Theatrical weed smoking

We're doing a show in March in which the script calls for actors to smoke weed from a bong. Its a small theater which means authenticity is paramount. If it were a big house I would just use a bong that isn't loaded with anything and let the audience pretend there is smoke.

So I need a way for actors to smoke a real bong with something in it that generates "smoke" but it has to fit the following qualifications:

• can't set off fire alarms (which I can disable but not legally)
• can't contain things that are not legal in public places (so no tobacco)
• doesn't force actors to inhale things that may be in violation of their personal health

I'm basically asking for ideas on building a prop bong that functions in an authentic way but doesn't break laws or set off fire alarms but still makes an authentic picture for the audience.

I have some herbal "ecstasy" cigarettes which are not technically legal, but would suffice unless I have a patron complain, or if I have an actor who refuses to inhale the smoke. I thought about rigging up a vape thing, but the vapor would likely just condense when it passes through the water in the bong.

For reference:

No water in the prop and a vape is the easiest. You can load nothing but water and just get vapor out of those things.

Hook a vape to the carb and it won't matter if it has water in it or not.

Could you just drop dry ice in and let it bubble and smoke without anyone inhaling?

How would anyone feel about toast? It would make some smoke, not enough to trigger alarms, and shouldn't be bad for anyone "smoking" it or have an offensive odor.

Raw hops would look the part, and from experience, no ill effects, psychoactive or otherwise.

Edit: the kottonmouth kings used fog machines rigged into the props at all their concerts, but I guys that depends how big of a bong and where is located on stage

Check a Hookah shop to see what they might have for ingredients that are not tobacco.

Head to a vape shop. Tell the guy behind the counter what you are doing and they will probably have something ready made. Makes a lot of "smoke" too. They sell plenty of non nicotine juices.

Last night I was talking to a dude who had a vape device the size of a hand grenade that even made gurgling noises. A long tube on it would be close enough for all but the most nit picky stoner

I take it the real thing would be frowned upon?

I'd say rig a vape into the upper "neck" portion of it to produce the smoke. When the actor inhales, they'll be drawing in the "smoke", while also pulling air through the down stem so it gurgles like it should.

EastCoastMojo wrote: Hook a vape to the carb and it won't matter if it has water in it or not.

This is exactly what id do.

Doucheflute has to be your answer.

Streetwiseguy wrote: Doucheflute has to be your answer.

I'm very curious as to what that is, but also very scared to Google it...

Furious_E wrote:

Streetwiseguy wrote: Doucheflute has to be your answer.

I'm very curious as to what that is, but also very scared to Google it...

Euphemism for vape.

Hear you go

Ahh, that makes perfect sense! 100% less weird vagina stuff than I was expecting

Curtis, I think a trip to a vape shop will help with your needs.

Question: Are you not allowed to smoke inside of buildings in Harrisburg or is it just not allowed in the theater? I know you can smoke in most bars in Lancaster and York county.

If it is that important, versus "acting," then the vape thing with just water and none of the chemicals added would probably be what you want.

Donebrokeit wrote: Question: Are you not allowed to smoke inside of buildings in Harrisburg or is it just not allowed in the theater? I know you can smoke in most bars in Lancaster and York county.

Public buildings. Many bars (especially in rural areas) got a variance, but it usually depends on how much food they offer and/or the eating area can be separated from the bar area.

Like most ATF regs in PA: It's complicated...

Given the Thespian community's proclivity for pushing the envelope of societal conventions, I would think that you'd just go the authentic route and smoke weed on stage. That way, there's no worries about whether or not it looks real, and the aroma will surely set the audience a-twitter.

Furious_E wrote: Ahh, that makes perfect sense! 100% less weird vagina stuff than I was expecting

Still a Bob Costas, though.

They're actors. They don't have any weed? WTF??

Combine a vape shop with a magic shop.

The vape shop can provide you with the product that will make the right amount of smoke (and maybe the bong), but if you need to see the liquid in the bong, a magic shop can show you a double layer glass container that will look like it is full of liquid, but is dry inside. Like the glass pitchers magicians use to "pour" milk into a newspaper cone.

Furious_E wrote: I take it the real thing would be frowned upon?

How about filling the bong with hemp rope and hemp seeds? Might give more of an authentic smell, with fewer legal issues.

Furious_E wrote: I take it the real thing would be frowned upon? I'd say rig a vape into the upper "neck" portion of it to produce the smoke. When the actor inhales, they'll be drawing in the "smoke", while also pulling air through the down stem so it gurgles like it should.

While that would work well, this is a very small, intimate theater. I'm talking like the front row seats will be almost "reach out and touch" distance from the actors. It really needs that look of filling the neck with smoke and then pulling it. It will also really need to have some water in it. I will entertain the idea of skipping the gurgling through water part, as long as I can get vapor/smoke in the bong, then pull the bowl and suck the vapor/smoke in.

Hook the vape to the carb. As the user pulls the smoke from the vape will fill the neck of the bong with smoke and if they pull hard enough it should pull through the stem also and you will get the required gurgling noise. Might want to look at vapes that have an adjustable airflow, such as the Kanger Tech SubVod. That should allow you to adjust the flow such that the gurgling happens sooner.

Donebrokeit wrote: Curtis, I think a trip to a vape shop will help with your needs. Question: Are you not allowed to smoke inside of buildings in Harrisburg or is it just not allowed in the theater? I know you can smoke in most bars in Lancaster and York county.

Illegal in Harrisburg without a specific permit and liquor license. Its also very taboo in theater; delicate actor's voices as their livelihood, whiny old patrons who don't like the smell, and IF the smoke alarms get tripped its a full evacuation with a direct line to the fire company.

I can disable the fire alarm, but then I'm highly illegal for not having adequate fire alert systems in operation for public spaces with a capacity of more than 25 persons.

Theaters also have a different set of fire regulations because of all the wood, paints, and textiles used. Technically, I'm supposed to have a meeting with the fire marshall if I have anything in my theater that is greater than 425 degrees farenheit, makes spark, smoke, or flame, or uses exposed electricity (spark units, old non-sealed xenon strobes, etc). But if I did that, I couldn't turn on a single ellipsoidal lighting instrument without fire marshall approval because those bulbs reach 500 degrees. So much of those laws are discretionary, but smoking is just flatly prohibited. I make exceptions for the art, as long as it doesn't include tobacco or nicotine which would just be a plain violation of the city smoking ban.

EastCoastMojo wrote: Hook the vape to the carb. As the user pulls the smoke from the vape will fill the neck of the bong with smoke and if they pull hard enough it should pull through the stem also and you will get the required gurgling noise. Might want to look at vapes that have an adjustable airflow, such as the Kanger Tech SubVod. That should allow you to adjust the flow such that the gurgling happens sooner.

Question: How hot do the filament coils get in vapes? I ask because I was thinking about soaking some water/glycerin in something (cotton ball, stainless steel wool) and vaping it using a lighter for authenticity. That would also eliminate the need for hiding a battery unit.