Recently, Winchester Cooperative Theater had four fantastic performances of Beauty and the Beast. Along with the amazing talent and costumes that filled all of their shows, the set was incredible! Here are some of its highlights of this marvelous production.
First of all, the "invention" that Belle's parents made was very impressive. It appeared to be constructed of little coils and bits of shiny metal. The thing that really made it stand out was a glowing, red, rounded shape that pulsed when the machine was on. Overall, this complicated but not distracting item was a wonderful addition to the set. It gave the feeling of a complete and immersive world.
Also, the beast face that was lowered down during the beast's transformation was pretty amazing! It was practical, because it covered the actor playing the beast while he changed into the prince outfit. However, this piece of art was beautiful, well crafted, and fun to behold.
Thirdly, the castle staircase was incredible! The risers were painted to look like book spines. This was a sweet, entertaining detail. It played with the book and library theme of the show! With variations in color, but all of the same golden decorations, these books stood out just enough!
Fourth, Belle's house was adorable. With little brown shingles, and a fake window box planter, this piece of set was very endearing. The cottage came out of the wall, and did not have an interior. That was fine, however, because many moments in the show were held on the beautiful porch! Its cheery, spring aesthetic brought a wonderful lightness to many scenes.
Last but not least, the palace's West Wing was outstanding! It was painted to look like it was built out of stone. Then, on top of that, there were vines made out of insulation, that were then painted green. This subtle, but clearly well done structure simply looked professional.
Winchester Cooperative Theater's set this show was truly excellent. There was clearly an exceptional amount of effort put into it! We cannot wait to see what they create next.