Christmas, Blown Up

Christy Martinez from New Vintage Church in Santa Rosa, CA brings us this starburst stage design. 

They achieved this by using different sizes of cut Coroplast. The sheets were painted in three shades, black, beige, and white. Then they used a staple gun to place the pieces in a starburst formation around the stage. Lighting was placed using par can lights and Chauvet Color Palettes.

When the Christmas season arrived they added custom-built Christmas trees using three panels of triangles filling them with lattice (cut to fit). Then they lined the interior of the trees with tracing paper for indoor trees and 3mil plastic for outdoor trees. The trees were lit with color palettes under them. The trees used outside were great for drive-by traffic.

Planning a Coroplast Starburst and Christmas Tree Stage

The strength of this design is its ability to change seasons without replacing the entire backdrop. The neutral starburst gives the stage movement and texture, while the illuminated trees introduce a recognizable Christmas silhouette. The suggestions below are adaptation ideas for your team, not additional construction details supplied by New Vintage Church.

Start with a stage sketch that includes the screen, drum enclosure, microphone positions, entrances, and the camera’s widest shot. Draw the starburst rays around an intentional focal area rather than filling every available surface. Leave visual breathing room around lyrics and faces. Make a small paper mockup first, then temporarily arrange a few full-size pieces to check the proportions from the back row before cutting the rest.

Test Materials and Build for Reuse

Use a repeatable set of cutting templates to create short, medium, and long rays. Label the back of each piece so volunteers can reproduce the arrangement after storage. Cut on a stable work surface with suitable tools, and test paint adhesion on an offcut before finishing a whole batch. A neutral palette can look very different under saturated stage lighting, so compare sample pieces under the actual fixtures you plan to use.

The original installation used staples, but your mounting method should suit the substrate and venue. Thin scenic plastic is not a structural support. Attach pieces to an appropriate backing or frame, keep sharp fasteners inaccessible, and have the venue’s technical lead review the installation. Before using Coroplast, tracing paper, or plastic sheeting, confirm that the specific products meet your venue’s scenic-material and fire requirements. Keep material clear of hot fixtures and do not assume that ordinary craft supplies are approved for stage use.

Light the Trees Without Revealing the Fixtures

Build a single tree prototype before producing multiple sizes. Position the diffuser and fixture together, then view the tree with the room lights both on and off. If individual light sources create obvious bright spots, experiment with fixture position and diffusion distance while maintaining the manufacturer’s required clearances. Keep ventilation paths open. Separate tree lighting from the backdrop wash so operators can create a quiet speaking look as well as a brighter musical look.

Outdoor versions need a separate installation plan. Plastic lining alone does not weatherproof a wooden frame, electrical connection, or lighting fixture. Use equipment rated for its location and have qualified personnel address power protection, wind loading, anchoring, and public access. Indoors, plan cable routes and tree bases so performers and volunteers can move safely. Photograph the finished layout and label tree sections, backing pieces, and cables before teardown to make the next setup easier.

Pro Tips for Starbursts and Illuminated Trees

Preserve the focal point: Aim the strongest visual lines toward an intentional scenic center, not toward a distracting exit sign or an unreadable projection surface.

Check the livestream view: Review a camera test with a person on stage. Reduce tree brightness if glowing surfaces pull attention away from faces.

Build a volunteer-friendly kit: Store cutting templates, a labeled layout photo, and spare attachment hardware together so the design is easier to maintain.

Budget beyond the sheets: Include framing, approved diffusion, paint, mounting hardware, cabling, storage, and any outdoor-rated equipment in your material list.

Related Designs

• Santa’s Toy Shop – Create a Christmas setting with scenic walls, a central clock, and themed details.
• Christmas in La La Land – Explore illuminated skyline silhouettes and a Christmas theme carried into the lobby.
• Clever Christmas Wreath Lamps – Consider a larger visual treatment for familiar Advent imagery.
• Laser Beams – Compare two approaches to a starburst-inspired stage composition.
• Manger Frame – Combine a Christmas focal point with trees and hanging star details.

Related: Pretty Little Snowflake – Compare another Christmas tree treatment using street lamps and hanging snowflakes.