Favorite Designs of the Season?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/18/12 at 1:07am

Every year we talk about our favorite shows and actors around the Tony awards. One thing I have not seen discussed as in depth are the designs and physical aspects of the productions. Which shows this season have had your favorite scenic, lighting, and costume designs, and which were your least favorite. I am a scenic designer myself, so I am ALWAYS interested in the physical production as much as the acting!
I will go first...
FAVORITES
Follies - Thank you Derek McLane. The transformation of the Marquis into an old run down theatre was nothing short of brilliant. The entire design was spot on, and I loved the transition into Loveland. Plus the costumes and lights were awesome.
Nice Work If You Can Get It - Once again, Derek McLane creates a beautiful environment. The whimsical false prosceniums and various locations at the beach house were stunning
Evita - I love the stark, gritty, and realistic design that is highlighted by simple, but effective lighting. In particular, I LOVED the cracked stone floor treatment for the show deck
Spider-Man and GHOST - both use excellent projections and LED panels in addition to physical set pieces to create visually stunning effects and settings
Once - so simple, but so perfect. I love the curved wall that makes it more intimate.
Bonnie and Clyde - Awesome use of multiple levels, panels, projections, and small set pieces to keep the story moving along!
LEAST FAVORITE
Godspell - Not really sure what the creative team was going for with the design aspects of this show...
Leap of Faith - that tent is just ugly and awkward.
On A Clear Day You Can See Forever - ummm yeah.
Porgy and Bess - It works, but they could have done more.

[Broadway Joe]

Posted: 5/18/12 at 1:35am

I saw Porgy and Bess tonight and I enjoyed the show but I agree with you about the set. They did the bare minimum. Especially the start of the 2nd act when they are on the picnic and they just decide to put a large blue curtain as the background. I think it's a shame cause I think the show would have been a lot better if they would have just added some creativity to the set.

[adam.peterson44]

Posted: 5/18/12 at 1:38am

Love the spiderman physical set elements (fold-down classroom, chrysler building) and Ghost scenic design related to the illusions.

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 5/18/12 at 1:42am

I enjoyed all the design aspects of Follies, thought the set from the original looks much more inventive, to me.

Spider-Man has a great set and some of the costume I thought were decent, but most could have been better.

I haven't seen 'Ghost' yet but i may need to after hearing all of the raves about the projection/video screens:)

ps: great thread idea!!!

[bobs3]

Posted: 5/18/12 at 2:10am

Other Desert Cities. Perfect recreation of mid-20th-century southern California architecture. I grew up in a house in Los Angeles with a stone wall in the den (our wall wasn't curved nor did we have stovepipe fireplace but otherwise it brought back memories of that house).



Updated On: 5/18/12 at 02:10 AM

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 5/18/12 at 8:51am

I think the set for EVITA is very impressive, along with the lighting. Ricky Martin's costume could have been more innovative. The rest of the costumes are good.

[michellek45]

Posted: 5/18/12 at 8:59am

I know I'm in the minority here, but I loved the set for Porgy and Bess, mostly because of the way it worked with the lighting. By itself, it is kind of "meh," but combined with the way they used the light to sort of "be the set," I thought it was an excellent choice.

Peter and the Starcatcher deserves lighting and set awards for a play- very inventive and appropriate on both fronts.

Bonnie and Clyde had a great set to fit that fit the time period and didn't look too fancy, which was a necessity for the show. I also liked how they used the strobe lights in the fight scenes to hide actors getting on and off stage.

Nothing really stuck out to me as really horrible, except Godspell, but that whole production was pretty bad.

[kdogg36]

Posted: 5/18/12 at 9:57am

I thought the set for Chinglish was outstanding, and wish it would have been remembered in the Tony nominations. It was gorgeous to look at, and allowed for a quick and elegant switch from one of the show's several settings to another.

[dreaming]

Posted: 5/18/12 at 10:04am

Musical:

Follies-the transformation of the theater made the audience feel like it was a part of the show.
Once-Again, that audience as part of the show element had me hooked-no, it doesn't have bells and whistles, but it serves the piece brilliantly.
Evita-I liked the set-it was impressive and functional.

Play:

Other Desert Cities-I felt like I was in their living room and the design was very accurate, as has been noted
Death of a Salesman-No, it's not a new design-but, seeing Mielziner's designs coming to life was an incredible experience.
Peter and the Starcatcher-To do so much with so little is really, really incredible! Hats off to them!!! I kind of would like to see them take the award to tell the truth.

[AdamQuinn]

Posted: 5/18/12 at 10:19am

I have to say that my favorite set of the season was EVITA. I thought it was incredible how realistic the set was while still transporting me into a different world. I also thought the story telling that was done with it was great. I also found that the lighting worked really well with the set.

Another scenic design I love was actually the Off-Broadway show FAT CAMP. It had a short run but the set was wonderful. The second you walked into the theatre you felt like you were in the world of the camp. Every detail was looked at and it did a fantastic job telling the story.

Finally I thought that the design for PETER AND THE STARCATCHER was perfect. The story telling that was done with the set was amazing. One of the most creative sets I've seen.

[finebydesign]

Posted: 5/18/12 at 11:02am

Spiderman for me. Sets/costume just incredible.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 5/18/12 at 1:16pm

I love the Peter and the Starcatcher set...it's simple but used in a really effective way. And the costumes are great as well, the little details on the mermaid costumes are hysterical and a great touch.

[ChildrenwillListen]

Posted: 5/18/12 at 1:41pm

For a musical I choose Ghost and for a play I choose Peter and the Starcatcher. As an aspiring lighting designer, I would love to learn how to do the LED projections. I wish I could take a class on it. And it's becoming so much more common nowadays.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 5/18/12 at 2:53pm

I loved the sliding balconies in the Evita set. Another thing, my favorite part of the show, actually - in the beginning of Buenos Aires when the back wall split open to reveal the feet of everyone bustling around.

[OKBroadwayFan]

Posted: 5/18/12 at 4:15pm

I loved the lighting in Follies, the "young couples" looked as if they were ghosts due to the lighting and the pastel costumes, in contrast to the "older couples" who were in brighter lights and brighter costumes.

[johnmichael]

Posted: 5/21/12 at 4:06am

EVITA for me.

simply the most beautiful show i have seen on broadway this season.

the lighting, the costumes, the set. the scale, the grandeur. all just ravishing.