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Reply to "Drama Stage and Scenery Ideas and Resources"

Ready-made backdrops are reusable and not expensive

Check Amazon and party supply catalogs for "photo backdrops". They come in a variety of sizes and materials. Many are printed on vinyl.

backdrops

But how do you hang them?

You can tape up a vinyl backdrop. However, clipping it is usually better than the mess that tape can leave.

Heavier backdrops made out of heavy paper or canvas definitely need more than tape. In your dedicated Drama space, install a curtain rod along one wall to which you can clip your backdrops.

backdrop-clips

Tip: Get actual "backdrop clips" that can both hold the material and hang on the curtain rod. They run a few bucks apiece but make putting up scenery so much easier.

Frames and Stands
A sad number of churches feel it is sacrilegious to put up hooks, wires, and curtain rods that will make your life and lessons easier and make your space more attractive to kids. (Unfortunately for those churches, many of them are shrinking.) You might think this comment is sour grapes, but permissions and sacrosanct attitudes about drywall, paint colors, and décor are issues most of us in Christian education have struggled with.

It's amazing how much you can hang on a wall that has some permanent hooks and/or some wire and a building committee that understands that drywall and concrete can be patched. But in lieu of things like hooks and enlightened building committees, or in addition to the curtain rod or hook they may permit -- many programs have discovered movable frames made out of 1x1x8 lumber or PVC pipe, and there are even ones you can purchase!

Stand-for-Scenery-Backdrop

Tip: If you make your frame out of PVC pipe, don't cement the connections if you want to reuse the pipe at a later time. And you probably will want to reuse the PVC pipe in some other configuration, such as when you need to build a tarp cave or tent frame.  If you need to make the connections tighter, put some masking tape around it so you can cut it loose later.

Backdrops aren't just for Drama Workshops either!

One summer we created "indoor camping spaces" for our classrooms. One of them was named "Gospel Grove" and came complete with camp chairs, 'smores, and Christian camp singing around a fake-campfire. We also set up actual camping tents around the campfire and held some of our lesson activities in the tents. Kids loved it.

Our backdrop was a large mural like this one found on Amazon.

It was up all summer long in our fellowship hall, suspended from the ceiling with clips, and it sure attracted a lot of positive response from the congregation. We paid over $100 for it back then, but Amazon now sells vinyl scenery like this 10' x 10' forest backdrop for under $50.

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Last edited by Amy Crane
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