Greatest set designer?

[devonian.t]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 11:51am

Who do we think is Broadway's greatest ever designer?

For me, a toss-up between Boris Aaronson, Tony Walton and John Napier.

Your thoughts?

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 11:52am

Aronson

Updated On: 6/22/07 at 11:52 AM

[Weez]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 12:06pm

For the barricades and the horses, John Napier. Other people will have their preferences; he is mine.

[mortgageguy79]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 12:11pm

Santo Loquasto

[D2]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 12:26pm

Currently: Robin Wagner/Bob Crowley

Historically: Boris Aronson/Jo Mielziner/Oliver Smith

Updated On: 6/22/07 at 12:26 PM

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 12:36pm

I dont' know if I have a favorite, but some of the greats are:

-George Tsypin (get ready for his clear set for Little Mermaid)

-RIchard Hudson

-Maria Bjornson

[myManCape]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 12:41pm

As far as modern scenic design, John Lee Beatty must be considered.

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 3:56pm

I find Rockwell's open sets to be enthralling. I think it is wonderful how his sets are all kind of just pieces. But his pieces fill out the space and creat perfect worlds and moods. They also really help focus the importance of the show. DOWN WITH WALLS!!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 4:00pm

Ming Cho Lee opened the doors for all of them.


He took Sceinc Design to a whole new level. Gone were the tabs, drapes, drops, and such. In was the concept of abstract, and exciting.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 4:01pm

Present day great: Bob Crowly, hands down.

Historically: Aronson.

ALSO:

Maria Bjornson

Updated On: 6/22/07 at 04:01 PM

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 4:02pm

I personally don't like Beatty (especially his recent APPLE TREE set - if anyone understood the ladders, please, do tell what they meant!).

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 4:08pm

I think Beatty's Apple Tree was a fluke. But look at his work on Rabbit Hole (which he should have won the Tony for, as much as I love History Boys), Heartbreak House, Wonderful Town, Doubt, and Dinner and Eight. Such great work.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 4:09pm

Could one person spell Boris Aronson's name correctly? Please?

[Jon]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 6:42pm

How about Eugene Lee?

Original Sweeney Todd, the Showboat revival, Ragtime, Wicked...

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 7:07pm

I think Eugene is a huge talent but for some reason, personally, I'd never call any of his designs brilliant or artistic masterpieces... That's not really fair I realize--just a personal thing.

I did a thread about this only about 3-4 weeks back that got to about 5 pages if you do a search (again not trying to be an ass :P Just pointing out ) and I think Aronson was the clear winner--he's my fave anyway (I started my thread after finding an astoundingly cheap used library discard copy of his gorgeous set design coffee table book)

E

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 7:10pm

OK I exagerated, it only got to three pages... Here it is https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=936417#3044733

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 6/23/07 at 5:11pm

Jo Mielziner. He designed the sets and lighting for over 300 Broadway productions in his long career which spanned 5 decades, from the 1930's to the 1970's. There is an excellent biography of his life and work, detailing all 300 shows with illustrations, by Mary C. Henderson. I got it for half price on Amazon.com.

[jv92]

Posted: 6/23/07 at 5:41pm

Aronson

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 6/23/07 at 6:04pm

Jo Mielziner
John Lee Beatty
Ming Cho Lee

Both Lee and Beatty have designed locally at Actors Theatre of Louisville. I especially remember Ming Cho Lee's design for ATL's production of Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra" which featured Merceds Ruhl. The show wasn't that great, but his sets were amazing.

I was also blown away by Beatty's design for "Rabbit Hole," possibly one of the best set designs I've ever seen.

[Jon]

Posted: 6/23/07 at 8:48pm

Robin Wagner seems to be a one-trick-pony. If you want New York 1930's Art Deco, he does it. His "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" set for 42nd Street looked like a reject from On the 20th Century. His Crazy for You finale was a rehash of "Dames" from 42nd Street. And he's done variations of the same "Times Square Marquees" backdrop for 42nd Street, Jerome Robbins' Broadway, Crazy For You and The Producers.

[jv92]

Posted: 6/23/07 at 9:09pm

He's so inventive and intricate though. Kiss Me Kate, Dreamgirls, On the Twentieth Century and The Producers were so mechanically complicated and intricate.

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 6/24/07 at 1:47pm

How many different ways can you set the Times Square Theatre District? I think Wagner has done wonderful different takes for 42nd STREET, JEROME ROBBINS BROADWAY, and CRAZY FOR YOU, the latter emphasizing the "Zangler Theatre" which was a realization of the Ziegfeld Theatre on 6th Avenue.

[Wicked63]

Posted: 6/24/07 at 2:16pm

Robin Wager Eugenee Lee

[GoSmileLaughCryClap]

Posted: 6/24/07 at 2:56pm

Company, Follies, Night Music and Pacific Overtures represent one of the great collaboration streaks in any art form ever. What Boris Aronson brought to the original productions of those shows is spectacular. Each couldn't have been more visually different, and they were so full of scenic surprise and invention that it was sometimes hard to believe what you were witnessing.

And, those designs all serve the specific direction of each show in a way I hadn't seen before or since.