Best Set You've Ever Seen?- Page 3

[Conor]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 12:20pm

Mary Poppins was hands down the most phenomenal set I've ever seen, it was incredible! Honorable mention to Beauty and the Beast (when it was at the Palace), Phantom, Light in the Piazza, Les Mis (in London), Cats, and I really loved ASU's but that's just cause i;m obsessed w/ ASU.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 12:58pm

Talley's Folly - John Lee Beattys set was beautiful and so appropriate.

Billy Budd at the Metropolitan Opera - the ship set is extrodinary.

[worrell4077]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 1:14pm

SpamAlot
The Producers especially Springtime's set
Avenue Q
All Shook Up
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
The Odd Couple
Little Shop of Horrors
________________________________________________________________
"The penalty is des. Is that anything like death? Yeth."
-The Producers movie

[jv92]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 2:19pm

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels- that's what set design should be, simple, elegant and colorful
Wicked- a bit, well, a lot bigger, but the most spectacular set I've ever seen

I heard the 1975 Chicago set was quite remarkable. If only it was photographed as well as Follies was (which also sounds remarkable)

[Jane2]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 4:36pm

I don't see nearly enough shows to really judge but I loved the set of the last production of 42nd Street.

[alterego]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 8:12pm

My favourites, ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY and once again AN INSPECTOR CALLS, with honorable mentions going to Boris Aaronsons original set for A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC and Doug Schmidt's set for THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG.

For the ugliest set it's a toss up between RENT and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (that set gave me a headache).
Updated On: 11/25/05 at 08:12 PM

[loganp37]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 8:23pm

Everyone is entitled to thier own personal opinions. But just out of curiosity, what did you not like about the RENT or BATB sets?

I have seen both shows and feel that both their scenic designs work well for each respective show.
Updated On: 11/25/05 at 08:23 PM

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 8:42pm

was is Inspector Calls about?

Also, there's a video of Odd Couple in the show previews and on broadway.com and you can see the set in that.

Can anyone find a picture of Cats so I can see how it comes out in the audience and whatnot? Thanks.

[alterego]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 8:47pm

The RENT set was just unimaginative, suitable but unimaginative it could have been so much more. More is what was wrong with BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. It was over-designed. Way too much pattern/colour. Even the floor was patterned. It really did give me a headache! then again I'm an Interior Designer.

[JoAnne1]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 8:51pm

i had the good fortune to work backstage at CATS for quite awhile and got to walk the set every day...

truly amazing! the entire theatre was done in the same style...

i've seen the Follies set in photos and have met people who did the show - also quite a set...

missed Sunset Blvd, but now i'll have to look it up...

ps - can anybody tell me how to start a thread? i never learned.. *makes boo-boo lip*

[cathywellerstein]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 8:51pm

I have to agree with DOTV. The set was truly incredible. How did they fit all of that backstage? True magic.

[loganp37]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 9:02pm

I just feel that the RENT set is amazing in design. It suits the show so perfectly. Rent does not need a "hyper-reality" set in my opinion, the show is strong enough on its own than to need some "eye candy" for the bored 50 somethings to look at.

[alterego]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 9:22pm

Re the RENT set. You walk in see it and think "oh yes." I would really have liked to have seen it and thought "Wow I would never have thought to do that, how imaginative". Oh dear, this is turning into another tiresome RENT thread.

[Candleshoe2]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 9:28pm

I don't think that this would ever happen, but I always thought it would be neat to design "Into the Woods" and set it in a department store. The mannequins would move to represent different parts of the store, "Hello, Little Girl" would take place on an escalator, the witch would get in an elevator at the end of "The Witch's Lament" and go down really fast into the stage. I don't know... I think it could be very creative and different (IMO).

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 9:45pm

What's the basis of setting it in a dept store? A good set design or concept should be easy to understand or explained in the play.

[Candleshoe2]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 9:46pm

I don't know, it was just an idea. It really doesn't make muc sense.

[bdwybug55]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 9:53pm

Sunset Boulevard definitely!

Also the Zeferelli production of La Boheme at the MET.

[OtherDaryl]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 10:53pm

The Importance of Being Earnest in London with Dame Maggie Smith.

[jstabwaybabi]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 10:54pm

I thought Draculas was very interesting. lots of things popping up and sliding in and out.

I like set pieces that have more then one purpose.
ex. the brooklyn set was very mutli purpose.

sets are good people.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 10:55pm

I will defend myself to Jimmirae (as if I have to)...

I have seen over 100 shows on Broadway, and an equal number on tour, as well as many regional productions. From that information you are free to assume I older than your post implies I am. Nor am I as inexperienced in my theatregoing as your comments seem to imply.

In my honest opinion, the DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES sets were indeed gorgeous. The show was majorly flawed but if my information is correct, it had the most expensive set in Broadway history at the time (pity the giant snake effect and the portrait hallway sets were nixed after the already constructed sets went WAY over budget). Sure, some weren't all that they could have been (Sarah's bedroom and the Library were sub-par), but I have a feeling the show was aiming to be simultaneously campy, ironic, dramatic and romantic which was something it obviously did not completely achieve. BUT, I think the sets were quite good at evoking those conflicting emotions. Plus, how exactly was a coffin holding Crawford supposed to be projectiled out of the stage without use of strings or a support below it? It is painstakingly described in the script that it must occur. Maybe at the performance you attended, the support was visable from your seat due to less smoke underneath than usual. There must have been many technical difficulties when you attended the show, apparently, since the vibration throughout the theatre was noticeably apparent at all three performances I attended. And it was confirmed by Mandy Gonzalez and other castmembers I have spoken to that they had to turn down the effect because they feared it would damage the theatre. At the 3rd preview performance I attended, when the vibration was unbelievably intense, a woman sitting near me hushedly asked her husband whether it was an actual earthquake or part of the show.

And, thanks for the support cathywellerstein.

A Good Nightmare Comes So Rarely,
P genre

[Dr. Jaykll]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 11:28pm

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Titanic. That is the only set that I can remember getting more applause than the cast itself (in what I thought was a truly great show).

I also would like to toss out Miss Saigon for honorable mention. It could have also been called "that musical with the helicopter" as that was one of the biggest talked about features of any musical of the time.

[jimmirae]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 11:33pm

I seem to have insulted you Pgenre, I am sorry. Please accept my apology. We actually hold some of the same opinions actually, (i.e. SPAMALOT, MILLIE and AVENUE Q have each proven that the Tony Award has absolutely nothing to do with quality or artistic merit.)
I didn't mean to be pissy to you on purpose, truly.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 12:23am

Its OK. I admit to getting exceedingly touchy about DOTV because its a show I just adore and it is CONSTANTLY bashed (usually for the wrong reasons)and oftentimes people assume I am naive or inexperienced for having passionate feelings about it. I don't want to go too in depth, but the show was close to succeeding in what it set out to do (be a gothic romantic comedy with some camp). If there was an actual working director and choreographer and they used Steinman's script it would still be running today (as it is in Vienna).

But I still remain in my feelings it had an amazing set (and my subsequent research indicates it was, indeed, the most expensive set ever on Broadway at the time it opened). And without DOTV I wouldnt't have my signature...

A Good Nightmare Comes So Rarely,
P genre

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 9:35am

I feel ashamed: I totally forgot to mention the breathtaking sets of GRAND HOTEL.

[Sant]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 9:36am

Yes, CHICAGO's set is very effective. I love the way it ties the cast & orchestra tightly together making each and every person on that stage an important part of the show.