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

[brandonm]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 6:02pm

I saw Beauty and the Beast not too long ago and I've been wondering ever since how the Beast changes back into the prince. Does any one know?

[RockyRoad]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 6:03pm

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

[cvapb]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 6:05pm

just like boq being changed into the tin man, haha.

[brandonm]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 6:06pm

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

[DickonDefysGravity]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 6:11pm

Wait, when is the actor changed for Boq???

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 6:13pm

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.

[brandonm]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 6:13pm

He's changed behind the closet thing during The Wicked Witch of the East

[DickonDefysGravity]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 6:22pm

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.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 6:24pm

Yep, he's a double :)

Same thing happened in Into the Woods, where a double dressed as the Witch (complete with a really fake looking rubber mask) stood in while Vanessa Williams got ready for her transformation. Updated On: 1/21/05 at 06:24 PM

[ShuQ]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 6:24pm

Yeah it is...I could tell.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 7:17pm

to answer the first post heres how its done

the beast starts getting changed back probobly during the mob scene, a double plays the beast during the scene of them storming the castle as well as the most of the fight on the roof, just before the transformation, the real beast comes back on in a mask and gloves as well as the harness to fly, so when he is in the air he just throws off the mask and gloves.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 9:18pm

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.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 9:25pm

You're not stupid,chinkie,you just believed in the magic-that's what you're supposed to do.Theatre is the suspension of disbelief.While we're @ it jonartdesigns is not quite right(the "probably" in his explaination should tip you off),but he's not too far wrong,either.

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 9:29pm

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 .

[Phantom Chicken]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 9:29pm

AN old friend's friend auditioned for the role of the Beast. He didn't make it, but nevertheless he was told how the change happened.

When he was told, he also had to sign a contract stating he would NEVER reveal how the change happens....If he does, he will be sued, ruined, sh*t on by Disney....

So, I guess you will never know until you are in the show...or no someone who will leak it - but it would be stupid to reveal the secret on a public message board.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 9:32pm

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

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 9:34pm

The actors AND their families?

That's some contract....

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 10:11pm

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

[Mr. Tuttle]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 10:19pm

ummm..great...now I know how Boq changes.

This has ruined the show for me. I will never be able to see Wicked now.

I'll just go see BKLYN again.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 10:58pm

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

[LightMyCandle125]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 11:57pm

yep, i just saw beauty and the beast with my drama group and we had a talk back with the cast and stage manager afterward. one girl asked about how they did the transformation and they said, "it's disney magic." lame, and kinda funny.

[capnkidd]

Posted: 1/22/05 at 12:01am

Lame,and funny,but true.

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 1/22/05 at 12:08am

yeah i remember when i saw the show i told my parents later that it wasnt Steve Blanchard at first and they were like "YES IT WAS" and then we got into this whole arguement

..but i have bad vision and sucky glasses, and even from my seat i could see it wasnt him....

[trpguyy]

Posted: 2/25/05 at 9:21pm

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.

[JoshuaEads]

Posted: 2/26/05 at 12:35pm

Actually, cast, crew and even those who hock the merchandise in the lobby are all bound by contract to not reveal any of the secrets.

~Joshie