They Had No Money In The Budget For A Set- Page 2

[Eris0303]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 9:04pm

I enjoyed the rich, lush sets of Finian's. Reminded me of the Emerald Isle in some ways which I'm sure was not a mistake. Loved the patchwork show curtain as well.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 9:21pm

I love the set for Finian's...I think it's really lovely and it serves the story. I feel like big, elaborate sets work for some shows when done well (i.e. the gorgeous Mary Poppins set) but a lot of shows just work better with the minimal set that helps them tell the story rather than being a character unto itself, if that makes any sense.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 11:41pm

I think the sets this year are just average but in most shows succeed in what they need to do.

Finnian's Rainbow- I thought this set had SOOOOOO much potential but failed. The shape and basic design of it was strong but the way it was executed was pretty bad, it looked like they pulled it together at the last minute with cheap materials. I think this would be a beautiful show to do at the Delacorte with a set executed like the Twelfth Night set.

Ragtime- Ragtime fulfills what it should, it's basic but well thought out. Some of the extra pieces that come in and out are pretty crappy but it really doesn't change your (my) opinion of the wonderful production.

[binau]

Posted: 12/6/09 at 4:05am

"So....we're not talking about the Mendes GYPSY?"

I don't see why you can't substitute "Mendes GYPSY" for 'Patti LuPone GYPSY' - this 'set' also had no walls, was very bland/basic too etc..

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/6/09 at 8:36am

Shows with minimal sets: "Let us hope this lunacy is just a trend," to quote Sondheim.

[D2]

Posted: 12/6/09 at 10:14am

I have a feeling if we were able to go back in time and see the original productions of some of the classic shows people would be shocked at how "cheap" they look (by the standards of the past few years), and Roxy would be complaining about the $7.90 he shelled out.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/6/09 at 10:29am

D2

Sit on it.I will remember to remind everyone when you complain about anything in the future.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 12/6/09 at 1:09pm

I thought the Finian's Rainbow set looked like a fairy tale pop-up book...perfect for this story.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/6/09 at 4:09pm

To each his own.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/6/09 at 5:32pm

I thought FINIAN looked like an indoor version of Beatty's set for TWELFTH NIGHT.

[noplain]

Posted: 12/6/09 at 10:45pm

After reading this thread, I happened to find an interesting blog about word vs. design in theatre from a completely unrelated google search http://whitewhaletheatre.wordpress.com/2009/09/16/the-word/

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 12/6/09 at 11:47pm

"I sometimes wonder if any of you have actually seen these shows of just looked at pictures?"
I've seen Finian's Rainbow, Ragtime, Birdie, Memphis, and Night Music. Thank you.

I know, ljay, don't you hate it when people know make assumptions about what others have and haven't seen when they clearly don't know any better?


I think judging a production based on the lavishness of the sets is absolutely ridiculous. Anyone who places the importance of shiny objects to distract them above that of the performance of the material needs to get out of their multi-million dollar mega-musical rut and see something way off Broadway.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/6/09 at 11:54pm

Oh, leave me alone, you bitter thing. I did not see where you stated that you've seen A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. Sorry for assuming you called "mediocre" without seeing it. I'm sure your love for RAGTIME didn't taint your opinion or anything.


I think judging a production based on the lavishness of the sets is absolutely ridiculous. Anyone who places the importance of shiny objects to distract them above that of the performance of the material needs to get out of their multi-million dollar mega-musical rut and see something way off Broadway.

Good thing you don't read ATC! or maybe you do? There I go making assumptions again, hehe.




Updated On: 12/7/09 at 11:54 PM

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 12/7/09 at 1:23am

No, I haven't spent the past 6 months obsessing over the Best Revival Tony like you have. As it is, I was excited to see Angela Lansbury onstage for the first time. That's it. I was underwhelmed by the casting from when it was first announced, and have never been a big fan of the show. Perhaps it was a self-fulfilling prophecy, but it had nothing to do with Ragtime.


To get away from ljay's hypocrisy and back on topic-

I was under the impression that the purpose of sets was to enhance the material, not to be so over-the-top and expensive that it's the first/only thing worth of mention in a production. Of all the shows I've seen over the past year, the one that moved me the most was a production of Angels in America, where the set consisted of a few pieces of interchangeable furniture on a thrust stage. If someone were to write that off because the set designer didn't blow thousands of dollars on Antarctican snow and a replica of San Francisco, that's their loss.

Updated On: 12/7/09 at 01:23 AM