Custom World-Class Hand-Painted Backdrops

Theatrical, Dance, Opera, Ballet, Event, and more!

TheatreWorld offers several ways for our clients to develop fully customized backdrops for their show or event.

TheatreWorld® Backdrops is committed to building the highest quality, affordable muslin hand-painted backdrops in the industry. Our team comes from a theatrical and design background and enjoys talking to our clients to create top quality designs.

  • Start With An Image

    Provide us with an image of exactly what you are looking for, developed by your graphics team. You must own the rights to the image.

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  • Modify A TheatreWorld Backdrop

    Select a TheatreWorld backdrop from our rental collection and discuss with us what changes and alterations you would like.

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  • Design From Scratch

    Provide us with a concept of what you would like and we will develop a sketch or custom graphic for you.

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Our creative team will work with you to understand your needs and have your custom backdrop sized to fit your particular stage or venue. Typically, as we help to create your design, we will produce a computer generated draft rendering of the image for your approval prior to production.

For larger projects, TheatreWorld also offers a Joint Development process, allowing you to work with us to design a drop that will become part of our rental collection.

Pricing

TheatreWorld’s growth in the industry has allowed us to the accelerate our production schedule significantly. Pricing depends on several key factors including design complexity, size, weight of Muslin Fabric and cost of resources.

We offer three pricing tiers based on how early you begin the design process.

  • Early Bird Special Pricing

    90 days or more in advance

    You will receive the maximum discount allowable for your size and design complexity.

  • Standard Pricing

    45 - 90 days in advance

    Prices are based on backdrop square footage and design complexity. Please note that larger sizes require more lead time and planning.

  • Expedited Pricing

    less than 45 days notice

    We are willing to shift our standard production schedule and open a slot, just for you, in order to accommodate your custom backdrop.

The typical custom backdrop process includes three (3) design hours per backdrop ordered with our design team. Additional design and sketch fees may apply if the process exceeds the time allotment. Custom backdrop quotes are valid for 30 days based on the tiers above.

For additional questions you can review our Shipping Information on this page, or contact our Creative Team to discuss pricing, delivery schedule, design ideas, and review your specific needs.

Get a Quote

Start With An Image

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Commission a custom backdrop simply by creating an image of what you're looking for, and we'll work with you to bring your vision to life! You must own the rights to the image.

The following are examples of work we've created from images provided by customers who came away with stunning results.

Thomas Armour Youth Ballet

These images were created and produced for the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet company in Miami, Florida. The designs were based on images that they already had with some slight modifications, including portraits of their founders in the side panels of the leg sets. Explore the incredible journey to their 40th Anniversary performance of the Nutcracker in our blog.

Dance Connection

TheatreWorld created these custom backdrops with one of our turn-key theatrical scenic designer customers for a production of Sister Act: The Musical. The custom Cathedral Window leg set also used specialty fluorescent paints to give the windows a glowing effect when lit with a black light.

Contact us to get started, or learn about more ways to create a custom backdrop!

Contact Us More Options

Modify A TheatreWorld Backdrop

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Simply select a TheatreWorld backdrop from our rental collection and tell us what changes and alterations you would like. We'll work with you to make sure we create something unique to your show, and you don't have to worry about creating concept art to get started!

Here are some examples of backdrops that were modified to fit a new venue.

Mississippi Ballet Company

This custom backdrop was created for a Ballet company in Mississippi based on the TheatreWorld design Classical Kingdom of Sweets. Slight modifications were made to the original design such as color changes, removal of the windows and doors shown in the pastries, and sizing adjustment.

La Comedia Dinner Theatre

La Comedia Dinner Theatre in Ohio created two custom backdrops and the first was based on the TheatreWorld "Munchkinland" design with slight modifications such as removing the river and bridge, removing the red spiral, and sizing adjustment so that the yellow brick road would match up to their on stage brick road.

Main Stage Productions

TheatreWorld has worked with Main Stage Productions in Texas for a number of years and has created multiple custom designs for them. The latest was based on the TheatreWorld design “Harvard Classroom” for their production of Legally Blonde: The Musical. This custom backdrop had slight modifications to the original design such as removing the portraits, extending the wood scroll work, and sizing adjustment.

Thomas Armour Youth Ballet

This custom backdrop was created and for the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet company in Miami, Florida. They merely wanted to add a golden crescent moon into the design and resize it for their stage. Additional header and leg sets were also developed to complete this package, and the design was also customized for Christopher Newport University’s winter performance by adjusting the size to a staggering 56’w x 24’h.

Contact us to get started, or learn about more ways to create a custom backdrop!

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Design From Scratch

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Sometimes the best way to communicate your vision is to share multiple images containing components of what you would like the final backdrop to be. We will discuss the concept you have in mind and develop a sketch or custom computer graphic for you (Sketch fees apply).

Here are a few examples of drops we've created from scratch, based on customer's specifications.

La Comedia Dinner Theatre

La Comedia Dinner Theatre in Ohio created two custom backdrops and the second was a collaboration of multiple Road to Oz designs. La Comedia wanted more of a valley and winding road leading to the shining Emerald City in the distance. A handful of poppies are in the foreground while large puffy clouds surround the city.

Holiday Concert Tour

This custom backdrop created for a touring concert series and was based on the TheatreWorld design “Victorian Crimson Curtains Header” and “Victorian Crimson Curtains Legs” with holly garland and bells added to give it a holiday look and feel. This design also allows for various stage sizes depending on how the header and legs are aligned -- either stacked with the header on top of the legs or laid out side-by-side with the legs on the outer edges of the header. The final layout will reveal anywhere from 3 to 5 wreaths along the top.

Thomas Armour Youth Ballet

The Thomas Armour Youth Ballet company in Miami, Florida wanted a completely new and spectacular design for their “Land of Sweets” scene. The designs were created from a variety of initial concept images that the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet provided and developed in conjunction with our artistic team.

Explore the incredible journey to their 40th Anniversary performance of the Nutcracker in our blog.

Main Stage Productions

TheatreWorld has worked with Main Stage Productions in Texas for a number of years and has created multiple custom designs for them. Working with our creative team, a beautiful custom-fit Day Sky scenic backdrop was designed for their production of The Producers and it has also been used in other productions, as well.

Contact us to get started, or learn about more ways to create a custom backdrop!

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Joint Development

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On rare occasions, TheatreWorld may consider a joint development of your concept and rent it to you for your performance. This process is only occasionally approved, and should be considered if you believe that your design has broad based appeal and would fit within our rental inventory (Note: Minimum 2 weeks rental required).

Wizard of Oz

One of our clients helped develop this custom backdrop for a production of Wizard of Oz. Starting with TheatreWorld’s Prairie Farm, this design was altered into a grayscale version leading the way for a variety of black and white versions of other designs.

Middle Eastern Town

Another client wanted to create a more realistic setting for their Easter event. TheatreWorld developed the “Ancient Cottage Interior”based on various images of houses from the region and time period needed along with some first-hand experience of our artistic team. The “Ancient Middle Eastern Town” was developed from sample paintings with significant alterations to the color scheme and texture of the image.

Fleur-de-Lis Promenade

An event planner was looking for a French Cafe scenic backdrop that could be used in the craft services section of their 2016 Dealer Trade Show which took place at the Paris Hotel and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. TheatreWorld designed the “Fleur-de-Lis Promenade,” which was created from a collage of provincial French town images, and along with renaming all the buildings in the image, TheatreWorld was thrilled to debut this design at such a stunning location.

Futuristic City

TheatreWorld created this “Futuristic City” custom backdrop in conjunction with The Florida Council on Economic Education for their annual gala in Tampa.

Contact us to get started, or learn about more ways to create a custom backdrop!

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Shipping Information

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We require a minimum of 45 days for the production process. If your production date is less than that time frame, call us and we will do whatever we can to try and meet your needs.

In order to move your custom backdrop into production, a 50% down payment is required with the remaining balance charged when we ship the backdrop to you. Shipping fees are included in the quoted price.

All custom backdrops are shipped with our two (2) important documents envelopes:

  • In the first envelope, there will be document packet with instructions on how to unfold (on a clean floor or stage), how to hang (top comes with grommets and ties and bottom has a sewn-on pole pocket on the backside of the drop), and also how to refold (paint side in).
  • The second envelope contains the flame retardancy testing report and one sample fabric swatch from the bolt of fabric used to make your custom backdrop. Keep this for your fire marshal, should they want to test it themselves.

Quality Guarantee

All of our hand-painted custom backdrops are produced to our Signature Series standards.

  • All backdrops begin as high quality, medium weight muslin. Additionally, heavier weight muslin is available if requested.
  • The muslin is then submerged in and fully impregnated (durable) in a fire-retardant solution that meets or exceeds NFPA 701 requirements.
  • The tops of all backdrops are doubly reinforced, hemmed, and contain grommets every 12” approximately and ties.
  • The sides are doubled and hemmed.
  • The bottom is hemmed and an independent pole pocket (approx 5.5” - 6” in width) is stitched across the entire length of the backdrop.