Pueblo Pintado School Gets A 3-in-1 Portable Backdrop System

We recently worked with Pueblo Pintado School, just outside Cuba, New Mexico, to provide an interchangeable and easy to set up a backdrop system for their school graduations, music concerts, and plays. The school does not have a built-in stage in their building. Instead, they use portable platform stages that they typically set up in a 24’wide x 12’ deep configuration. Up until now, their stage “backdrop” was usually the back wall of their multi-purpose room. 

The school had three main requirements for a new backdrop system to go with their portable platform stage. First, they wanted something that would provide a background across the entire back of the stage. Second, they wanted to be able to have a different curtain design for each of their three main school events during the school year: a Thanksgiving performance, Christmas concert, and Graduation. Finally, they needed something that was “user-friendly” for their school staff.

After discussing the school’s needs, we proposed several different portable backdrop layout options to the school, including the possibility of using several different size frames to provide a system that could be arranged in various configurations depending on the event.

Ultimately, they chose the Shows To Go Backdrops’ 20x8 (20ft wide x 7.8ft high) standard backdrop frame to provide one large, seamless image in the background of their productions. This continuous look is modern and looks great in photos. The 20ft width allows for 2ft of stage space on either side of the backdrop for people to walk on and off stage from behind the curtain when a “backstage” is needed.” The footprint of a single standard frame has a depth of only 12”, so having only one frame also takes up very little floor space, an important feature when you often need to pack a lot of students on the stage.

Even though the 20x8 frame expands to create a massive 160 square foot wall, it weighs only 30 pounds and packs down into a bag that is about 18”x18”x36”. It can be quickly moved and stored and can be set up in less than 5 minutes by two to three people. Training a school staff member on how to install the temporary backdrop takes only about 15 minutes – we even provide some online instructional videos to make the process easy.

To allow for a different look for each of three main events during the school year at Pueblo Pintado Community School, we created three different full-color fabric curtains that can be quickly attached and removed from the frame as need. The main curtain was designed using one of the school’s logo window stickers as a reference. It showcases Pueblo Pintado’s hornet logo along with the text “Pueblo Pintado Community School” and “Home of the Hornets” against a black background. This simple, but personalized design provides an ideal way to frame the stage for graduation and school productions throughout the school year.

The hornet logo backdrop is also wide enough to provide a photo background for group photos of classrooms, clubs and athletic teams, or a school selfie. Our poly-blend theatrical fabric resists wrinkling and has a matte finish for a uniform look with no shine or reflection from stage lights or camera flashes – helping to make every photo “Instagram worthy.”

The other two curtain designs are specifically for school events during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, the two most popular school productions outside of graduation. Our designers put together fun and festive graphics that will instantly transform the school’s stage for each holiday. Rather than having “event specific” detail, bold, iconic images were used to represent each holiday. Choosing designs that give the feel for each holiday provides the school with the most flexibility for using the curtains year after year, and for anything from classroom recitals, plays, band concerts, and even community holiday events.

The entire project was completed, from presenting the client with initial designs concepts to shipping from our Michigan facility, in just three weeks. Giving Pueblo Pintado Community School plenty of opportunities to try out their new portable backdrop during the second half of the 2018-19 school year.

If you are interested in finding a backdrop solution for your school, you can browse our standard size options online, or contact us to discuss your school’s specific needs.