Things we are looking for

Can you help us find these things we need for our production?

For building costumes: 
Large yoga ball
Hula hoops, small and large

Props and costume pieces
Coonskin cap for Lefou
Realistic-looking toy rifle for Gaston
Silly goggles
Metal or plastic tankard-style mugs--we need lots of these!
Silk or plastic flower bouquet
Colorful plastic flowerpot

Furniture
Benches–picnic-table benches, long or short, for our tavern

Costume info

Costumes for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr.

Students will need to supply their own costumes.

• Mostly these can be put together from items found in your closets at home.

• Or try shopping at a local thrift store: Goodwill, the Bronco Shop, etc.

• If you need inspiration, pictures of productions of Beauty and the Beast are easy to find on the Internet.

• Please make choices that are bright and colorful.

VILLAGERS (all students who are not playing a named character)

Boys. Long pants (not jeans), or knee-length pants (made by tucking long pants into high soccer or baseball socks). Pants can be a solid neutral color, or bright, or plaid or striped. Long-sleeve, button shirt in a bright color. Add something to make it your own: a vest, a tradesman’s apron, a cap or a beret, jacket. Shoes that are not sneakers.

Girls. Skirt or dress, mid-calf to floor length. Print or solid, in a bright color. Add a shawl, head scarf, apron, wide belt—something to make it your own.

Silly Girls. These girls are younger women. Skirts and blouses in pastel blue, pink, green, or yellow. Or a white peasant blouse. Hair bows. Frilly, silly.

DANCERS in “Be Our Guest.”

Mrs. Hammer is creating tableware costumes for dancers. They will need a basic white costume underneath—leggings or pants and a top. I’ll have more details on this as plans take shape.

CASTLE SERVANTS

Mrs. Hammer is creating these costumes. Underneath their “thing” costumes they will need human clothes, similar to what’s described above for Villagers, appropriate to their character.

OTHER CHARACTERS

Maurice, Lefou. Similar to Villagers.

Gaston. Black pants, tight-fitting short-sleeve red shirt, wide belt.

Belle. Long-sleeve white blouse, blue dress.

Please talk with me if you have questions. I can help you find stuff, or even check my attic!

Ms. Gotsch

708-366-6900, ext 122

ggotsch@graceriverforest.org

Review "Be Our Guest" choreography on YouTube.

Another video to watch to learn about the stage show of Beauty and the Beast:

A staged version of the animated movie from Disneyland. The actors are lip-syncing to the music from the movie.

Links for junior high

Here are a couple versions of Beauty and the Beast Jr on YouTube. What do you like about these? What don't you like?

Children's theatre in Sheboygan
(I like the rounded stage area in this theatre.)

Fancy scenery in this one

More coming.

Midsummer Night's Dream in a family concert at Orchestra Hall

Roxanne Dominis shared the link to this presentation of A Midsummer Night's Dream at a family concert by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, with actors from Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, on Saturday, Feb. 13. It features Felix Mendelssohn's incidental music for the play. Here's a performance of that music from a summer night in Germany, led by American vocalist and conductor Bobby McFerrin.

 

Costume info for 5-6 play, "Two Tales of Shakespeare"

What actors in the play should wear

The opening of our “Two Tales from Shakespeare” asks audience members to use their imagination “to deck our kings.” But even with everyone using their imaginations, we still need costumes. They help tell the audience about our characters, and they help actors feel more like the part they’re playing. So here’s information about costumes for the 5-6 play. 

Some good looks on Pinterest--both plain and fancy.

Costumes don't have to be elaborate. You can probably pull some basic pieces together from things you already have in your closets. I'm happy to answer questions or help with ideas. Email me at ggotsch@graceriverforest.org.

Students should bring their costumes to school on Tuesday, Feb. 23.

Boys in Macbeth  

Includes: Macbeth, Banquo, Angus, Ross, Macduff, Macbeth 
Narrators, Soldiers (including India and Jaelyn), Doctor, 

Dark, earthen colors. Leggings or close-fitting pants and a hip-length long-sleeve loose-fitting tunic in a plain solid color. This could be a t-shirt or similar rough looking shirt. We will have fabric belts to tie these around the hips. 

Extras for a distinctive look: Layer a short-sleeve shirt over a long-sleeve one. Add a long vest or jacket. Wear boots, gauntlets, foul weather gear. 

Lady Macbeth, Gentlewoman 

Long dresses in deep colors. Lady Macbeth needs a long, plain nightgown that is white or a light color.

Weird sisters. 

Leggings or close-fitting pants or a long skirt in dark brown or black and a dark shirt. 

Helena and Hermia

Long dresses in pretty colors. It would be ideal if the two Hermias and the two Helenas wore similar colors--we'll see if that's possible.

Demetrius and Lysander

Leggings or close-fitting pants and a tunic top. Similar to boys in Macbeth, but in bright colors. Again, it would be ideal if the two Demetriuses and the two Lysanders wore similar colors. 

Bottom, Quince, Flute, other Mechanicals

These are tradesmen—a weaver, a tailor, tinker, bellows-mender--who would wear rough clothes. Brown or beige pants, maybe corduroy. Long-sleeve t-shirt. Extras: Maybe an apron, or carpenter apron, knit cap, vest, sweater, gloves.

Fairies 

White or light blue or light green leggings and shirt. (We’ll add chiffon-y something over the top.) 

Oberon, Puck and Titania—please talk with Ms. Gotsch. I want your ideas!