What happens when a show closes?

[chenofan]

Posted: 5/7/05 at 6:02pm

I know that this might be a stupid question, but it is one I have alaways had. When a show closes what do they do with all the show's stuff(costumes, sets, etc.) I assume if there is a touring production they use some of the Broadway stuff, but what if they just close with no tour? Thanks for your help!

[Thenardier]

Posted: 5/7/05 at 6:04pm

Search feature!

It depends, an auction. Sell stuff to prop houses.

I know that when Les Mis closed (and one reason it was forced to close when it did) the set went to Belgium.

[Beergoggles]

Posted: 5/7/05 at 6:05pm

from what i can gather they just go into storeage or are sold on to other productions. I know Cameron Macintosh said he was saving the set from My Fair Lady for a broadway production he planned to mount this year but he's now putting off til next... that was what i heard anyway!

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 5/7/05 at 6:06pm

Sets are very often thrown out - sometimes donated to smaller theatres. Sometimes actors get to keep (or sometimes buy) costumes, and sometimes they're recycled to other productions or costume houses. Equipment is usually rented & returned to the shop.


Eta:wha? Le Miz had to close because the set had to go to Belgium? Where'd you get THAT one? Updated On: 5/7/05 at 06:06 PM

[ashley0139]

Posted: 5/7/05 at 6:07pm

You mean Les Miz could still be open if it hadn't opened in BELGIUM?!?!?! Boy, that makes my blood boil.

[bryan]

Posted: 5/7/05 at 7:54pm

when a show closes it goes on tour and gets a cd made or fades into the sunset and does not come back to life like good vibrations this show need a cast cd.

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 5/7/05 at 7:58pm

Mamma Mia! tour 1's set went to another production across seas.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 5/7/05 at 11:33pm

Les Miz had it's run. It needed to close. Glad for something new...like Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

[JakeB]

Posted: 5/8/05 at 3:12pm

If the producers have the money to maintain it, a lot goes into storage. The investment of paying those costs is obviously much better that trying to suck the set back from dumps, regional theatres, abroad productions, etc, should a revival/tour be mounted a couple of years later.

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 5/8/05 at 3:29pm

I'm no expert on this, so someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I read somewhere that all Broadway sets have to be made specifically for that production by union members. Wouldnt that prevent someone like Cameron Macintosh from bringing his My Fair Lady set from London to New York?

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 5/8/05 at 4:01pm

OMG, Get a life bryan!

You're still on this "Good Vibrations" thing. The CD is not going to happen! And, when shows close they don't get a cast recording. Usually, one has already been made well before that. If a show closes without a cast recording, it is likely there won't be one made.

Stop talking about "fading into the sunset." It was cute the first BILLION times...but now it's enough. "Good Vibrations" isn't getting a cast recording. GIVE IT UP!

[hannahshule]

Posted: 5/8/05 at 4:08pm

If Belgiums the reason Les Mis closed, then I declare war! It needed to stay on broadway so I could be Fantine! *sigh* another crushed dream...

[Last5Days]

Posted: 5/8/05 at 4:11pm

BWayBoy:

You're more-or-less right about set construction... Depending on how well-negotiated the contract between the theatre/producer and the stage crew union, it can be the case.

In some theatres here in Toronto, union workers can't refuse to work with a non-union set (therefore, a British set could be used here), but in other theatres, sets must be built by someone in the union - but since it's a North American union, they could still be built in LA and brought to NY (which is how tours can operate) - so long as it's all IATSE.

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 5/8/05 at 4:56pm

It's also the case that even if parts of a set are retained for future use or to be sold, other parts are tossed. As others have said, some actors keep costumes or props. If you're charming enough, YOU may even be able to score something. I hung around outside the St. James one day a week after Tommy closed and a crew member eventually pulled three gobos from the Pinball Wizard lighting for me. They were going to have to have new ones laser-cut for the London production anyway.

[Mimi Imfurst]

Posted: 5/8/05 at 5:26pm

to quote a certain theatre personalitly who shall remain forever nameless.... "rosie o'donnell eats the sets"

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 5/8/05 at 5:30pm

When CATS closed, a lot of the costumes, props and set pieces were auctioned off for BC/EFA. I have a fish carcass that was used somewhere on the set sitting in a shelf in my room right now.

[Sisi]

Posted: 5/8/05 at 5:49pm

The Broadway LM sets actually went to Berlin, not Belgium. The Belgian production closed in 1999. Also, the reason LM 'closed when it did' re: the sets is better explained as they stoped pushing back the closing date because they had to have time to ship the sets to Berlin, not that they based the decision to close the show itself on the idea they could use the Broadway sets in Germany. The thing with the sets was just a 'happy coincidence.'