How does the Beast in Beauty and the Beast change back into the prince during the show?

Another actor comes on as the Beast while the original Beast gets changed quickly back to the prince.

How can they do that if the Beast is in the air when he changes?

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He sits down in the wheelchair, groaning in agony, and Elphaba rolls him behind the wardrobe, where he gets out and is replaced by a double. She speaks to Nessarose, then rolls him out to the other side and casts the spell.

So we when we see the TinMan for the 1st time that is a double???

That would make sense. I was a bit confusified on how they did that.

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Yeah it is...I could tell.

hehe I feel stupid. I thought the way Boq changed into the Tinman costume was that when he is wheeled behind the mirror (or whatever) then a dresser is there and quickly paints his face and hands and then another dresser puts on the tinman outfit. I never knew it was a double.

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Actually, all the actors and their families in the show are bound by contract to not tell anyone how the beast really transforms, so no one definately knows, unless they're breeching their contract .

try being there on a night when the mask is thrown and doesn't quite make it all the way behind the castle...

the disney contracts as i recall also pertain to all crew people... i remember that someone had mentioned that even the wig people have them

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Sorry jonart,the Disney contract does not pertain to crew-but some people keep the secret anyway....

Lame,and funny,but true.

After seeing the show 4 times, and now being cast as the Beast in a local production, I saw the show again the other night and watched VERY carefully. Steve Blanchard, the Beast, starts getting changed into the prince costume during "Change in Me." A body double is used for the fight scene, and the few Beast lines are pre-recorded. As the castle turns after the Beast get's stabbed, the body double leaves the stage and Steve Blanchard is lying in the West Wing with a sheet over him, gloves on and a puffy mask on. He's now strapped to a "bed" laying flat on the floor. For the transformation, the bed rises with hydraulics, and spins. Strobe lights are used to temporarily blind the audience. There's about 2 second of complete darness on stage. The mask and gloves are thrown off. The sheet slowly comes off as the lights come up and the spinning bed goes back to the floor, being covered by the sheet. Voila!
Hope this wasn't confusing.