The Props Table
Balloon to dove is a strange item. The performer inflates a balloon, clamps it to a very suspicious looking tray (one much thicker than what is needed to hold the enormous weight of a balloon), and Voila! —traumatized bird! Perhaps someone wanted to charge an extra fifty bucks for having a show with animals, and this prop just screamed to be bought at the local auction. Nevertheless, it probably isn’t very deceptive to adults. As for kids, it’s the bird that is getting the strong reaction, not the trick. If you doubt this, just skip the trick and pull the bird out of a paper sack.
Seeing that props are in place on the props tables are the responsibility of both the props running crew and the actor who uses the prop. The crew should do preshow check AND each actor should check his own personal props before the show. Ideally props should always be in their place on the table when not in use. The actor will pick them up before an entrance and should replace props on the table when they exit. During Strike , Props Crew is responsible for assisting Props Designer in returning props and insuring all items are returned in good condition.