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December is an exciting month for many reasons, one being holiday performances! Every year, schools and communities perform one of many holiday productions. There is no better season for all communities to come together like that of the holiday season. Because of this, we have compiled a two-part blog of popular holiday productions to look out for in communities near you to help you get into the festive mood. Follow along to discover the popular holiday performances.

“A Christmas Carol”

This is a Charles Dickens’ classic story of a bitter old man, known as Scrooge, who is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. With each visit, Scrooge is taken into a journey, from his past, his present and future. Through these journeys, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, more generous man.

“Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas”

This is a musical rendition of Dr. Seuss’ classic holiday story. It brings the book to life as it takes the audience on a journey along with the Grinch as he learns about all the great things Christmas truly has to offer. Classic songs like “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “I Hate Christmas Eve” are featured in the musical.

“A Charlie Brown Christmas”

With the many commercial traditions, it can be easy to lose track of what Christmas is really all about. Just like in the real world, this musical rendition of A Charlie Brown Christmas follows Charlie and the Peanuts gang as they discover the true meaning of Christmas.

“The Nutcracker”

Although it doesn’t fall under the musical category, the ballet performance is definitely a true holiday classic. The story is based on E.T.A. Hoffman’s “The Nutcracker and the King of Mice.” It follows the dream of a young German girl where a Nutcracker prince takes her in a journey through the enchanted forest wonderland.

“Elf the Musical”

Like the movie Elf, the musical is based on the story of a young orphan child named Buddy who is raised by Santa’s elves after crawling into his bag of gifts.

After finding out that he is a real boy, he travels back home to meet his family and attempts to make them and all other New Yorkers believe in Santa.

If you are holding one of these productions, or any other, and need help deciding on a backdrop, visit our website or call Backdrops by Charles H Stewart!

The Nutcracker is a traditional holiday ballet production enjoyed by many all around the world, a different take on E.T. A. Hoffman’s “The Nutcracker and the Kind of Mice.” The production follows the dream of a young German girl named Clara and a Nutcracker prince. After defeating the King of Mice, the prince takes her on journey through the enchanted forest. Since the holiday season is fast approaching, we thought this post would transition you into the holiday mood. Here are a few fun facts that you may not have been aware about before:

In Germany, nutcrackers are traditionally gifted to children because it is believed that they can protect families and bring good luck to their homes.

The production was first premiered in Russia,1892 and didn’t make its first full appearance to the United States until 1944.

The composer Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky, was not as big of a fan of the score he composed as the audience is today. He believed that  his composition for Sleeping Beauty was better.

The roles of Clara and the Nutcracker Prince were first played by children.

The Instrument featured in “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” is called a “celesta.” Because it was a new instrument at the time, Tchaikovsky kept it a secret until the first performance in order to add a unique sound.

As a result of The Nutcracker being a popular production, we have compiled a list of suggested backdrops available in our warehouse that could be used in different scenes in The Nutcracker. Click here to check it out and contact Backdrops by Charles H. Stewart for more information on them!

In the past, we have written about the different types of backdrops and the purpose for them (click here to see). One of the most popular types of backdrops is the muslin backdrop. Muslin backdrops are large woven cotton that are dyed and, many times, contain paintings on it. Because of this, it may be difficult to figure out how to properly store, wash, and treat wrinkles without running the painting or the dye in it.

Here are a few tips on caring for a muslin backdrop to help guide you towards the right direction:

How to properly store it:

Folding these backdrops can cause creasing and even wrinkles, so you want to avoid having to do so. Instead, try rolling it up to minimize the creases. If possible, hang up the backdrop. This is the best way to avoid any creasing or wrinkle.

How to wash it:

Some may use the washer machine in the cooling setting with fabric softener to wash out the backdrop. If there happens to be a stain on the backdrop, your best bet is to avoid putting it through a machine wash. The safest way to remove a dirty stain is to use a washcloth with soap to get rid of it.

How to treat wrinkles:

The best way to get rid of the wrinkles on a muslin backdrop is by hanging it up and allowing for gravity to do its job. If you don’t happen to have the time to wait around for gravity to do its thing, you may also use a steamer. When using a steamer, though, avoid placing the steam head right up against the fabric and rubbing it. Whatever you do, avoid using an iron at all cost. Using an iron can damage the appearance of the backdrop, creating shin spots and, overall, damaging the fabric.

Taking the proper care for your backdrop is very important. For further information or reassurance on how to care for your backdrop, contact Backdrops by Charles H. Stewart!

As promised, here are the rest of the 5 creepiest musicals to get you into the Halloween spirit for this month.

Carrie The Musical

This musical follows high school outcast Carrie who has telekinetic powers. In the musical she is bullied until she ends up engulfing everyone around her in flames.

The Addams Family

This follows the Addams Family’s Princess of Darkness, Wednesday Addams, as she falls in love with a young boy from a “normal”  and respectful family. After the Addams family decides to hold a dinner party for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his family, everything changes!

Wicked

For those of you who may have already watched this before, you probably don’t think this is very creepy, at all. This musical simply tells the story about a misunderstood witch who develops a friendship with another witch named Glinda, which later backfires. Maybe not so creepy, but definitely a good musical to watch for Halloween spirit.

Dracula: The Musical

This is a suspenseful gothic romance musical about Dracula, who while on a quest for new blood ends up falling in love with unrequited love, Mina.

Jekyll and Hyde

While searching for a cure to help his father’s mental illness, Dr. Jekyll unleashes his dark side, committing murders as Dr. Hyde. Creepy, right?

Are there anymore musicals we haven’t mentioned? Let us know in the comments below!

October is about all things Halloweeny. In honor of the Halloween month, we decided to highlight 10 of the creepiest musicals. Because there are so many, we will be splitting these into two blog post. Some may seem creepier to some than to others, so we are listing them in no particular order. Enjoy!

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

This musical follows a couple who has been caught in a storm and ended up in the home of a mad scientist who unveils to them the muscle man, Rocky Horror, his new creation. Overall this is a classic horror musical that has developed a worldwide cult following over the years.

Bat Boy: The Musical

This musical tells the story of a half boy, half-bat that grows up with an adopted family and learns how to be a normal boy but still has a hard time fitting in. Throughout the course of the musical, there is a lot of blood, murder and tragedy while sticking to a touching story.

Sweeney Todd

After Mrs. Lovett, a pie shop owner, is wrongfully sentenced to prison, a homicidal barber helps her get back to the judge who had sentenced her by providing her with meat for her meat pies. Creepy, isn’t it?

Phantom of the Opera

Although this classic musical is portrayed a romantic production, it still conveys some spookiness. Think about it; a masked man haunts a theater for a long time and ends up falling in love with an actress. If that isn’t creepy, then I don’t know what is.

The Little Shop of Horror

This follows the story of a florist who finally finds his chance for romance with the help of a man-eating plant that needs to be fed blood!

Most of these musicals can be found in film forms, so if you’re looking to get in the Halloween spirit, check them out. Stay tuned for the next 5 scary musicals!

Last month (August 22), we shared a Facebook post about countries that have banned ballet dancing (Germany, Sweden, Japan, Kuwait, Iran, Afghanistan). Well, we have decided to dig deeper into more details on why these countries have banned dancing all together. Some countries, like Germany and Sweden, have banned dancing for a specific period of time or under specific conditions.

Germany:

Germany’s banning of dancing is more of an anachronism issue than an actual threat to society or dancers. Dancing, especially in public, is only banned during Easter weekend and Christmas Eve as a respectful act for the Holidays. Although this happens to be a national law, some 3 of the state’s only abide by the rule for a portion of the day. Some of Germany’s states even prohibit public display of music all together.

Sweden:

Sweden is another country where its banning of dancing is more of an anachronism issue rather than a threat to dancers. Unlike Germany, however, the public dancing is prohibited all year round. If bars, clubs, or restaurants wanted to offer a dancing safe heaven, they would need a dancing permit. The reason for this is because authorities believe dancing creates chaos and must be regulated.

Japan:

After WWII, Japanese authorities banned dancing since nightclubs tended to turn into “hotbeds for prostitution.” In order for clubs to allow dancing, they also have to apply for a dance permit. Even though this has been in the books for many years, some authorities tend to be more flexible to the rules.

Kuwait:

Kuwait’s strict views against dancing are believed to be “symptoms” of the Islamist past. Dancing, including jumping and head banging, is prohibited even at concerts. Fans of artist are limited to swaying and hand clapping at concerts.

Iran:

Post Iranian Revolution, women have been banned from dancing in public, co-ed dance, and wearing  costumes that expose skin.

Afghanistan:

Afghanistan has banned public dancing many years ago and listening to music all together. However, some areas allow bacha bazi (boys for play) in private homes.

Because thespians tend to be very superstitious individuals, while doing research on this topic, we came across so many superstitions that we had to split the post into two parts. To learn about more of them, keep on reading.

Saying, “Break a Leg”

In the thespian world, this is the equivalent of wishing someone good luck. There are many different claims for the origin of this superstition. Some believe the origin came from the Ancient Greek practice of stomping their feet instead of clapping. Others believe that it stemmed from understudies wishing the main actors would actually break a leg so that standbys could perform.

Never say…

“Macbeth”- Saying this would bring bad fortune among productions. The reason for this is because mysterious and sudden deaths have occurred during past performances of the play “Macbeth.” It is believed that the play is cursed due to its authentic examples of witchcraft.

When referring to Macbeth, actors and crew members are to refer to that play as “The Scottish Play.” In the occasion of a “slip,” the person is supposed to exit the theater, spin 3 times, spit, and say a Shakespearean insult, or any insult as equally vulgar.

The Final Line- It is bad luck to say the last line of the show to an empty audience before the opening of the show. During dress rehearsal a small audience should be present in order to recite the final line.

Don’t Bow to an Empty House

Bowing to an empty audience is considered a premonition to bad fortune.

A Bad Dress Rehearsal = Great Opening Show

If the final dress rehearsal of a show turns out to be a disaster, it is believed that it indicates a great opening night.

Avoid Whistling in the Theater

Whistling is believed to bring bad luck to the set. The reasoning behind this superstition dates back to when crew members used a series of coded whistles as a form of communication backstage. If a person other than the crew were to whistle, they could interfere with the communication.

Exiting with Best Foot Forward

It is believed to bring good luck to the show when actors exit the dressing room with their best foot forwards. The same goes for the audience or visitors entering the theater.

If there are any other theater superstitions we’ve missed, or if you know of any other interesting origins for the ones we have mentioned, feel free to leave a comment down below!

If you have been following us on Facebook, you’re probably already aware of some of the many theater superstitions that exist. Today we will be going over all the superstitions we could find, or have heard of. In fact, there are so many that we will have to split this post into two parts.

Keeping a Ghost Light Lit

Many, if not all theaters have a light on, usually upstage center. The superstition behind this is to keep away mischievous ghosts like that of the Ghost of Thespies, the first known actor in Ancient Greece, who was known for causing disruption in theaters around the world.

There is actual logic behind this of course, and that’s to help the actors and crew see throughout the dark theater! Might as well keep some ghosts out while you’re at it!

The Rule of 3

Having three candles lit on stage can bring a show bad luck. The superstition is that the person who stands closest to the shortest candle will be the next person to either get married or die.

Of course, the logic behind this candle rule dates back to when theaters were lit with torches causing many of them to catch fire and burn down.

Banned from the Stage:

Peacock Feathers- The evil eye on the peacock feathers brings a curse upon productions.

Mirrors- If a mirror is on stage, it could interfere with the stage lighting and if a performer or crew member broke it, it would bring bad luck.

Bible- The bible was not allowed on stage in order to avoid disrespecting the holy text.

Real Jewelry & Money- These bring bad luck to a production since they could be stolen! Stage jewelry only!

Flowers Only Allowed After a Performance

It is believed that flowers given to actors before their performance causes a dull performance, so hold your horses and wait til the show is over!

Avoiding the Color Blue

This superstition dates back to the early theater days where blue was the most expensive color dye. Failing stage companies would use the color blue in order to trick the audience into thinking the producers were wealthy. The only way to decipher a phony from the real deal was if silver was incorporated into the blue.

Sleeping with a Script Under the Pillow

It is believed that sleeping with your script under your pillow will help with remembering your lines. Or, you know, you could practice!

Stay tuned for part two of Theater Superstitions!