#1
Posted: 5/26/07 at 10:26pm
I recently found for 5 bucks a library discard copy of the WONDERFUL book collection of Boris Aronson's designs for the theatre (compiled by Frank Rich) which already is in my top list of theatre releated books.
Who do you think ar ethe most important/personal fave set designers over th eyears particularly for musical theatre? Aronson tops my list and it's too bad he passed away soon after Pacific Overtures--So many of these images are gorgeous--the birch trees for Night Music painted on clear plexiglass so that they'd slide across the stage, wiping out characters and scenes behidn them to reveal new ones and help Prince's cinematic staging. Follies with its just astonishing set that was also very influential. The classic Cabaret set-again insanely influential. The gorgeously textured Zorba, the cold and steely Company, the way so much of Pacific Overtures folded out almsot like origami... It's too bad that in none of the revivals of these works have the sets been replicated as I don't think they've ever been topped and Sondheim himself has mentioned how seeing Aronson's models often influenced the music he had yet to compose.
I also am fascinated by Maria Bjornson's designs--it's truly upsetting she died as young as she did. Her website doesn't have enough designs for my taste but her Phantom sets are classic--it's funny how many audiences think about how elaborate Phantom is when your eally realize how much Bjornson does with blacki spaces and the power of suggestion (I truly think a big reason the film misses the power of the piece on stage is because a huge percentage of that power is from the design). I don't think Bjornson did much other musical theatre--I love her designs for Aspects of Love using those giant panals in the back that would revolve, etc even if I think the original staging was a bit too grand for a small show. And I think her Follies for London is really the only set I've seen for the show that rivals Aronson's (hnot too hard considering how crappy the Broadway revival set was). The way she used plastic contruction covering to show the ugly decrepit theatre, adn then lit up to look translucent and grand is a stroke of genius (it should be said of course that Bjornson has even said that her Phantom overture design--when the theatre comes to life was inspired a bit by Aronson's Loveland for the original Follies).
I could add more but that's a start--other people's faves, who have consistantly been strong?
E
Who do you think ar ethe most important/personal fave set designers over th eyears particularly for musical theatre? Aronson tops my list and it's too bad he passed away soon after Pacific Overtures--So many of these images are gorgeous--the birch trees for Night Music painted on clear plexiglass so that they'd slide across the stage, wiping out characters and scenes behidn them to reveal new ones and help Prince's cinematic staging. Follies with its just astonishing set that was also very influential. The classic Cabaret set-again insanely influential. The gorgeously textured Zorba, the cold and steely Company, the way so much of Pacific Overtures folded out almsot like origami... It's too bad that in none of the revivals of these works have the sets been replicated as I don't think they've ever been topped and Sondheim himself has mentioned how seeing Aronson's models often influenced the music he had yet to compose.
I also am fascinated by Maria Bjornson's designs--it's truly upsetting she died as young as she did. Her website doesn't have enough designs for my taste but her Phantom sets are classic--it's funny how many audiences think about how elaborate Phantom is when your eally realize how much Bjornson does with blacki spaces and the power of suggestion (I truly think a big reason the film misses the power of the piece on stage is because a huge percentage of that power is from the design). I don't think Bjornson did much other musical theatre--I love her designs for Aspects of Love using those giant panals in the back that would revolve, etc even if I think the original staging was a bit too grand for a small show. And I think her Follies for London is really the only set I've seen for the show that rivals Aronson's (hnot too hard considering how crappy the Broadway revival set was). The way she used plastic contruction covering to show the ugly decrepit theatre, adn then lit up to look translucent and grand is a stroke of genius (it should be said of course that Bjornson has even said that her Phantom overture design--when the theatre comes to life was inspired a bit by Aronson's Loveland for the original Follies).
I could add more but that's a start--other people's faves, who have consistantly been strong?
E
But I migth be able to scan some at work in the week--the pics are wonderful especially to see some of them in colour (or details like how Company outa town had a more complex set with a waterfall and more projections) 
) 
