# Set design for Beauty and the Beast



## JeremyRasmussen (Dec 19, 2004)

I’m being commissioned by a local high school to help with next year’s production of Beauty and the Beast. I’ve seen the production at a professional theater and I thought it was great… and I would like to see an almost professional set design on a high school level. So what I would like help with is seeing ideas from other people. If you have done this production maybe send me pictures or any great ideas that worked well for you and I'll see if I can't get a great production put together. And if you haven't done this show, I would still love to hear (read) your ideas.

Thanks for the help,

Jeremy


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## freshmantech (Jan 20, 2005)

*Tech Staff*

My largest problem (and i am a high schooler so this is kinda weird to say) is that it is near impossible to have a true professional "broadway" set in a high school because of the crews you must have to build such a monstrosity. In our school...and from what i have gathered many other HS's dedicated techies are quite hard to come by. I totally agree with your goal for professionalism at the high school level, but to accomplish such a task you will need a professional crew.

Best of luck on your production!


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## JeremyRasmussen (Jan 20, 2005)

I totally understand that... that's how it was when I was in HS and I imagine it will always be like that. I don't care if the students dont act professional, I just want it to look nearly professional. Have you seen the show?


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## freshmantech (Jan 20, 2005)

*re:*

i haven't...though i would love to. Sorry i can't be of more help :-\


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## Peter (Jan 20, 2005)

Sorry, I havent seen it eather :-( Hopefully someone arround here will have more experience with that show.


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## ship (Jan 21, 2005)

I agree with the idea of not being able to reproduce what you saw someone else doing with the show. In having seen this show when done on a professional level and knowing to what extent and to what a level you can take many areas of it, much less hopefully what worked for you and what you might imporove, it's time to do your own design for the show. 

Each director and production's interpetation or take on the show should be unique, otherwise no matter what the level it's presented, why not just stay at home and watch the movie? You already know the wow which is good and bad in both a challange to you and a detriment in your own concept for it's design.

Challenge for you will be to make the show work on your stage with if not as much wow possible, with as much enjoyment. Let's face it, this Broadway tour probably will not have the same production on your own stage. It's your stage this production is presented on. Toys and Wow besides the point. You now have lots of time to study and develop the most kick rear design of your own ability possible. Who knows while the budget for effect might not be as great, perhaps between you and your director's take on the design you will both come up with an even better take on the show. That is once you release the idea of doing as good and instead develop your own production of it. This is the way that seeing another production of it when good can hamper you. While for solutions you might not be wasting as much time as to "a solution" for them, still you are less developing your own soulution and copying someone else's than inventing your own perhaps better solution.

You saw the show, put it besides the fact. Read the script many times in reference to your own school's skill level and stage. Talk with the director for his slant on the show alot than do lots of origional research as to the show and director's take on it. Than come up with your own design that's better than the pro one you saw even if more simple in tech.


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