Costumes for Beauty and the Beast on a Budget

Questions for your Rental Shop

• Is the show available for the dates I need it? Sometimes this show rents up to two years out, so check the availability first.
• Do you rent by the week? What is the cost for additional weeks? Some charge full price, some reduce the price each subsequent week.
• Do you have a minimum order? Some places will require that you order a minimum of 50 costumes, or a minimum of a particular dollar figure.
• What is the arrival date of the costumes to our theatre? How quickly do we have to turn around the costumes? Late fees for this show could be astronomical. They're high to ensure a quick turnaround for the next production, and an error of even one day could mean hundreds of dollars.
• How many costumes do you have available for specialty chorus characters like the "Be Our Guest" scene? You'll need to know this for casting, or to alert a director who likes to make cast changes well into the production.
• What deposit do you need to hold the dates for our show? Due to high demand, most rental places will require a deposit for this show. Ask about refunds on the deposit. Some say no refunds, some offer a tiered refund based on how early the notice is you give them prior to the opening date.
• Do you offer the specialty props as well? Like the mirror and the rose? Some do, and this can save you time. Be careful though about the prices--if you have a multi week run it may end up being less expensive to build those.
• If it's a budget shop or another theatre or school that doesn't normally rent, get a DETAILED list of what they're offering. Some just offer their show as a whole, and if your characters aren't the same size as yours you'll be in a pickle. I would also strongly recommend you find a rental contract off the internet and rework it to solidify your rental arrangement. This isn't the type of property to borrow without a proper agreement signed.
• How do you calculate your damage fees, and what rules do you suggest we give our cast to avoid damages? DO NOT allow your cast to eat in these costumes. DO NOT allow students or volunteers to take them home (they will inevitably get lost or a well-meaning parent will re-do the professionally-done alterations by cutting out the excess fabric or some other horrific no-no). An industry standard is a 4x damage fee, or an "amount equal to replacement cost" fee. This could mean $200-2000+ per costume, depending on which one is ruined.