Do You Collect Broadway Props?

Hi! I'm a lifelong musical theatre fan with a special interest in 'Cats'! Over the last few years I've been focused on collecting memorabilia related to the show, especially costumes.

I currently have three unitards, two wigs, one armwarmer, one of the green eyes they flash at the audience during the overture, and one little lightbulb off the set. The costumes are all on mannequins. I'm always looking for more pieces from the show.

Do any of you collect original stage used pieces from your favorite shows, and how do you display them if so?

Honestly, I’m not one for props per se but if I get my hands on something, I’m happy to have it.

Some of the ones I have:

- Usher’s chimes from A STRANGE LOOP signed by the entire cast and Michael R. Jackson. It was initially only signed by Jaquel but I got it signed by everyone every time I went back.

- The “Arabesque Massage Salon” flyer from the “Big City” vignette in the DANCIN’ revival (I found it in the street day after closing)

- Some of the “weed killer” foam balls from LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS.

- A BIG stack of the fake $100s that fall from the sky at the end of AIN’T NO MO.

- Party Hat from CABARET

I have a large shard of the music box that gets shattered in Next to Normal from when I sat in the front row and and got hit with it in act two. I have a letter from the Great Comet, some rubles from Patriots.

I have a few items I've picked up from the Broadway Flea, the most interesting being one of the notebooks Reeve Carney writes in during Hadestown. It must've been used across multiple shows, because the entire notebook is filled with writing from different pens. It's all mostly lyrics from the show, musical note sequences, and massive blocks of "LaLaLaLaLaLaLaLa"s.

I don’t collect anything anymore but back in the day, absolutely. And the few things I’ve kept and are in storage are:

A pair of Chita Rivera’s shoes from WEST SIDE STORY

Stockings Gwen Verdon wore in CHICAGO

Several table number plaques used on the table seats lamps during the 1998 Broadway revival of CABARET (from both the Henry Miller Theatre then Studio 54)

An original flask used by Dorothy Loudon and Alice Ghostley from ANNIE

A pair of Betty Buckley’s silver furry shoes from CATS

A worn out/beat-up black derby that belonged to Bob Fosse (given to me by Ann Reinking)

Broadway Flea Market is usually the place to buy them. But I’ve obtained mine usually just from the show or from friends who are in the show.

There isn’t a rhyme or reason to it. Sometimes it’s just random. For example, I went to a Swept Away matinee close to closing and I went to the stage door, and Wayne Duvall was basically having a fire sale/giveaway on his dressing room trinkets. Since he recognized me from coming a few times, he gave me his custom porthole door sign and signed the back of it for me

I have two auction catalogues from the opening Prologue to Phantom, along with four of the Phantom's notes to the other characters, in their respective envelopes. One of the notes is signed by Sierra Boggess from the 25th anniversary.

Updated On: 3/10/25 at 08:02 AM

greensgreens said: "The Salome script, the cigarette case, pair of Betty Buckley’s shoes, notecards from stage hand working with Elaine, and fabric from Norma’s couch among other misc bits.

The really cool stuff is the large oil portrait of Glenn Close and its frame from the set (a cheap plastic moulding). I also have two sconces that I repaired and restored to us regular electric lighting and two lampshades, also from Norma’s mansion."

Wow! How did you acquire actual set pieces?

I don’t collect but do have a train ticket that Sutton tore in half during “Not for the Life of Me” in Thoroughly Modern Millie.


Later, Drowsy Chaperone had a contest to put your theatre memorabilia on the set and win tickets or something. I sent the ticket in and it made its way on stage behind Man in Chair.


On stage with Sutton for two shows which is cute :)

Updated On: 3/11/25 at 02:08 PM