media-frame approach with 10 mm coroplast for the backdrops. This is my third pass at solving how to attach panels cleanly without relying on Velcro.
I’ve never liked Velcro for this use. It behaves more like tape than a structural solution and doesn’t hold up well to the repeated assembly and disassembly that happens throughout the season. We leaned heavily on Velcro for the 2021 season props and ended up replacing it after nearly every contest, which is something I want to avoid repeating.
This year I’m planning to add angle iron along the bottom of the frame to create a channel for the coroplast to sit in. That should be more stable than last year’s bottom-bolt approach.
I also want to add a mid-frame rail to give us a solid attachment point across the center. Attaching only at the edges left the panels unsupported, which led to alignment issues and gaps at the seams.
I may still use a small strip of Velcro at the top rail to control the top edge, but only if the rest of the structure is doing the real work.
Trailer: Racks, Frames, and Coroplast Storage
Bringing the backdrops back means another pass at how everything rides in the trailer. Last year was functional, but not efficient.
This year I plan to build a dedicated rack system so each component has a defined place instead of competing for floor space.
Since this is also my final year as props lead, and assuming the media-frame props will stick around, it makes sense to build a repeatable storage solution inside the 20 ft trailer that will continue to be useful after I’m done.
I also want to improve the coroplast storage by adding a better way to secure sheets to a shelf or wall. The goal is to keep them flat and avoid warping during transport.
Front Stages
We’re reusing and expanding last season’s front stages. The plan is to add one additional 4 × 8 ft section, bringing the total to four, and then stage them in pairs on each side of the front ensemble.
I also plan to build two simple sets of steps that sit on the ground behind the stages to make getting on and off easier. For transport, the steps will ride on top of the stages so they don’t take up additional trailer space.
Load Planning: Trucks & Trailer
I still need to map out how everything packs: stair props, front stages, media frames with coroplast, and front-screen carts across the two box trucks and the 20 ft trailer.
The goal is to understand exactly how much space we have and how much room remains in the box trucks for overflow electronics that would otherwise go on the semi.
Ideally, we remove as much guesswork as possible from contest weekends and make load-in predictable.
All told, this is shaping up to be a big props year, both in size and in complexity.
Progress notes
High-level milestones; fuller write-ups will be linked from here as they are published.
- May 2026 — version 2 CAD: 4 × 3 ft platform, four stair rises, flag trough; prototype top deck to be updated for Audition Camp student trial (5/26). Band camp follow-up planned for slide angle, transitions, and costume clearance.
- April 2026 — First full prototype assembled; rough cost and fleet options shared with leadership. Open items: slide covering, extra bracing, all-locking casters, and final handle placement.
- February 2026 — CAD updated for 7 ft width, 2 ft deep platform, and side handles (~4 ft high, 1 in. tube).
- Earlier 2026 — Initial mockups from program direction; iteration toward height under 6 ft at the deck and guard-access ideas (e.g. storage for flag poles — placement TBD).