Embrace the romance and beauty of this classic tale of true love. Beauty and the Beast is a captivating story of a prince who is punished for his cold heart by an enchantress disguised as a beggar.
The prince refuses to show her mercy and accept a rose as payment for shelter on a freezing winter’s night. The enchantress then transforms the prince into a beastly character and is told that he must have someone fall in love with him in his new form in order to break the spell.
She leaves him with a magic mirror and the rose she initially attempted to offer him which would let him know how much time he had left. He must complete his task before the last petal falls or he would retain his beastly form forever. We are then introduced to Belle, a beautiful and smart maiden whose world is turned upside down when her father goes missing.
When she finally locates him at the Beasts’ castle, she is caught trespassing by the Beast and is given an ultimatum, her father will only be set free if she takes his place as his prisoner; she will be forced to stay there for the rest of her days, she accepts his offer. Although there is much hostility initially, through a series of events, she slowly helps Beast overcome his flaws, learning to control his temper and lower his guard, taking the Beast on a personal transformation and ultimately gets back the freedom he longs to reclaim.
Perfect Backdrops for Beauty and the Beast
For one to do this story justice on stage, it is important to choose the right scenery to emphasize the central moments for this tale as old as time and Grosh Backdrops and Projections is here to help you create your own magical and memorable production of Beauty and the Beast.
We begin by introducing Belle amid all the hustle and bustle of her little French village. The story begins with European Village/ Street or a backing that has Cottage style dwellings (both Interior and exterior) to reflect the 1700s era the story takes place in.
Secondly, you can have your audience follow with Belle as she makes the harrowing journey through the forest to locate her farther with a Dark Forest or heavily wooded Forest with dense greenery. A backing like this can also be used towards the end of the production for the infamous mob scene Gaston leads the town peoples on to kill the Beast.
Another dark scene you should definitely highlight is when Belle and her father are imprisoned, you can set the dismal mood as they say goodbye in a cold Dungeon or Dark Castle Interior to give that oppressive feel the Beast gives off when he and Belle first meet.
Now! If you would like to focus on more of the happier, not so dismal scenes of Beauty and the Beast, you can accentuate the scenes that take place in other areas of the castle such as a Victorian Parlor, a Kitchen or maybe even a Castle Interior outfitted with a large dinner table and the familiar kitchen utensils to create a kitchen like area! Have enough space so the whole audience can be your guest!
Next, depending on the version you do (traditional or Disney) the Tavern for when Gaston is hatching his evil plans or some type of rustic layout would definitely set the scene up perfectly. Or maybe, you want to showcase a more tender moment? How about a Grand Study or Library? Show the love growing between Belle and the Beast when he gifts her a Library of her very own. Both scene s demonstrate why she immediately rejected the advances of Gaston and chooses to be patient with the Beast as he grows as a person.
And finally, we cannot forget the greatest scene of all as Belle and the Beast dance the evening away in a Grand Ballroom or a Palace Interior. To make the moment as magical as possible, you can go with a backing with a long Staircase; this would allow the actors to lose themselves in their parts and give the audience a memorable experience watching the performance.
And POOF there it is people!! The MAGIC of romance on your very own stage!!! Key ways you can successfully enchant your audiences with the right backdrop for your next performance of Beauty and the Beast.
Although Beauty and the Beast is a pretty magical production to put on, you can make it even more memorable with the right backings and Grosh Backdrops and Projections can help provide you with the magic touch to achieve the production of your dreams. There are so many scenes to choose from here, but it’s up to you to see how far your imagination can go.
