Shows with the best Scenic Design? — Page 2

I'm very aware thanks! Please tell me, where, in my original post, I stated that as fact?

The original production of ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY made me actually believe that you could leave a show "humming the sets"...

The original production of SWEENEY TODD looked like a portion of 19th Century London crashed into the back of the then Uris (now Gershwin) Theatre and got wedged there. Spectacular.

The most recent revival of SHE LOVES ME...the set was perfection.

The original production of FOLLIES. The "Loveland" sequence made the most recent revival look like a high school production.

LOVE NEVER DIES, in London, had pretty amazing sets. It was a shame that not much else in the show was anywhere near amazing.

The original production of RAGTIME. There were so many fluid set changes, etc. that I almost thought I was watching a movie.

NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812

WICKED

I have to throw in the Zeffirelli production of Puccini's TURANDOT at the Metropolitan Opera. Massive.

MichelleCraig, Sweeny Todd, Ragtime, Wicked, all Eugene Lee. He also did Showboat. He seems to know how to deal with the barn that is the Gershwin. (I know Ragtime wasn't there, that was at The Ford but still a barn).

brian1973 said: "

They aren't growing on the set . They are real trees chopped down and put on stage- it happens ALL the time.


They were cut down but they are still growing due to the conditions of the theater. They have moisture stored in them and receive some nutrients from the lighting grid. The scenic designer talked about it one of his interviews.

Updated On: 5/29/17 at 12:54 PM

ARTc3 said: "As we're listing all-time favorites, I'd like to add the original, On the Twentieth Century. Robin Wagner's sets were magical.

And, if we're including non-Broadway, I'd add KA (Las Vegas) to the list of spectacular.



Thank you for mentioning KA. In all of my theatre-going years I have never seen anything so stunning. We went back a few years later and it was just as impressive the second time. Anyone who appreciates great scenic design really needs to see this production.



"

RippedMan said: "Eugene Lee really is a genius, and probably my favorite. The amount of layering that goes into Wicked just gives the whole thing so much depth and nuance. I saw it in London, and could probably stare at it for a few hours. "



Really? I could list my top 250 set designs that I've seen and Wicked would not make the list.

Tag said: "They are growing!



"

This is honestly so RAD!

South Fl Marc, no, I get that. It doesn't have a lot of substantial set pieces, but I just love the way he layers his backdrops and the little details around the set. When I was in London we sat 3rd row, so I could really take it all in. There's just a lot of little details that I think are really gorgeous, and something that I see lacking in a lot of other shows.

I'd have loved to have seen the original Sunset on Broadway. Those lavish sets sound amazing.

RippedMan said: "I'd have loved to have seen the original Sunset on Broadway. Those lavish sets sound amazing."

<sigh> Me too.

"Starlight Express is sort of a ridiculous show (and my childhood guilty pleasure), but it had a hell of a set."

Curious to know if you saw the Broadway or London production of STARLIGHT EXPRESS, Judy? I actually drafted on the Broadway incarnation but I've got to admit that I thought John Napier did a much more beautiful job on the London designs (which came first). In London the set was all abstract plexiglass and steel machinery, with loops that swung way out across the seats in the stalls. Don't know who thought adding all those topographical slices of Americana for the NY production would be a good idea, but miles and miles of carved styrofoam dioramas clogged the entire stage perimeter at the Gershwin. Even though I spent months drawing those up, I thought the show looked its best when it was just a futuristic roller rink with a giant spinning bridge at its center.