This document contains Max Cheshire's responses to a series of questions assessing their understanding of turning Disney's Beauty and the Beast into a stage production. It discusses the challenges of transforming specific characters and scenes, the contributions of key creative team members, how technical elements can convey meaning, and the remaining tasks in the pre-production process. Max also provides examples of maintaining artistic integrity through high production values in multiple performances.

1. Max Cheshire
ProductionAssessment11/10/2017
Assessment 12/13 Diploma/13 Subsidiary Diploma Production Arts October 10th, 2017
1 Annotate the two pages of script provided.
Consider exits and entrances, set, props, lighting, sound, any special effects, costume, make-up and
hair. Make any other points you feel appropriate.
2 Convert the Prologue script annotation into a Production Analysis Chart/Scene Breakdown.
This should be on a new Excel document if possible.
3 Evaluate the contributions made to Beauty and the Beast by the following people:
Linda Woolverton – Writer, of the original movie and the stage show
Alan Menken – Composer, made sure every member of the orchestra was in tune and time with scenes
and dances that required audio
Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, both lyricists, Howard started the lyrics but sadly passed away, leaving Tim
Rice to finish.
Robert Jess Roth- theatrical director
Matt West – Choreographer, responsible for choreo of the dances.
4 Discuss the characters and relationships between Belle, Beast and Gaston. How can technical
aspects of theatre help the audience understand these characters and their story?
Throughout the stage show, technical aspects are used to convey stronger meanings in the story. When
Belle and Gaston first meet its very awkward for Belle. A neutral light is used to show that there are no real
bad for feelings either party. When the Beast captures Belle, a dark light would be used to show that the
beast has a horrible exterior, however throughout the story and as the relationship between Belle and
Beast blossombrighter, happier coloured lights are used to convey emotions for one another.
Towards the end when Gaston and Beast meet, lights are flooded down from the rig, dark, angry colours
like red and black to show the hatred from Gaston towards the Beast.
In addition, the costumes play a big part in telling and foreshadowing relationships with the main three
characters, for example. Both beast and Belle share the colour of blue as the dominant colour on their
costumes. Beasts being darker and richer than the light blue that Belle wears however this tells the
audience that they are meant to be together. The costume/makeup of Gaston and Belle is extremely
contrasting, just like their personalities, this makes it easier to distinguish the feelings in this relationship
regardless of what is performed on stage.

2. Max Cheshire
ProductionAssessment11/10/2017
5 Discuss some of the technical challenges of turning the 1991 Disney animated filmof Beauty and
the Beast into a stage show.
In a video clip on YouTube, Linda Woolverton explains how she was very excited to take on the challenge
of extending the movie into a show. It allowed character relationships to be developed more, more story
line and dialogue could be added and additionally for Tim Rice and Alan Menken more songs could be
written which again enhanced relationships in the characters. In the original animation of the film, the
beast did not talk, this meant that new lines had to be thought of. Also, the crazy costumes of the
enchanted characters had to be designed and created. Characters such as Cogsworth and Lumiere where
very challenging due to the safety that came with the outfits, a moving clock and fire meant the outfits had
to be made out of special material which allowed flexibility, safety and most of all looked realistic.
Another part of the show that was extremely difficult to transfer into the stage show is the transformation
of the Beast, this is because in an animated filmyou have total control about any movement or transition
done in that said film, however when on stage. You have pyrotechnics and lighting to enhance such a
complex part of a show. Not only were the pyrotechnics difficult enough, the creative directors had to
think about how the big bulky costumes would A. react to pyros but also B. get on or off in such a short
space of time.
6 Our production of Beauty and the Beast is in the pre-production/rehearsal stages.
Outline what has already happened in pre-production and what is still to be done.
At this stage, auditions would have taken place and casts for pretty much all the roles would’ve been done,
the rehearsals would have started, with all members of cast attending each one to know the ins and outs
of the production. Songs and dances that need lots of people on stage or ones that hold great importance
like ‘Be Our Guest’ and ‘Belle’ would have been blocked allowing the creative team and directors to think
about any potential props, sound or lighting cues.
What is left to be done, well during rehearsal stages there will be lots more consideration for costume,
props and cues. ASM’s will need to be thinking about where props and costumes can be sourced from,
designing teams will need to be building set choreographers will be way on their way to be teaching
dances.
In-between rehearsals and the main show, about a week before hand will be costume runs and technical
runs, going from cue to cue and making any final adjustments. To add to this the ‘get up’ process would
have taken place, set would be put up. Lights would be rigged, the whole of backstage would be kitted out
with wardrobes and prop desks. Also the DSM’s would be comfortable in their box which they would call
the show from, one on stage left and one on stage right.
Its performance night! The opening night of the show, front of house is all set up and the foyer is all kitted
out with a bar and refreshment area. The show takes place and this goes on for a few days, accompanied
with matinee and evening performances.
Finally, all those hard weeks of rehearsals are done and the show is over, now its ‘get down’ time, set
needs to be dismantled, costumes must be put away or returned to rightful owners. The same for props,
lights, sound equipment and anything borrowed, the must go back for respectful owners.

3. Max Cheshire
ProductionAssessment11/10/2017
7 Give some examples of how the artistic integrity of Beauty and the Beast can be maintained
through high production values.
Artistic integrity is so important, every show needs to look brand new and not go stale, and there is range
of high production values that need to be achieved. For Instance, both Belles need to be at the same level
of excellent talent, if there is a high note one can hit, then the other needs to work on being able to hit
that same note so one does not out shine the other. Even things as small as LeFou catching the duck out of
the sky, for 5 shows running that duck needs to land in the exact same place, you never know, people
might come and see the show twice, you would want them to come out of the show and say they were
both as good as each other. Most of this lands on the shoulder of the DSM’s, they will be calling the shows.
Telling sound and lighting when the cues are, what can’t happen is the DSM/s getting to comfortable after
a couple nights, once things start to get relaxed that’s when artistic integrity and high production values
drop off, each show needs to be like it’s the opening night.
8 Put these songs into the correct order as heard in the show:
Be Our Guest-5 No Matter What - 2 Maison des Lunes-8 Gaston – 4 Something There
- 6
Belle - 1 Human Again-7 Me-3 Beauty and the
Beast- 9
9 Listen to the music for the Transformation. From 1’22 to 2’45.
Comment on how the music suggests how the transformation should look.
‘I love you’ could spark a change in lighting, then the deep bass could have a dip to black in that light, the
little triangle Nosie at 1:28 could have a small light appear on stage by the beast, then from the till about
1:50 just before the bass, extras and characters could run on stage and dance around the Beast as he starts
to dip in and out of the wings, losing a part of his costume each time. As the music builds up, characters
dance around the stage as form a line which the beast can hide behind, he is then attached to a clip which
allows him to rise above the stage into the flies, as the music increases at about 2:23, he is risen up and a
spotlight is shown on him, transformed, as the prince. 2:31 music goes back to a soft rhythm which Belle
runs on stage and sees the transformed Beast, the hug then dance, then sing together
Make sure your work has your name and today’s date on it.
Email it to ian.hawkins@ringwood.hants.sch.uk

4. Max Cheshire
ProductionAssessment11/10/2017