Podcasts about best scenic design

We are excited to bring you this new episode in our podcast series, The Art of Collaboration with Anne Kauffman and dots. This series focuses on directors and choreographers in conversation with some of their collaborators. This series explores the ins and outs of these processes, both finer details as well as overarching ideas about what goes into a productive collaboration on a show. In this episode you will hear an in-depth and transparent conversation with Anne and dots focused on the collaboration between directors and designers as well as navigating the industry as a collective.   Bios: dots (Scenic Designer) is a design collective creating environments for theater, film, commercials, and immersive experiences. Hailing from Colombia, South Africa, and Japan, we are Santiago Orjuela-Laverde, Andrew Moerdyk, and Kimie Nishikawa. As collaborators, we believe that the whole is greater than the sum of its individual parts. Recent highlights include the Broadway productions of Oh, Mary! ; Romeo + Juliet, An Enemy of the People (Tony Award Nomination for Best Scenic Design of a Play); Appropriate (Tony Award, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations for Outstanding Scenic Design); The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window; and The Big Gay Jamboree ; Recent awards include a 2024 Obie Award for Sustained Achievement in Design, 2023 and 2024 Henry Hewes Design Award, recipient of 2025 USA Fellowship Award . designbydots.com. Anne Kauffman (Director)'s credits include the New York Philharmonic, BAM, Ars Nova, NYTW, Roundabout Theatre Company, Encores! Off-Center, Women's Project, Playwrights Horizons, MCC, The Public, P73 Productions, New Georges, Vineyard Theatre, LCT3, Yale Rep, Steppenwolf, Goodman Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Z Space, American Conservatory Theater, and Berkeley Rep. She is a Resident Director at Roundabout Theatre, Artistic Associate and Founding Member of The Civilians, a Clubbed Thumb Affiliated Artist and co-creator of the CT Directing Fellowship, a New Georges Affiliated Artist, an SDC Executive Board Member, Vice President and Trustee of SDCF 2020-2023, and Artistic Director of City Center's Encores! Off-Center 2017-2020. Her awards include a 2024 Tony nomination for Best Director for Mary Jane, a 2023 Tony nomination for Best Revival for The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window, three Obies, the Joan and Joseph Cullman Award for Exceptional Creativity from Lincoln Center, the Alan Schneider Director Award, a Lucille Lortel Award, a Drama League Award, and the Joe A. Callaway. She is co-creator of the Cast Album Project with Jeanine Tesori.   dots headshot courtesy of dots Anne Kauffman's headshot by Tess Mayer

Es Devlin is a renowned stage designer and artist known for her innovative work in theater, opera, dance, and concerts. Since 1999, she has created groundbreaking designs for the National Theatre, Royal Opera House, World Expo, and the United Nations. Her work, at the intersection of art, music, and technology, often features large-scale kinetic sculptures integrated with light, film, and AI generated images.  A lifelong reader and drawer, Devlin began developing her practice as a child with sketches and small cardboard models. This foundation paved the way for her creative direction for the 60th Annual Grammy Awards and the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show. She has created powerful touring sculptures in collaboration with artists such as Adele, Kanye West, Beyonce, and The Weeknd. Recognized for her unique vision, Devlin has been honored as a Royal Designer for Industry in 2018 and the recipient of a Tony Award in 2022 for Best Scenic Design of a Play. Amassing more than thirty years of archival work, her monographic book, An Atlas of Es Devlin, showcases her inspirational art over the course of her career.   ------ Thank you to the sponsors that fuel our podcast and our team: Lucy https://lucy.co/tetra ------ LMNT Electrolytes https://drinklmnt.com/tetra ------ Squarespace https://squarespace.com/tetra ------ House of Macadamias https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/tetra

Today Elaine and Louise chat with director and designer of UGLY! A Cinderella Story which is on now until the 30th December at Cumbernauld Theatre. The show it was written by Gary McNair with original songs by Brian James O'Sullivan. We chat being women in theatre, breaking out of the box you've been placed in. Dismantling the outdated gender norms while bring everyone with us and glitter. A brilliant episode with brilliant humans UGLY! A Cinderella Story – Tickets Here https://lanternhousearts.org/events/ugly-a-cinderella-story/ - dates An Afternoon of Palestinian Short Films – Tickets Here https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/glasgow/glasgow-film-theatre/an-afternoon-of-palestinian-short-films/e-pgomab Jo Rush Jo is co-artistic director of new writing company Braw Fox Theatre. As a director she has premiered new work at the Edinburgh Fringe including Ivory Wings (Coreth Arts), Mary the Last Farewell (Cutting Edge Theatre), The Society of Ethical Cat Burglars (Foolproof Theatre), and Hide & Seek, based on the short stories of Carol Ann Duffy. With Braw Fox she is currently developing a new play about fire supported by the University of Edinburgh.As an associate director she has most recently worked on My Friend Selma by Terra Incognita, The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil with National Theatre of Scotland, and the premiere and tour of Fringe First Award winning production Stand By with Utter Theatre Company. As an assistant director she has worked at Dundee Rep on Death of a Salesman, at the Traverse Theatre on Bloody Trams and The Arthur Conan Doyle Appreciation Society, and at the Royal Lyceum on Dark Road. Jo has a BA Hons degree in Drama and Theatre Arts at the University of Birmingham. Natasha Jenkins Natasha studied Film Theatre and Television at the University of Glasgow. She was the first generation and the first woman in her family to study, gaining her MA in 2006. After a time working for Purni Morell as an assistant producer in Scotland Natasha moved to London and worked as a stage manager to support herself as she retrained, assisting directors and designers for several years before making her own work. She is a regular artistic collaborator of Alexander Zeldin, Joy Wilkinson and Amir Reza Khoonestani and works regularly within the UK, Europe and Internationally. Natasha was nominated for 2023 Drama Desk Award for Best Scenic Design for LOVE at Park Avenue Armory, New York. Natasha is an associate artist at Live Theatre Newcastle. Natasha is a founding member of Scene/Change. Her first feature 7 Keys (dir. Joy Wilkinson) is currently in post production for Jeva Films. OUR WEBSITE - www.persistentandnasty.co.uk Persistent Pal & Nasty Hero - Pals and Hero Membership Support In The Room - https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/in-the-room Email – persistentandnasty@gmail.com Instagram - @persistentandnasty Twitter - @PersistentNasty Coffee Morning Eventbrite - Coffee Morning Tickets LINKTREE - LINKTR.EE Resources Samaritans - Rape Crisis Scotland - Rape Crisis UK ArtsMinds - BAPAM Freelancers Make Theatre Work Stonewall UK - Trevor Project - Mermaids UK Switchboard LGBT+ - GATE PLANNED PARENTHOOD DONATE - DONATE ABORTION SUPPORT NETWORK UK - ASN.COM- DONATE WeAudition offer: For 25% off your monthly subscription quote: NASTY25 Backstage Offers: Get a free 12 months Actor Subscription: https://join.backstage.com/persistentnasty-uk-12m-free/

Long before turning his attention to architecture, David Rockwell, FAIA, had a fascination with immersive environments. Growing up in the United States and Guadalajara, Mexico, David was a child of the theater, and was often cast in community repertory productions by his mother, a vaudeville dancer and choreographer. There, he experienced the power of collaboration in service of a shared artistic goal and witnessed the ways in which narrative and design created meaning and lasting memories. Later, he would bring his passion for theater and curator's eye for the color and spectacle of Mexico to his practice. Through this unique lens, David founded Rockwell Group in 1984. Now a 300-person, cross-disciplinary architecture and design firm based in New York with satellite offices in Los Angeles and Madrid, Rockwell Group emphasizes invention and thought leadership. Merging architecture, theater, craftsmanship, and technology to create unique narratives for each project, the firm's work includes hospitality, theaters, cultural and educational institutions, transportation hubs, set design, products, exhibitions, festivals, and urban interventions that engage the public realm. Projects include the Perelman Performing Arts Center in New York (Restaurant and Lobby Interior Architect); 555 Pennsylvania Avenue and Hopkins Student Center for Johns Hopkins University (Washington, D.C. and Baltimore); Coqodaq, a new restaurant concept from Simon Kim (New York); Nobu restaurants and hotels worldwide; One Madison Avenue (New York); CIVILIAN Hotel (New York); City Harvest's Cohen Community Food Rescue Center (Brooklyn); Zaytinya (New York). David Rockwell's latest book, DRAMA, developed in collaboration with designer Bruce Mau was published by Phaidon in May 2021. Honors include the National Design Award from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum; the Presidential Design Award; the AIANY President's Award; two Emmy Awards; a Tony Award for Best Scenic Design for She Loves Me; the 2009 Pratt Legends Award; induction into the James Beard Foundation Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America; Interior Design magazine's Hall of Fame; and inclusion in Architectural Digest's AD100. Known for his commitment to non-profit and community organizations, David Rockwell serves as the Chair Emeritus of the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA) and as a board member of Citymeals on Wheels and New York Restoration Project.  On this episode, David joins host Mitchell Davis and discusses the intersection of theatre, hospitality and architecture, restaurants as the ultimate public square, and the difference between a dive and a dump. Follow Rockwell Group on Instagram @rockwellgroup and LinkedIn @rockwellgroup For more on the Rockwell Group, visit: www.rockwellgroup.com

It's TONY time once again - the annual celebration of the Broadway community via their awards ceremony - The Tony's - named after Antoinette Perry, an actress, producer and theatre director who was co-founder and secretary of the American Theatre WingThe 2023 awards have been surrounded by some controversy as producers negotiated with the striking writers guild of America for cooperation to present the ceremony. Happily, the awards will proceed as scheduled featuring live performances but in a non-scripted format.The televised performance is an essential marketing tool that can boost sales for those shows nominated and those that are awarded prizes. The ceremony will be broadcast on American network CBS on June 11th. The awards were postponed for approx. 18months in 2020 during the Covid pandemic which made such an event impossible. Audiences have yet to return to prepandemic levels, so such a telecast is understandably needed.Australians are an ever growing presence on the Broadway stage and this year were are cheering for Suzie Miller's production of Prima Facie; a play that  has taken the world by storm. After a commanding production starring Sheridan Harbridge which commenced at Sydney's Griffin Theatre, it landed triumphantly in London's West End starring Killing Eve's Jodie Comer. The production won Best Play and Best Actress at the Olivier Awards. The production opened on Broadway in April, once again starring Comer. Once again conquering box-office and compelling audiences with its visceral storytelling. A recent announcement has informed us that the play will be adapted into a feature film starring Tony winner Cynthia Ervio.Prima Facie is nominated in these categories at the Tonys …Best Leading Actress in a Play - Jodie Comer (first time on stage), Best Scenic Design of a Play - Miriam Buether Best Sound Design of a Play - Ben & Max Ringham, Best Lighting Design of a Play - Natasha Chivers. And Australian Daniel Edmonds is Assistant Conductor on the Best Musical nominee - Shucked!STAGES is joined in this episode by Musical afficiando Mark Humphries who will share his experiences of the Great White Way and offer his own predictions as to where the Tony's may land amongst this year's nominees.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).www.stagespodcast.com.au

Digital projection has changed the face of theater and other immersive, creative experiences. No one does this work better than Nicholas Hussong. Nicholas is an artist, designer, and creative producer who was recently nominated for a Tony Award for Best Scenic Design of a Play for his work as Projection Designer on the recent Broadway production of Skeleton Crew. With an impressive resume including graduating from Yale School of Drama, Nicholas has worked as a creative programmer for Marc Jacobs, director of design for Smith & Westward, and is the co-creator of FEAST, an immersive dining experience with Listen&Breathe. Nicholas is also an adjunct professor at The New School in New York, NY, and at USC in Los Angeles, CA. Tune in to hear Nicholas share his creative process and how he consistently embraces risk and opportunity. Follow Nicholas on Instagram and on the web.  Make sure to follow this podcast everywhere you find podcasts, leave a rating and a review, and slip into our Instagram DMs at @wasitchance. More about Heather via @vickeryandco on Instagram, @Braveheather on TikTok, and listen to The Brave Files More about Alan via @theatre_podcast on Instagram and listen to The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales EPISODE TAKEAWAYS Being part of a team is amazing. Just because you're creative doesn't mean you have to do it alone. More minds are better than one  Your career is about skills, not education - just get that receipt (degree). You have your whole life to figure things out  You are your own definition of success Get out there and do the work. That's how you really learn.  Be kind and available  Don't judge a “job” by its cover - judge it by how it feeds your soul and passion.  Real-world experience always plays into your professional work.  When the opportunity presents itself, get in, get messy and just fail until you get it right. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicholas Hussong is an artist, designer, and creative producer who has designed for many live performances both on and off Broadway. His most recent credit was designing projections for SKELETON CREW at Manhattan Theatre Club, which earned him a Tony Award nomination for Best Scenic Design of a Play. He was also recently a creative producer for Dwight Street Book Club. He has worked as a creative programmer for Marc Jacobs, director of design for Smith & Westward, and is the co-creator of FEAST, an immersive dining experience with Listen&Breathe (Nantucket, Ireland & please, hopefully, someday, the US). He is also an adjunct professor at The New School in New York, NY and at USC in Los Angeles, CA. Over the course of his career in designing and creative work, He's garnered extensive, outstanding credits on a wide variety of projects from major networks, brands, and more, such as CBS, Marc Jacobs, Complex Magazine, and AMC. He has contributed his expertise to award-nominated productions. His deep passion for design spans across multiple skills and interests such as opera & music, graphic design, animation, editing, and photography, which sets him apart as a powerful creative and designer. I had the great pleasure of interviewing Nicholas about his career and more. Follow Nicholas Hussong at www.nicholashussong.com and on Instagram: @nickhussong If you love this show, please leave us a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/karereviewspodcast and follow the simple instructions. Follow Kare Reviews at www.karereviews.net and on Twitter: @KareReviews Also please visit the newly launched Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/jeffreykare?fan_landing=true Follow Jeffrey Kare on Twitter: @JeffreyKare If you like what you've heard here, please subscribe to any one of the following places where the Kare Reviews Podcast is available. Anchor: https://anchor.fm/jeffrey-kareApple: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/kare-reviews-podcast/id1453846013Google: www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy85NWFhZDFjL3BvZGNhc3QvcnNzSpotify: open.spotify.com/show/6GL69s4zoDQmBcZf3NALTGBreaker: www.breaker.audio/kare-reviews-podcastOvercast: overcast.fm/itunes1453846013/kare-reviews-podcastPocket Casts: pca.st/47VwRadioPublic: radiopublic.com/kare-reviews-podcast-6rMdXk --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jeffrey-kare/support

[REBROADCAST FROM JANUARY 21, 2022] The new Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's 1970 Tony Award-winning musical "Company" switches the gender of many of the characters, including main character Bobbie, played by Tony Award-winner Katrina Lenk, and her best friend Jamie, now a gay man played by Matt Doyle. Lenk and Doyle join us to discuss the revival, which tells the story of a single woman turning 35, and contemplating whether it's time to get married. "Company" is nominated at the Tony Awards this Sunday for Best Revival of a Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical (for Matt Doyle), Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical (for Jennifer Simard and Patti Lupone), Best Scenic Design of a Musical, Best Lighting Design of a Musical, Best Sound Design of a Musical, Best Direction of a Musical, and Best Orchestrations. 

[REBROADCAST FROM MAY 9, 2022] A new comic play tells the story of seven women who work closely with the President of the United States, attempting to help alleviate a massive global crisis he inadvertently caused. Playwright Selina Fillinger joins us to discuss, "POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive," which is playing now on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre. "POTUS" is nominated at the 75th Tony Awards this Sunday for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for Rachel Dratch and Julie White, and for Best Scenic Design of a Play for Beowulf Boritt. 

Keith is a professional Equity actor from New York City, originally a native of Erie, PA. For over thirty years, Mr. Weirich has performed in professional and regional theatres across the United States, Canada and Europe. He has a B.F.A. in both Theatre and Music from Otterbein College, in Columbus, OH. Broadway and National Tour credits include: My Fair Lady starring Richard Chamberlain, and Victor/Victoria. Regional Theatre credits include: Theatre Under The Stars (TX), The Fifth Avenue Theatre (WA), Cincinnati Playhouse In The Park (OH), The St. Louis Repertory (MO), The Orpheum (MA), The Fox Theatre (GA), The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (PA), The Public Theatre (WV), The Tuacahn Amphitheatre (UT), the American Stage Festival (NH), and Stagecoach Productions (NH). Peacock Players Directing credits include: A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Addams Family, Spring Awakening, Disney's Tarzan, Shrek-The Musical, Into the Woods, Rumors, Les Miserables, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Noises Off, The Dinosaur Musical, Seussical, A Christmas Carol, 13 the Musical, The Wedding Singer, Forbidden Broadway, A Night of a Thousand Stars, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Grease, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Little Shop of Horrors, Barnum, Peter Pan, Damn Yankees, The Wizard of Oz, Aida, The Wild Party, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, Narnia, Oklahoma!, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In addition to being a founding member of the Children's Threatre Ensemble (PA), Keith has trained and worked with such prominent theatre organizations as the Pennsylvania Governor School for the Performing Arts (PA), the Chautauqua Theatre institute (NY), Stuart Howard Associates (NYC), National Artists Management Company (NYC), the Manhattan Theatre Project (NYC), the New Hampshire Theatre Project (NH), and the Music Hall in Portsmouth (NH), as well as serving on the Board of Directors for the NH Theatre Awards, and as an active adjudicator and guest director for the New Hampshire Educational Theatre Guild. Keith has produced over 85 Mainstage productions for Peacock Players, directing over 37 of them. Keith has been honored as a Top Three Finalist for Best Director at the New Hampshire Theatre Awards for the past ten consecutive years, and has received multiple New Hampshire Theatre Awards for Best Direction, Best Lighting Design, Best Scenic Design, and Best Original Playwright. In addition, Mr. Weirich was honored as the recipient of the Children's & Youth Theatre Award for his continuing dedication and guidance in theatre education. Keith is extremely proud of all of his students, which have appeared on Broadway, National tours, and Regional an stock theatres across the country.

Such an illuminating conversation with David Rockwell today. David shared with Hal the importance of community theater in his childhood, his approach to designing the factory space for Kinky Boots, and why he thinks theater is miraculous. David Rockwell, FAIA, is the founder and President of Rockwell Group, an interdisciplinary architecture and design firm based in New York, with satellite offices in Los Angeles and Madrid, that merges theater, performance and architecture to create extraordinary experiences and built environments across the globe. Notable projects include the Hayes Theater (New York); Union Square Cafe and Daily Provisions (New York); TED Theater (Vancouver, BC); the headquarters for Warner Music Group (Los Angeles); Nobu restaurants and hotels worldwide(including Nobu Downtown and Nobu Hotel Barcelona); The Shed (Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Lead Architect and Rockwell Group, Collaborating Architect); Equinox Hotel (New York); Moxy hotels (Times Square, Chelsea, East Village and South Beach); and set designs for more than 60 productions, including Kiss Me Kate, Tootsie, She Loves Me, Kinky Boots, and Hairspray. Honors include a Tony Award for Best Scenic Design for She Loves Me; the 2015 AIANY President’s Award; the 2008 National Design Award from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum for outstanding achievement in Interior Design; the 2009 Pratt Legends Award; and the Presidential Design Award. To see David’s latest projects, visit RockwellGroup.com or follow them on Instagram @RockwellGroup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we chat with Matthew Hannibal Butler about which of life's truths can be gleaned from the Kennedy-favourite musical - Camelot!"A 1993 review in The New York Times commented that the musical "has grown in stature over the years, primarily because of its superb score ... [which] combined a lyrical simplicity with a lush romanticism, beautifully captured in numbers like 'I Loved You Once in Silence' and 'If Ever I Would Leave You.' These ballads sung by Guenevere and Lancelot are among the most memorable in the Lerner-Loewe catalogue. King Arthur supplies the wit, with songs like 'I Wonder What the King Is Doing Tonight.'"Listen to Matthew's Podcast here: thatsnotcanon.com/deliciouswordsandwichpodcastFURTHER READING:Camelot (musical)Camelot (film)Alan Jay LernerFrederick LoeweThe Once and Future King.Kennedy AdministrationJulie AndrewsRichard BurtonRobert Goulethttps://open.spotify.com/album/5Fp6Y3gNufwzUeEBxuOZpohttps://music.apple.com/us/album/camelot-original-1960-broadway-cast-recording/158476378Camelot: The Musical, A History By Matthew Hannibal ButlerBy Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick LoweA History By Matthew Hannibal ButlerCamelotis an oft forgotten and underrated musical masterpiece by the iconic duo Lerner and Lowe, first premiering with Sir Richard Burton as King Arthur and Dame Julie Andrews as Guinevere, with Robert Goulet as the dashing Sir Lancelot. They did not have these titles when it premiered in 1960 at the Majestic Theatre, but I thought it was a nice touch considering their royal counterparts.Camelotis inspired by the definitive Arthurian novel The Once and Future King by T.H. White, a four book saga consisting of the iconic Sword in the Stone,The Witch in the Woods, The Ill-Made Knight and finally The Candle in the Wind. The musical mainly focuses on the events of this final instalment detailing with the last weeks of Arthur’s reign, the machinations and ultimately revolts by his son Mordred, Guinevere and Lancelot’s demise, and the tragic king’s final reflections of right and wrong. For all its levity, what I adore about this musical’s story is its choice to focus on one of the greatest tragedies in western folklore: The Fall of Camelot.As you can tell, I am an Arthurian lore fanatic, and T.H. White’s book, in my opinion, is the best classic interpretation of King Arthur. A tragedy of this musical is, in my opinion, that it did not inspire more interest in White’s marvellous book.Lerner and Lowe, as well as Camelot’s original director Moss Hart, were all coming from the chaotic universal success of their musical My Fair Lady and their musical film Gigi. Tensions and stakes were high. ‘Twas the classic tale of ‘What’s next?’ after tremendous success. Hart and Lerner decided upon T.H. White’s quintessential fantasy published in 1958 for their next musical. For a very small background on White, he wrote the bulk of the series in Ireland as a conscientious objector of the second World War between 1938 and 1941, thus writing a distinctly anti-war, anti-violent story engrained with western identity. To adapt this at this time, just before Kennedy’s escalation of the Vietnam War is a right proper noble gambit worthy of Arthur, let me tell you.Frederick Lowe initially had no interest in the project, but agreed to write the score on the condition that, if it went badly, it would be his last. This do or die spirit, I found, reigned throughout the whole production, in spite of everything, and made it the suitably tragic triumph that it became. There were several problems plaguing the production, not least of which was Lerner’s wife leaving him during its writing, causing him to seek medical attention. I can’t help but surmise this informs one of the most poignant moments of the play, when Arthur realises the feelings shared between Lancelot and Guinevere and he thus soliloquises about his love for his kingdom, his purpose and in truth his friends will ensure that they will together nonetheless prevail through all challenges.During its initial previews, it overran drastically. It was supposed to be two hours and forty minutes, instead it clocked in at a casual four and a half hours with the curtain coming down at twenty to 1 in the morning. Lerner later noted, “Only Tristan and Isolde equalled it as a bladder endurance contest”. In spite of this trial, positive reviews still generally prevailed though with an insistence much work needed yet. With drastic editing to be done, Lerner was hospitalised for three weeks with a bleeding ulcer, then Hart tagged into the hospital just as Lerner tagged out with his second heart attack.Cutting it down became a stubborn quest, for Lerner did not want to make dramatic decisions without Hart. Alas, Jose Ferrer of Cyrano de Bergerac fame was unable to step in, and so it goes as Lerner wrote: “God knows what would have happened had it not been for Richard Burton.” He accepted cuts and changes all while radiating faith and geniality to calm the fears of the cast. A King off and on the stage. Meanwhile, ever the Queen, last minute changes were so dramatic that literally at the last minute before the New York preview Julie Andrews was given the iconic number “Before I Gaze At You Again”, simply remarking “Of course, darling, but do try to get it to me the night before”.With Hart returned, literally and figuratively, cuts and edits continued. The New York critics’ reviews of the original production were mixed. However, My Fair Lady’s fifth anniversary approached and Ed Sullivan wanted to do a tribute segment on his show. Lerner and Lowe chose to mainly perform highlights from Camelot on the show, and so it was their new show achieved an unprecedented advance sale of three and a half million dollars.Now that’s perseverance, even when things are going haywire, you raise the stakes even higher! This served also to make Robert Goulet a household name with his signature ballad, “If Ever I would Leave You” becoming the Once and Future Belter.Camelot had its initial run. In such time, it gained many an award, including four Tony Awards, with Richard Burton for Best Leading Actor, naturally Best Scenic Design and Best Costume Design, with Franz Allers for Best Conductor and Musical Director and finally with Julie Andrews being ROBBED and fetching a nomination for Best Leading Actress.Robert Goulet became a STAR with appearances on the Danny Thomas and Ed Sullivan Shows, and the stellar, and frankly best, original cast recording became a favourite bedtime listening for President John F. Kennedy, who was Lerner’s classmate at Harvard University. His favourite lines from the final reprise of the titular song became well-documented, and forever associated Camelot, with all its idealism and sheen, with the Kennedy Administration.Small sidenote, to enjoy this tremendous score, the best buck starts and ends with the original cast soundtrack.Alas, the obstacles encountered in producing Camelot were hard on the creative partnership of Lerner and Loewe, the show turning out to be one of their last collaborations. Camelot was indeed Hart’s last Broadway show, dying of a heart attack on December 20, 1961.Since the original production, Richard Burton reprised his role as Arthur with Christine Ebersole as Guinevere and Richard Muenz as Lancelot. Then ‘twas revived in 1981 with Richard Harris as Arthur, Meg Bussert as Guinevere, Muenz once more as Sir Lancelot. This version can be found three parts on the YouTubes. Harris starred in the tragic for all the wrong reasons film, but proved he was the jewel in that particular crown for he took the show to tour nationwide with Muenz. A curious Broadway Revival also ran in 1993 with Robert Goulet now King Arthur.There was then in 2007 Michael York as King Arthur, Rachel York, no relation, as Guinevere and the disgraced James Barbour ironically as Lancelot.Alas, I have not been able to see Michael York as King Arthur, as that is inspired casting.The final production I have had the honour of seeing was in 2008, since alas taken down from the YouTubes, where the New York Philharmonic presented five semi-staged concerts of Camelot with Gabriel Byrne as a more contemplative and subdued King Arthur, Marin Mazzie as Guenevere, and Nathan Gunn as Lancelot. What made this production stand out for me was it didn’t overdo anything, as this musical can oft be overwhelming, and also it featured Christopher Lloyd as Pellinore, a role I feel he was destined to do. Oh, if only they had done a spin-off adventure story starring Christopher Lloyd as Pellinore in his endless hunt for the Questing Beast.All in all, the history of Camelot I think reflects it perfectly for better or ill. It is not a universally appealing production. In my opinion, it was never destined to be, considering its content and style. It is very chatty, pontificating and philosophical, yet with its simply magic score, a lush fantastical world, sweeping tragic romance and swashbuckling glory, when it connects with people it connects as firmly as the sword in the stone.Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter! Support us on Patreon!Email us: musicalstaughtmepodcast@gmail.comVisit our home on the web thatsnotcanonproductions.comOur theme song and interstitial music all by the one and only Benedict Braxton Smith. Find out more about him at www.benedictbraxtonsmith.com

Lorenzo Pugliese a 2019 graduate of Philadelphia’s University of the Arts joins Kristen in studio. He’s starring in the national tour of the SpongeBob Musical as the lead role - Spongebob Squarepants! The show includes original songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, The Flaming Lips, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper & Rob Hyman, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants, T.I., Domani & Lil’C, David Bowie & Brian Eno, Tom Kenny & Andy Paley, Jonathan Coulton, and Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. Tony Award Winner for Best Musical and Best Scenic Design in 2018 and based on the beloved Nickelodeon animated series, The SpongeBob Musical debuts in Philadelphia at the Forrest Theater from December 3rd to the 15th as a part of the Kimmel Center’s Broadway Philadelphia season. Don’t miss it! TODAY ONLY (Monday, December 2nd), get tickets for $25 with the code CYBER at www.TelechargeOffers.com.  Then, Kristen speaks with Linda Torelli, the Marketing Director at the Brandywine SPCA. The Brandywine SPCA has teamed up with a number of other local rescues to host their Mega Adoption Event which will feature over 1,000 animals that will be up for adoption THIS Saturday, December 7th and Sunday, December 8th. For just $35, you can take your new pal home with you – that same day – spayed/neutered, microchipped, and up to date on vaccinations. Pick up your new best friend, 10am to 6pm either day, with a fast pass option at 9am for a fee. For more, please visit BVSPCA.org/MEGAADOPT. Then, stand up comedian and television writer Chip Chantry joins Kristen to talk about his upcoming comedy show at Helium Comedy Club to benefit PAWS (Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society). The show features Chip and three other great comedians, this Tuesday, December 10th at 8pm. Tickets are $20, and $10 goes directly to helping PAWS continue their life-saving mission. Chip was 2013's Philly's Phunniest Contest winner at Helium, named "Funniest Comedian" in Philadelphia's annual Comedy Awards in both 2012 and 2014, and named Best Comedian 2018 by Philadelphia Magazine. He’s a recurring guest on the Doug Loves Movies and Todd Glass Show Podcasts, co-host of the Junk Miles with Chip and Jeff Podcast, and he’s opened for national headliners such as Dave Chappelle, Bob Saget, and Tig Notaro. Check out his comedy albums, ACROSS FROM THE ADONIS and SWINGERS PARTY on iTunes (or wherever) and come out to support PAWS and see great show Tuesday, December 10th, 8pm. Buy tickets at Philadelphia.heliumcomedy.com. You can also bring items to donate to PAWS. Check the website for more info. 21+

Mark Yoder, President and CEO of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce returns to BEN Around Philly to to give the scoop on this year’s 40th Annual QVC West Chester Christmas Parade. Head to Downtown West Chester on Friday, December 6th for their biggest and best Christmas parade yet. Join BEN-FM’s own Kristen Herrmann and Matt Cord, master of ceremonies 6ABC’s Adam Joseph, along with QVC hosts Carolyn Gracie and Dan Hughes - plus 24 marching bands, floats, antique vehicles, local schools, businesses, volunteer fire companies, and other service organizations. The evening also features the 11th annual US Air Force Jingle Elf Run and Walk (a 2-mile run or 1-mile walk that kicks off at 6:30pm before the parade), the 2nd Annual Fill the stocking, and the Key Financial Holiday Village (open 5pm – 9pm) with complimentary treats, hot chocolate, face painting, holiday tunes, photo ops and more – ALL FREE! Oh, and the big man himself AND the Mrs. will surely be there too. Find parking, schedule, line-up and more at greaterwestchester.com.  Lorenzo Pugliese a 2019 graduate of Philadelphia’s University of the Arts joins Kristen in studio. He’s starring in the national tour of the SpongeBob Musical as the lead role - Spongebob Squarepants! The show includes original songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, The Flaming Lips, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper & Rob Hyman, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants, T.I., Domani & Lil’C, David Bowie & Brian Eno, Tom Kenny & Andy Paley, Jonathan Coulton, and Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. Tony Award Winner for Best Musical and Best Scenic Design in 2018 and based on the beloved Nickelodeon animated series, The SpongeBob Musical debuts in Philadelphia at the Forrest Theater from December 3rd to the 15th as a part of the Kimmel Center’s Broadway Philadelphia season. Don’t miss it! TODAY ONLY (Monday, December 2nd), get tickets for $25 with the code CYBER at www.TelechargeOffers.com.  Finally, Lea Köthe, the PR & Social Media Manager for Christmas Village joins Kristen to talk about the 2019 Christmas Village in LOVE Park. The traditional, open-air German Christmas Market in Philadelphia (right by City Hall in Love Park) is returning for its 12th season, open from Thanksgiving Day through Christmas Eve. With vendors, food & drinks (mulled wine!), shopping, music, live events, and even a ferris wheel this year, Christmas Village has something to offer every member of the family - including pets. Check out www.PhilaChristmas.com for more information and a schedule of events. Christmas Village hours this season are Sunday - Thursday: 11:00am - 7:00pm. Friday - Saturday: 11:00am - 8:00pm. Christmas Eve: 11:00am - 5:00pm.   

Gary welcomes actor, director, producer, choreographer, casting and teaching professional Stephen Schellhardt to the co-host chair of Booth One this week. Longtime listeners to the program may remember Stephen as a panel guest when we recorded our all-things Sondheim Episode 38 before a live audience at Writers Theatre. His recent production of Urinetown received glowing notices. See a review here. Stephen will next be seen as Melman the Giraffe in Madagascar The Musical at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, directed by friend of the show, episode 57 guest Rachel Rockwell. More details. Stephen is about to begin a position at Northwestern University where he'll be teaching Musical Theatre. We're going to put that knowledge to the test in this Episode 60! Gary and Producer Betsy just returned from a whirlwind trip to New York City where they saw 6 Broadway shows in 5 days! Here's a rundown of the cavalcade: Sweat - Terrific play with a fine ensemble cast. Khris Davis! This show will have a lot of legs on the regional circuit with one set and important timely subject matter. Sadly, the 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning play just closed in NY, but it will have a long and profitable life after Broadway. Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 - Lavish, interactive spectacle of a production, but we found it curiously un-engaging, despite having the best seats of our trip. Gary never found the emotional heart of the piece, though the last 20 minutes are very moving. Still, it's a long slog to get to those final moments and it's not a show we can highly recommend, except for the fact that you'll not see anything else as lavish as this anywhere, and Josh Groban is exceptional as Pierre. A Doll's House, Part 2 - Laurie Metcalf deserves all the acclaim she's received for this performance in Lucas Hnath's imaginative sequel to Ibsen's classic. The rest of the cast - Jane Houdyshell, Chris Cooper and Condola Rashad, all nominated for Tony's - round out this genuinely entertaining and thought-provoking dramedy. Maybe a bit too short and some unexplored themes, but it's for Metcalf that one should see this particular production. Gary likens her star turn to what it might have been like to see Hepburn or Davis on the stage in their heyday. A true American theater treasure! The Little Foxes - Seeing Laura Linney and Cynthia Nixon in this searing Lillian Hellman play was to see acting at it's finest. Perfectly cast and superbly staged, Gary and Betsy were also very impressed by Richard Thomas and Michael McKean's performances. We saw the version for which Linney and Nixon were nominated - Regina and Birdie respectively. Stephen comments that the two actresses believe this combination plays against their types. That's what acting is all about, and what a pair of powerhouse actors they are! As of this publication, this show is also now closed, but it's a theater-going memory that will live in our minds for a long time to come. Come From Away - Words cannot describe the heartfelt joy and spontaneous enthusiasm this show engendered in us. It's a musical that shouldn't really work, given its subject matter and minimalist plot. But it was perhaps our favorite show of the whole trip. This as well will play beautifully in "the provinces", and crowds should certainly adore it as much as the one on the night we saw it. A terrific score and fantastic staging. With a cast of ordinary-looking townsfolk and air passengers, the show utilizes just a single stationary set (with a small turntable), a couple of tables and a dozen or so chairs. When it comes to your town, run, don't walk to experience this gem of a musical! The cast album is on repeat in Stephen's car! The Play That Goes Wrong - For sheer fun and entertainment, here was a show that we went to on a whim with half-price tickets from the TKTS Booth. This play features a great ensemble of physical comedy actors and a set that fully deserves its Tony Award for Best Scenic Design.

Derek McLane is a set designer for theatre, opera, and television.  McLane has designed more than 300 productions at theatres throughout the United States and around the world, for Broadway, Off-Broadway and major live television. McLane won an Emmy and an Art Directors Guild Award for his design for the 2014 Oscars. Broadway credits include: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, 33 Variations (Tony Award, Best Scenic Design 2009), Grease, The Pajama Game (2006 Tony Nomination), I Am My Own Wife (Tony Award, Best Play), The Women, Present Laughter, London Assurance, Holiday, Honour, Summer and Smoke, and Three Sisters. Off-Broadway credits include: Buried Child, Into the Woods, Posterity, The Scene, The Voysey Inheritance, Two Trains Running, and Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. For television, McLane designed the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Academy Awards, as well as the live television productions of The Sound of Music Live!, Peter Pan Live! and The Wiz Live!.   We talked about everything design related and more including: Why a fish tank led to his career in design. The one piece of advice that got him accepted into the Yale School of Drama. How you can get him to design one of your shows. The big part of a designer’s job that people don’t know about. How projections will influence design in the future . . . or how they won’t? Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway www.theproducersperspective.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beowulf Boritt is a scenic designer for theater. He is known for his Tony Award winning design for the play Act One in 2014. Hal Prince asked him to design Daisy Prince's production of The Last Five Years and later Prince's own production Paradise Found. Soon after, designing The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee launched his career on Broadway. Since then, he has designed over 20 Broadway shows, including his Tony Award winning play Act One and nominated shows The Scottsboro Boys, and Thérèse Raquin. In 2007, he was awarded the Obie Award for sustained excellence in scenic design. He has also won the AUDELCO Award for set design in 2002 and the 2012 Tina Award for Best Scenic Design. In this week’s episode, hear him talk about the secrets of Broadway set design including . . How Lord of the Rings helped inspire him to be a designer. What he did in college that helped launch his career (if you’re in school, you should do this too, no matter what you want to do in the theater). The budgeting process on Broadway – what’s right, what’s wrong, and how to fix it. The difference between designing a musical and designing a play. The next big thing in set design is . . . . (hear his answer!) Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway www.theproducersperspective.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Pask, nominated for Best Scenic Design of a Musical for The Book of Mormon, talks about the show he considers a landmark in his career.

Beowulf Boritt, nominated for Best Scenic Design of a Musical The Scottsboro Boys, talks about the importance of his liberal arts education.

Scott Pask, nominated for Best Scenic Design of a Musical for The Book of Mormon, talks about the first lesson he learned about theatre.

Scenic designer Christine Jones (2010 Tony Award winner for Best Scenic Design of a Musical for “American Idiot”) discusses the development of “American Idiot” from album to Broadway musical, including when she came into the creative process and how her ideas influenced the piece. She also talks about her youth in Canada, including her original plans to be a professional dancer, her flirtation with acting and her shift into the visual medium of scenic design; why she moved to the United States to train; how she got her first design jobs, at Hartford Stage and The Public Theatre; her work on the musical “Spring Awakening”, including the genesis of the onstage seating and how the show managed its shift from the Atlantic Theatre Company to its Broadway berth; whether she thinks the Great White Way is hospitable to female set designers; and how she developed "Theatre for One," her unique hybrid of theatrical performance and peep show booth that recently finished a high-profile residency in Times Square.

Veteran scenic designer John Lee Beatty (1980 Tony Award winner for Best Scenic Design for “Talley’s Folley”; 12 other Tony nominations for Scenic Design, including for “Doubt” in 2005 and “The Royal Family” in 2010), currently represented in New York by “Time Stands Still”, “A View from the Bridge” and “Venus in Fur”, talks about why he thinks all American drama is about real estate, making set design particularly integral to every work. He also discusses how he was instantly drawn to set design (as well as flying) when he first saw “Peter Pan” as a child; his self-education in set design through his college years -- and what he discovered when he entered the graduate design program at the Yale School of Drama; his extensive work with not-for-profit companies including the Manhattan Theatre Club, Mark Taper Forum, Goodspeed Musicals, Circle Repertory Company and Lincoln Center Theater -- plus 50 shows for City Center's Encores! series; his affinity for the Victorian era; why he hasn't done many designs for musicals -- and the musical he'd most like to tackle; how he feels about being "typecast" for his interiors and exteriors of homes through the years -- and costume designer Jane Greenwood's sage advice on Beatty's particular specialty; how he chooses his projects -- and the kinds of shows he doesn't like to do; what it was like to imagine different parts of the Talley family property in different eras in Lanford Wilson's famed trilogy; and how the design of “Proof” was actually based on an old sweater.

The Anna Christie production team -- scenic designer John Lee Beatty (1980 Tony Award winner for Best Scenic Design for Talley’s Folley), O'Neill biographer Barbara Gelb, Artistic Director of Roundabout Theatre Todd Haimes (who has scored multiple Tonys while serving as Artistic Director for Roundabout Theatre Company), actors Anne Meara, Liam Neeson, Natasha Richardson (winner of Tony Award in the 1998 revival of Cabaret), and Rip Torn, and lighting designer Marc B. Weiss -- discuss in-depth the 1993 Tony Award-winning revival, including the scenic and lighting design, how the characters relate to contemporary lives, the actors' differing acting styles, and Eugene O'Neill's early career.

The design team of The Heiress -- scenic designer John Lee Beatty (1980 Tony Award winner for Best Scenic Design for Talley’s Folley), lightning designer Beverly Emmons, costume designer Jane Greenwood, two-time Tony-winning director Gerald Gutierrez (in 1995 for The Heiress and in 1996 for A Delicate Balance) and actor Cherry Jones (Tony Award winner for her performances in Doubt and The Heiress) -- discuss the interwoven details of their production, from natural period lighting for the enclosed sets, to background colors complementing the costumes, and the advantages of collaborating on previous works. Mask/puppet designer Ralph Lee demonstrates the large puppets worn by actors in Heart Of The Earth: A Popul Vuh Story.

The panel -- lighting designer Beverly Emmons; costume designer Danny Gates (When Pigs Fly); 1997 Tony Award winners for Best Scenic Design for Jekyll and Hyde James Noone and director/designer Robin Phillips; puppeteer Basil Twist (Peter and Wendy); director Mark Waldrop (When Pigs Fly); and producer/playwright Liza Lorwin (Peter and Wendy) -- talk about how designers work with directors, producers and writers; directing in addition to designing; creating pop-up sets; working with the late Howard Crabtree on When Pigs Fly, with a detailed demonstration of costumes; Jekyll and Hyde's movable plexiglass towers, backdrops, and lighting with new Varilights technology; and the unanswerable question of "what makes good design?"

The panel -- Tony Award winning lighting designer Beverly Emmons for "Amadeus", "Passion" and "The Heiress"; costume designer Danny Gates ("When Pigs Fly"); 1997 Tony Award winners for Best Scenic Design for "Jekyll and Hyde" James Noone and director/designer Robin Phillips; puppeteer Basil Twist ("Peter and Wendy"); director Mark Waldrop ("When Pigs Fly"); and producer/playwright Liza Lorwin ("Peter and Wendy") -- talk about how designers work with directors, producers and writers; directing in addition to designing; creating pop-up sets; working with the late Howard Crabtree on "When Pigs Fly", with a detailed demonstration of costumes; "Jekyll and Hyde"'s movable plexiglass towers, backdrops, and lighting with new Varilights technology; and the unanswerable question of "what makes good design?"