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I am looking for a place to rent or purchase a beast headpiece. We were able to rent the costume but it will not come with the horned piece.  I tried Fxwarehouse but they were out of stock.  Any other suggestions. Also...suggestions on how to do the transformation realistically?  I already plan to have a stand-in for him to take off his make-up and costume, but not sure the best place to have that happen. 
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Kathleen Horrigan
Theatre Arts Director
Lawrence Central High School


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Kathleen,

We did B&B last year and this scene gave me fits when I was trying to figure out how to make this look "magical."  We finally decided to use a body double for the last scene when the Beast is fighting Gaston with the real Beast standing in the wings doing the lines.  We cut a hole in the set and ran a dryer vent from a dry ice machine to the set, turned the fan on when the Beast died, flashed the lights a few times, and had the two Beasts switch places.  We also sold flashing red roses in the lobby and asked to audience to turn them on during the transformation.  It was a cool effect and a great fundraiser!

Hope this helps!

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Brian Hough
Centereach High School
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-06-2014 08:43
From: Kathleen Horrigan
Subject: Beauty and the Beast

I am looking for a place to rent or purchase a beast headpiece. We were able to rent the costume but it will not come with the horned piece.  I tried Fxwarehouse but they were out of stock.  Any other suggestions. Also...suggestions on how to do the transformation realistically?  I already plan to have a stand-in for him to take off his make-up and costume, but not sure the best place to have that happen. 
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Kathleen Horrigan
Theatre Arts Director
Lawrence Central High School


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We did things exactly like Brian.  Spent many a rehearsal figuring out timing with fog machines, Belle swishing her cape to make the fog go just the right way at the right time, etc. Even kept it a secret from the cast until the first Tech/Dress ... they were completely fooled!  Months later people were still asking me how we did it.  Magic, of course!  We also sold the flashing red roses but had Belle raise one at the last big note of the show.  Very cool effect!  Have done similar fundraisers with Willy Wonka and, now, Shrek.
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Helen Dixon

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-07-2014 11:31
From: Brian Hough
Subject: Beauty and the Beast

Kathleen,

We did B&B last year and this scene gave me fits when I was trying to figure out how to make this look "magical."  We finally decided to use a body double for the last scene when the Beast is fighting Gaston with the real Beast standing in the wings doing the lines.  We cut a hole in the set and ran a dryer vent from a dry ice machine to the set, turned the fan on when the Beast died, flashed the lights a few times, and had the two Beasts switch places.  We also sold flashing red roses in the lobby and asked to audience to turn them on during the transformation.  It was a cool effect and a great fundraiser!

Hope this helps!

-------------------------------------------
Brian Hough
Centereach High School
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-06-2014 08:43
From: Kathleen Horrigan
Subject: Beauty and the Beast

I am looking for a place to rent or purchase a beast headpiece. We were able to rent the costume but it will not come with the horned piece.  I tried Fxwarehouse but they were out of stock.  Any other suggestions. Also...suggestions on how to do the transformation realistically?  I already plan to have a stand-in for him to take off his make-up and costume, but not sure the best place to have that happen. 
-------------------------------------------
Kathleen Horrigan
Theatre Arts Director
Lawrence Central High School


-------------------------------------------

I forgot to mention that we rented a  lot of our costumes from a theater house on Long Island called CM (Creative Ministries) in Oakdale.  The contact person's name and number is Debbie Parker at (631) 766-6061.  They did a fabulous job outfitting my shows in the past. 

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Brian Hough

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-06-2014 08:51
From: Kathleen Horrigan
Subject: Beauty and the Beast

I am looking for a place to rent or purchase a beast headpiece. We were able to rent the costume but it will not come with the horned piece.  I tried Fxwarehouse but they were out of stock.  Any other suggestions. Also...suggestions on how to do the transformation realistically?  I already plan to have a stand-in for him to take off his make-up and costume, but not sure the best place to have that happen. 
-------------------------------------------
Kathleen Horrigan
Theatre Arts Director
Lawrence Central High School


-------------------------------------------

We did Beauty and the Beast three years ago and I had great success working with Vicki Sussman of Victrola and Company (victrolaandcompany.com) I got not only the Beast's headpiece and makeup from her, but also a fight mask for the fight scene so that the actor playing the Beast could get out of the Beast makeup before the fight/transformation scene and simply remove the mask during the transformation (we used fog/lighting). Very effective and no body doubles needed.  Good luck!

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Marjorie Strader

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-06-2014 12:47
From: Kathleen Horrigan
Subject: Beauty and the Beast

I am looking for a place to rent or purchase a beast headpiece. We were able to rent the costume but it will not come with the horned piece.  I tried Fxwarehouse but they were out of stock.  Any other suggestions. Also...suggestions on how to do the transformation realistically?  I already plan to have a stand-in for him to take off his make-up and costume, but not sure the best place to have that happen. 
-------------------------------------------
Kathleen Horrigan
Theatre Arts Director
Lawrence Central High School


-------------------------------------------

We made horns out of felt and foam and attached them to a head band that we inserted into a long, curly brown wig.

We did not choose to fly the beast for the transformation. Instead, we had established that there was magic associated with the first transformation (in the guise of "magical-movement" actors who accompanied the enchantress). The "magic actors" returned in the second transformation scene, along with the wolves. In a sequence timed to the music of
creative movement and blackouts, the beast's costume was peeled off bit by bit.

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Jo Beth Gonzalez
Teacher/Drama Director
Bowling Green City Schools


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Original Message:
Sent: 03-06-2014 19:47
From: Kathleen Horrigan
Subject: Beauty and the Beast

I am looking for a place to rent or purchase a beast headpiece. We were able to rent the costume but it will not come with the horned piece.  I tried Fxwarehouse but they were out of stock.  Any other suggestions. Also...suggestions on how to do the transformation realistically?  I already plan to have a stand-in for him to take off his make-up and costume, but not sure the best place to have that happen. 
-------------------------------------------
Kathleen Horrigan
Theatre Arts Director
Lawrence Central High School


-------------------------------------------

We did Beauty and the Beast 4 years ago and used a Beast double for both the prologue and the transformation scene.  We started the fight on house right where we built a tower and had them fight down the steps, at the same time we moved a platform piece about 5' high with an open archway and two stair units.  The piece had a fog machine in it and vents on the sides and top.  When they got to the center of the stage during the fight we  and pulled a star curtain (black curtain with reflective stars embedded in it)....as we got to the transformation the fog became thicker (and we used haze), we added spinning green laser light (rental), and bright flashes of light (strobes) at the top sides of the proscenium.  The audience was distracted by the light and lasers which went into the house as well.  When they returned their eyes to the stage....there was the Prince spinning on the platform instead of the Beast. 

This is using basic magic tricks to full the audience's eye.  People are still asking how we made the Beast disappear and the Prince appear so quickly.  We also used an animated rose with a high def large tv screen that re-animated itself during the scene in the glass case.  There was a lot to look at during the transformation.  

It took some brainstorming and computer technology(which the students figured out and created the rose).


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Kathy Cannarozzi-Harris
Chairperson Of Visual And Performing Arts

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-05-2014 13:56
From: Kathleen Horrigan
Subject: Beauty and the Beast

I am looking for a place to rent or purchase a beast headpiece. We were able to rent the costume but it will not come with the horned piece.  I tried Fxwarehouse but they were out of stock.  Any other suggestions. Also...suggestions on how to do the transformation realistically?  I already plan to have a stand-in for him to take off his make-up and costume, but not sure the best place to have that happen. 
-------------------------------------------
Kathleen Horrigan
Theatre Arts Director
Lawrence Central High School


-------------------------------------------

I used the Troll Mask on compositeeffects.com with stage make-up, added crepe hair to the eyebrows and a beard, and a French king wig and werewolf gloves from theatrehouse.com.  We attached the mask with prosthetic adhesive and clear latex also from theatrehouse.com.  Be sure to use Bond-off when removing it as that will make it easier to use again and again.  I also used a body double, but we did a different version in which the Beast laid down and died and another character covered his upper body with a black cape while the castle mourned his death.  When the Transformation took place, we cut the lights on the stage and positioned the Sorceress in the audience with a spotlight on her chanting.  During the darkness, the Beast and Prince changed places and the Prince pulled the black cape back over him.  When the lights came up onstage, the audience just assumed the Beast was still lying there until the Sorceress snapped her fingers and the Prince sat up.


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Chelsea Petty

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-24-2014 00:15
From: Kathy Cannarozzi-Harris
Subject: Beauty and the Beast

We did Beauty and the Beast 4 years ago and used a Beast double for both the prologue and the transformation scene.  We started the fight on house right where we built a tower and had them fight down the steps, at the same time we moved a platform piece about 5' high with an open archway and two stair units.  The piece had a fog machine in it and vents on the sides and top.  When they got to the center of the stage during the fight we  and pulled a star curtain (black curtain with reflective stars embedded in it)....as we got to the transformation the fog became thicker (and we used haze), we added spinning green laser light (rental), and bright flashes of light (strobes) at the top sides of the proscenium.  The audience was distracted by the light and lasers which went into the house as well.  When they returned their eyes to the stage....there was the Prince spinning on the platform instead of the Beast. 

This is using basic magic tricks to full the audience's eye.  People are still asking how we made the Beast disappear and the Prince appear so quickly.  We also used an animated rose with a high def large tv screen that re-animated itself during the scene in the glass case.  There was a lot to look at during the transformation.  

It took some brainstorming and computer technology(which the students figured out and created the rose).


-------------------------------------------
Kathy Cannarozzi-Harris
Chairperson Of Visual And Performing Arts

-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 03-05-2014 13:56
From: Kathleen Horrigan
Subject: Beauty and the Beast

I am looking for a place to rent or purchase a beast headpiece. We were able to rent the costume but it will not come with the horned piece.  I tried Fxwarehouse but they were out of stock.  Any other suggestions. Also...suggestions on how to do the transformation realistically?  I already plan to have a stand-in for him to take off his make-up and costume, but not sure the best place to have that happen. 
-------------------------------------------
Kathleen Horrigan
Theatre Arts Director
Lawrence Central High School


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