Creating a play or stage show can be a fun and exhilarating experience but it comes with a lot of choices that you may not have thought about. For instance, what is the right material for your backdrop curtains? There are different options and styles and finding the best one for your production can be a challenge at times. Let’s walk through the options and their pros and cons.
Materials for Backdrop Curtains
Choosing the perfect material for your backdrop can make a big difference in the quality of your production. Here are three material options to consider, including the good and bad about each.
1. Velvet or Velour
Starting with one of the most common backdrop curtain materials, velvet is a great choice for most shows. It’s a heavyweight fabric that creates lavish and rich backdrops, perfect for plays and performances.
- Pros: Velvet is soft and plush so it looks luxurious. It also absorbs light and reduces glare on the stage.
- Cons: This fabric can be expensive because of how thick and high-quality it is. Yards of velvet can also weigh a lot so smaller stage crews may have trouble handling the fabric and setting up the drapes.
- Maintenance: The deep pile of velvet can attract and hold dust, so plan on lightly vacuuming the drapes or brushing them on a regular basis. Sunlight can fade the color of velvet, so make sure these drapes are stored away from light.
2. Muslin
For lightweight and versatile theater backdrop curtains, consider muslin. It’s a lightweight cotton fabric that can be used in many different ways in your production.
- Pros: Muslin fabric can be dyed or painted, so you can make this backdrop suit the theme of your show or performance with a custom background. The light weight also makes it easy to hang in nearly any theater.
- Cons: This fabric is more delicate than other backdrop options, so it needs to be handled with care so it isn’t torn or damaged.
- Maintenance: It’s best to gently wash muslin, either by hand or on a gentle cycle in a machine. Harsh chemicals could damage the fabric or degrade any embellishments such as paintings or dyed patterns.
3. Polyester
Polyester is a synthetic option you can use for your theater curtains. It’s very strong and versatile so you can make it fit into any type of production.
- Pros: Polyester is wrinkle-resistant, so your set will look better and more polished. It is also highly flame retardant, which is nice in a theater where the curtains may be close to hot theater lights.
- Cons: Because it is synthetic, polyester doesn’t have the natural feel and movement of other fabrics.
- Maintenance: You can easily wash polyester in a machine as long as you avoid high temperatures.
Find the Right Material for Backdrop Curtains
As you look for theater curtains, consider your needs. Some materials look naturally luxurious while others are better if you want to paint or dye your backdrop. Assess your production needs and then research the right material today.