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Haven’t we all longed for the opportunity to rub a magic lamp and be given three wishes to make our lives easier, happier, and more fulfilled at some point? The story of a poor street urchin, Aladdin, and his monkey Abu, follows just such a tale of magic wishes set in a Middle Eastern city where Sultans rule and the magic of a genie can help true love flourish. 

The story of Aladdin may sound exotic, but it plays out through history over and over. The power struggle between good and evil, the challenges of those with wealth and those without, and the desire to find true love that will last a lifetime are all themes found in this popular musical. 

A Little Background on Aladdin the Musical

The musical Aladdin has all the hallmarks of an amazing show – a magical genie, the power of true love, and of course a comedic genie! 

The story of Aladdin starts by introducing a young boy who must live by his street smarts and wit. He steals from street vendors in the Middle Eastern city of Agrabah to survive but always cares for his faithful friend, a monkey named Abu. 

During one of his visits to the streets, he happens to meet a beautiful Princess named Jasmine who is being forced to marry a man she does not love, the Sultan’s evil assistant Jafar. 

Aladdin falls in love at first sight and uses his three wishes from a genie bottle he found in the Cave of Wonders to help him become a man worthy of her love. 

During many comedic adventures, Aladdin and his sidekick the genie must woo the princess, save the kingdom, and expose Jafar for the evil that he is. The musical is fun, exciting, and filled with laughs for the audience members, both old and young. 

Backdrop & Setting Options for Aladdin 

The backdrops needed to make this popular theater production come to life include components of a Middle Eastern city, a palace, and a busy street market. Here are a few of the options Charles Stewart has for your next production of Aladdin the Musical. 

An Arabian Street Market 

This backdrop is aptly named Arabian Market Backdrop #2462. It provides the typical appearance of a Middle Eastern street with bazaar tents, turrets, and landscape fitting this region of the world.

Arabian StreetWe also have other options such as this Arabian Market Backdrop# 2311 which provides a desert look with tents and regional architecture.

Desert Landscapes 

The setting of this musical requires a belief that Aladdin and his genie live in the city of Agrabah along the desert and near a palatial palace owned by the Sultan. We have several backdrops to help cultivate this setting including Arabian Desert Palace Backdrop #2546 which shows sands, palm trees, and a palace in the distance. 

Additionally, we also have a lush setting showing palm trees, flowers, and stucco buildings with a pink sky. This backdrop is called Moroccan Oasis Backdrop # N0059. 

Check out our comprehensive list of backdrops for Aladdin on our site and talk to our team about our easy shipping and setup procedures. 

 

The classic struggle of good versus evil is clearly evident in the storyline of this time-honored production of Cinderella. With nearly fifty backdrops to choose from, including castles, ballrooms, European villages, and woodland scenes you will have no problems creating the world of Cinderella for your theater production. 

Scenery and backdrops are integral to bringing the audience into the world that is being portrayed on stage. Our backdrop and setting options for Cinderella do just that no matter your performance. 

The Story of Cinderella 

The story of Cinderella was originally a French fairy tale called Cendrillon, ou la petite pantoufle de verre (Cinderella or the Little Glass Slipper). The story was first passed down as a form of oral history and later published in a book written in 1697 by Charles Perrault. 

Hundreds of years later, Disney took this story and created what we now recognize as the story of Cinderella, the young girl who is tormented by her stepmother and stepsisters. Stage versions began to appear in U.S. theatres by 1961. 

The classic fairytale story of Cinderella focuses on the young girl who lives with her stepfamily after the death of her father. The mother and stepsisters make Cinderella perform menial tasks for them such as making her work all day cleaning, sewing, and cooking. She works hard to make them happy but makes no inroads into their cold demeanor. 

One day, big news came to town and the small world that Cinderella lived in. The King and Queen were going to have a ball to find a bride for their son, the prince. Instead of attending the ball, Cinderella was faced with helping her stepsisters dress and ready themselves to meet the prince. She was left at home to toil away the evening. 

That is until her Fairy Godmother stepped in to make Cinderella’s dreams come true. Using the magic that only a Fair Godmother has, she created a dress, carriage, and horses to carry Cinderella off to the castle to enjoy an evening of dancing. 

While at the ball, Cinderella enjoys a magical dance with the prince and he is enchanted by her. The evening passes by as they enjoy talking and laughing until the clock strikes midnight, the time when all the magic would disappear. Cinderella dashes from the palace and returns to her previous life only to find that the prince is looking for the maiden who lost her slipper dashing out of the ball. That maiden was Cinderella. 

As in many fairy tales, once the prince finds his lost maiden, they marry and live happily ever after. 

Backdrops & Settings for Cinderella 

Currently, Charles Stewart had 50 backdrops with the story of Cinderella in mind including those that focus around the ballroom, where she meets the prince, some in the castle where she toils away her days working for her stepfamily, and still more within the woodlands around her home where she makes friends with the woodland creatures. 

Cinderella’s Village 

We always picture Cinderella living and working in a quaint village and here is an opportunity to introduce your main character. The European Village Backdrop #2553 shows Tudor-style buildings in the center of a European town and distant mountains. 

Palace Ballroom 

The room where Cinderella meets her prince is a magical place. This Palace Ballroom Backdrop #3057 shows an ornate ballroom with gold leaf, a blue ceiling, and large windows.

Woodland Scenes 

Follow Cinderella as she wanders in the woodlands to escape her evil stepsisters with this Forest Swamp Backdrop # 2509. In the backdrop, you will see large tree trunks and ferns decorate the landscape.

Winning a ticket to visit a chocolate factory has got to be every child’s ultimate dream! Well, this dream comes true in the play and associated movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, based upon the book of the same name by Ronald Dahl. 

This popular show tells the tale of a young boy and his grandfather in their adventure within the walls of the Chocolate Factory. Read on to learn more about the plot and setting options for this production for your theater group. 

A Little Background on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 

The story of Charlie and his famed and crazy visit to the Chocolate Factory begins when Willy Wonka decides to let five children into his chocolate factory. The contest he sponsors offers five golden tickets for admission in five separate chocolate bars, causing complete mayhem. 

A young boy named Charlie Bucket is eager to win one of the coveted tickets if only to meet his idol, none other than Mr. Wonka himself! By some miracle, Charlie gathers enough money to purchase a Wonka bar and secures the fifth and last golden ticket. 

On the day of the tour, Wonka welcomes the five children and their parents inside the factory including Charlie and his grandfather. The building itself is created from treats and confections that seem to defy logic and reality. For instance, Oompa-Loompas seem to help run the factory and are constantly singing about the owner and his delightful treats. 

During the tour, the other four children give in to their impulses and are ejected from the tour in darkly comical ways. With only Charlie remaining, Wonka congratulates him for “winning” the factory as he was the only child whose inherent goodness allowed him to pass the test. 

The storyline is both rooted in lessons of life but also comically amazing right down to the last ride in the elevator to Charlie’s home. 

Backdrops and Setting Options 

Over the years the book was adapted into two main productions which follow the same plot for the most part: titled “Willy Wonka” or “Willy Wonka Jr.”

The settings often take place in the home of Charlie Bucket, a poor boy who often has no money to purchase even one candy bar, the inside of the chocolate factory, and the exterior of the factory. 

Charlie Bucket’s Home 

Heartfelt conversations take place at the beginning of the plot of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. They often happen in the home of young and poor Charlie Bucket who eventually wins the final ticket to tour the factory with his grandfather. 

This Tenement Street Backdrop # 1727 is a great piece that can display the poverty that Charlie comes from while still allowing for a city setting. 

tenement

If you are seeking a more rustic scene this Rustic House Exterior Tab Backdrop # 1596 would also do well as Charlie’s home.

The Chocolate Factory 

Obviously, a large amount of the production takes place in the Chocolate Factory and we have several options for this as well. rustic home

A Chocolate Factory Backdrop #2406 shows the inside of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory showing a chocolate river, chocolate waterfall, and candy landscape.

This bold, stylized city street portrays a brick building and factory with smokestacks called the Factory Street Traveler Backdrop # 0147. 

 

Fourteen years ago in 2007, Legally Blonde: the Musical premiered at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre. The show, based on the hit movie of the same name, quickly became popular and transferred over to Broadway just two months after opening. 

The show became a fan favorite and one that theater groups continue to adore even though the show received mixed reviews. During its time on Broadway, it was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Original Score and Best Leading Actress in a Musical. However, it did not win any of those nominations. 

A Little Background on Legally Blonde

Legally Blonde tells the story of Elle Woods, a sorority girl from UCLA who enrolls at Harvard Law School after being dumped by her college boyfriend, Warner. In order to win him back, she must suffer through being mocked by her snobby law school classmates and dealing with the sneaky antics of Warner’s current girlfriend Vivienne. 

While at law school, Elle discovers how her knowledge of the law can help others, and eventually successfully defends exercise queen Brooke Wyndham in a murder trial much to the chagrin of her professor.

Setting & Backdrop Options 

Legally Blonde has several settings which follow Elle from the campus and sorority house of UCLA to Harvard Law School and courtrooms in Massachusetts. Here are a few of our suggestions on how to use our backdrops during your group’s performance of this popular show.

Sorority House & UCLA Campus

High School

To set the stage at UCLA and the sorority house where Elle lives this Building Exterior Backdrop #2224 with a brick building with white columns would serve as an excellent traditional Delta Nu House. 

Additionally, our Campus Backdrop #1636 could be used for either Harvard Law school’s campus or scenes from UCLA.

Beauty Salon

beauty salon

Once Elle heads to Boston and Cambridge, she befriends a hairdresser where she pours out her heart and tells her woes to. The Salon Interior Backdrop #0007 is a beautiful interior done in pink tones (Elle’s favorite color) with intricate detail showing the city street through the windows.

Law School & Courtroom 

university

Once Elle moves to Boston and begins her new life as a law student and lawyer, the backdrops can shift to more traditional classroom and courtroom settings. This Courtroom Interior Cut backdrop # 0509 would paint the scene as one of tradition and the scales of justice in play.

Law Office 

law office

Brooke Wyndham, a former sorority sister to Elle and a fitness queen is accused of the murder of her husband. Elle uses her intuition and smart thinking to save her client from a guilty verdict. The Law Office backdrop # 0236, shows row after row of law books in a law office with city buildings outside the window.

 

The complete works of Shakespeare include 38 plays and over 150 short and long poems. Many of these writings are considered to be some of the best ever written in English. His works have been translated into every major living language and even 400 years after his death they continue to be performed in theaters around the globe. 

From the tragedies of Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet to the comedies of Much Ado About Nothing and the Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare had the ability to capture the attention and hearts of his readers and audiences with his well-developed characters and his ultimate command of the English language. 

A Little About Midsummer Night’s Dream 

One of our favorite plays over the years continues to be Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. This comedy follows four young Athenians who find themselves in a romantic tangle. 

The play centers around the events happening at the marriage of Theseus, the Duke of Athens, to Hippolyta, the former queen of the Amazons. Our four young lovers, Hermia and Lysander, who are attempting to elope, and Demetrius and Helena. Their stories are paralleled by the story of Titania and Oberon, monarchs of the forest, who are embroiled in their own fight.

When fairy, Robin “Puck” Goodfellow, gets involved and uses a love potion to manipulate the four, the hilarity ensues. We won’t reveal any spoilers, but some very interesting love matches occur due to Puck’s interference! 

The play is one of Shakespeare’s most popular works on the stage and is widely performed across the world.

Setting & Backdrop Options 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream takes place partly in the city of Athens, and partly in the forest that lies beyond the city’s walls. Therefore it makes sense to have two set changes which include scenes of Athens and Greek architecture as well as forests where the fairies play and live. 

The City of Athens

The epitome of law and order, the City of Athens is where the play begins and we find our four Athenians. 

Greece

The Acropolis Backdrop # 2376 is the perfect place to start to set the scene and timeframe of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This backdrop shows the ​​Greek landmark with rubble and blue sky. 

AcropolisFor a closer look at the Parthenon and its ruins, this Athens Backdrop # 3167 would be appropriate. 

The Forest of Fairies 

The forest is ruled by wildly funny fairy mischief and in stark contrast to the lawfulness of the streets of Athens. 

forest

For a Deep Woods Backdrop #2487, this dense forest with rich green colors can set the stage for the land of fairies and sprites. 

forestAnother option for the woods where the fairies play and Puck starts his antics would be the Forest Backdrop #2510 This backdrop offers the appearance of deep woods with lush green vegetation and foliage.

 

The summer months are fast approaching and that means new productions at summer theaters, libraries, and community theaters across the country. Children who love to act, sing, and perform can finally get up on stage and enjoy their summer vacation the way they really want to – under the lights of the theater! 

One of the most beloved children’s stories is the time-honored tale of The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. The fun characters and animals make for a perfect choice for a children’s summer theater production. Charles Stewart has plentiful options for your backdrops for this crowd-pleasing show! 

A Little Background on The Jungle Book 

Originally published in 1894, The Jungle Book tells the story of a human boy named Mowgli who was raised by animals in the wild.  Set in the forests of India, Baloo the bear, Bagheera the panther, and Shere Khan the tiger teach the young boy the “Laws of the Jungle.”

During the epic adventure, the child, who has been mainly raised by wolves, flees the jungle when he is threatened by Shere Khan and embarks on a journey of self-discovery with the help of panther Bagheera and free-spirited bear Baloo.

Along his journey to safety, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who don’t exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa, a python whose seductive voice and gaze hypnotizes the man-cub. Eventually, Mowgli must face his fears and Shere Khan and find a way to return to his wolf family. This includes teaching the animals of the jungle to put out a raging fire and work together rather than fight each other. 

The Forest & Jungle 

To have a successful performance of Kipling’s Jungle Book, actors, crew, and producers must convince the audience that they are in the heart of the jungle of India. To do this, they must add mood lighting, the sounds of a jungle, and (of course) a backdrop that shows the thick jungle that Mowgli has been living in with his animal friends and family. 

forest

Forest Backdrop #2510 shows a lush thick forest that will put your audience members right in the jungle with the actors. The flowering bushes, crowded trees, and overgrown grass give the feel of being in the wild of the jungle. 

swamp

Another options for the jungles of India include this backdrop called the Forest Swamp Backdrop # 2509 is great for an alternative jungle location as Mowgli sets off on his epic adventure. 

night moon

The Night Moon Backdrop #2479 sets the mood for nights when Baloo and Mowgli talk about life and the threats from Shere Khan and what they want in this world. 

Jungle Book is a classic tale of adventure and coming to terms with fears and friends. If your theater group is performing this children’s favorite this summer check out our full listing of backdrops to make your performance come to life! 

 

Spring and summer are full of special events such as graduations and the annual dance recital. Whether you are looking to add a little more sparkle to your event or portray a specific setting, decade, scene, or location for your dance recital, look no further than our extensive backdrops available to rent. 

From toddlers in pink fluffy tutus to teens displaying their emerging talent in hip hop, ballet, or tap, dance recitals are a much-anticipated event every year. It’s where dreams become reality and young dancers come into their own right in front of our eyes on stage. 

Backdrops By Charles Stewart has over 1,500 backdrops available for rent. For a full listing by show, style, and theme, check out our custom backdrop listings as well as our backdrops listed by category and show on our site. But for now, here are some of our favorite backdrops that we find to be perfect for your unique dance recital. 

Abstracts

gold stars

Some of our most popular backdrops for dance recitals include the category we call “Abstract.” They are great for a wide variety of performances that can incorporate younger dancers and older, more experienced dancers. 

The Gold Sparkle Backdrop  #2551 features a black background with shiny gold falling sparkles. This is a painted backdrop with no metallic material. It is perfect for dances, disco themes events, and general background for stars in the making. 

circles

The Abstract Circles Backdrop #3158 is perfect for adding some excitement to a dance recital with large colorful circles. The contrasting background colors with large circles can be used for a variety of purposes such as a retro feel, psychedelic mood, fantasy, or a dream world theme. 

points of light

The Points of Light Backdrop # 2525 is another of our favorites for dance recitals. This smoky purple background has points of light shining above dancers. The colors can change with lighting. This particular backdrop is great for hip hop or more modern dance styles and themes. If you are looking for a vibrant color and a little spark of flair in your dance recital we have the backdrops for you. 

Novelty & Dance Backdrops 

Check out our novelty and dance backdrops that span many categories including foreign lands, patriotic, schools, music notes, and much much more. Here are two of our favorite novelty backdrops for your child’s dance recital. 

gala

The Gala Awards Backdrop #3271 embraces an awards night theme with its red curtains framing the stage with purple background and spotlights.

danceIf you’re looking to go a little more bold try this ​​Dance Backdrop #3236 with silhouettes of dancers in front of a kaleidoscope background. We love how the dancers featured show classic ballroom dancing and more modern free-flowing dancers! 

Check out all of our amazing backdrops on our site for your next dance recital. With our wide selection, we are sure to have the option you are looking for this year. 

 

Some of the best storylines in history involve the most unlikely of pairings of characters. Guys and Dolls does just that with its combining of the ultimate characters of a high-rolling gambler and a puritanical missionary, a showgirl dreaming of the straight-and-narrow and a crap game manager. 

From NYC skyline backdrops to Broadway and Broadway marquis to 1950s nightclubs and the renowned Times Square, we have precisely the backdrop(s) that you’re looking for when developing a live production of Guys And Dolls. 

The Story of Guys & Dolls 

Set in the Depression-era, in the heart of Times Square, New York City, Guys and Dolls is about a couple of big city gamblers and the women who love them. 

Nathan Detroit, a famous craps gambler, needs a new location for his next craps game after the police discover his last location. Without the cash to secure the next location he looks to swindle the money from big city gambler Sky Masterson. He bets Masterson that he cannot secure a date with a woman of his choosing. He just so happens to choose Salvation Army missionary Sarah Brown. 

Masterson sets out to seduce Brown and get her to agree to a date in Havana, Cuba. At the same time, Detroit is dealing with his own 14 year relationship and the pressure to finally propose to Adelaide. 

Time Square, NYC Scenes 

Times Square

Gangsters, gamblers, missionary dolls, and scantily clad showgirls will all feel right at home in front of our beautifully designed backdrop rentals.

Set the scene for this New York City plot with our vintage Times Square backdrop # 1503. It portrays this famous intersection at street level using neutral tones showing skyline, buildings, subway, lamp posts, and (of course) a marquis. 

New York City Tenements Scenes 

NYC Skyline

For daytime scenes set in the tenements and seedier side of New York City use our New York City Tenement backdrop # 2368. It portrays the skyline and tenements from the roof of a building perfect for gamblers and gangsters. 

Havana, Cuba Scenes 

Havana, Cuba

When the scenes shift to the island of Cuba with its Spanish influenced architecture and buildings, bring the audience right along with your with our Spanish Street Backdrop #N0678. These stucco buildings complete with stone balconies and ornate churches will help create the illusion of transporting your audience to the distant city of Havana in the Mediterranean. 

Our backdrops for rent and some for purchase. They are made from the best materials available, meaning that they are durable, easy to set up, and last throughout your production schedule, even through heavy use. Add one of our backdrop rentals to your production today to capture the excitement that is Guys And Dolls.

“We’ve got trouble! Right here in River City.” Can you hear the music? Feel the beat? If so, then you are as big a fan as we are of the Broadway classic – The Music Man.  

Does your school or theater group have the perfect fast-talking salesman to portray Harold Hill? If you’re putting on a production of the Music Man, you may be interested in the many backdrops we offer specific to this production. From Midwest town backdrops, to parks and quiet streets, Backdrops by Charles H Stewart is nationally recognized for its incredible design, high-quality durability, and ease of use.

River City from the Music Man

A Little Background on Music Man 

Set in rural Midwest America in the 20th Century, the Music Man follows the story of traveling salesman Harold Hill, who targets the innocent and naïve residents of a small midwest town in the 1910s. 

Hill turns out to be a con artist who travels from town to town pretending to be a professor of music from the Gary (Indiana) Conservatory of Music, class of ’05. His plan is to convince the townspeople that they need a boys marching band that will solve all of their problems. 

He takes money from the townsfolk to buy instruments, music, instructional materials, and uniforms for their young sons. However, in reality, he has no degree and knows nothing about music, and after all the materials arrive and are distributed, he absconds with all the money, never to be seen again.

Harold inadvertently falls for the town’s music teacher and faces the difficult decision to remain in town where he enriches the townsfolk with music. 

Small Town StreetAct I – River City, Iowa

Act I of Music Man is set mainly in the Town Square of River City, Iowa, where swindler Harold Hill begins his duplicitous journey to bilk the townspeople of their hard earned savings. It also takes place outside the town’s library and on the quiet streets of this tranquil midwest city. 

This River City Backdrop #2380 shows a quaint midwestern town with Victorian buildings lining the streets.  

RAdditionally, the River City Traveler Backdrop # 1260 shows the Barber Shop, Billiard Hall, and Bank of a typical American town. 

For scenes both inside and outside the town library, there are several backdrops to choose from including this backdrop with books, shelves, and beautiful windows. Library Backdrop #0351B

Library Backdrop

Act II River City High School Gym

Our meticulously-designed Music Man backdrop eloquently captures the midwest setting, transporting audiences through time.

Gymnasium backdropCheck out these school gymnasium backdrops and along the Small Town Streets #1014.