Category: Creative

By Ben Lerner

The big, traditional Broadway set design that defined the Golden Era – with its physical, moving set pieces and fully furnished rooms – is still around, of course. You’ve seen it recently in big budget shows like Moulin Rouge! and revivals like Sweeney Todd and Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, the latter of which transformed the theatre beyond the stage, with audiences sitting at dining tables in the round. But why are we seeing less of the traditional set in the 2020s? Minimalist sets have been around for decades – used in the 1990s in Rent and the Chicago revival that is still playing, as well as in recent hits like Hamilton and SIX. But it is the advent of onstage video projections that have grown in popularity alongside technological progress – and that are redefining Broadway sets, mixing minimalism on the actual stages with maximalism on projected screens.

Employing video projections can expand the scope of possibility for set design, but it’s also deeply integrated with lighting design. These creative choices can be controversial, but as with all theatre, projections sometimes enhance the art brilliantly (like in Sunset Boulevard) and other times go too far, taking away from the story’s impact (like in the short-lived Redwood). This is subjective, as audiences don’t always align with critics or awards shows in their opinions on whether or not the projections work, but one thing is for sure: the number of shows employing them has risen. Let’s take a look at some of the recent shows that have used video projections, and if they did so successfully.

One of the most famous and successful usages of video projection was over a decade ago in Dear Evan Hansen, which featured screens throughout the show and memorably featured social media comments flooding on screens above the actors. Recently, a similar technique was used in a key scene featuring social media discourse in Eureka Day, which won Best Revival of a Play at last year’s Tony Awards.

Interestingly, that same 2024-2025 season featured notable video projections in both Tony winners for Scenic Design: the play Stranger Things: The First Shadow and the musical Maybe Happy Ending. The latter show also won Best Musical, and its sleek, high-tech video projections – which are often neon rather than busy or bright – matched well with the robot leading characters and South Korean setting. The projections were also funny, at times landing the punchline of a joke onscreen. Maybe Happy Ending is the most acclaimed, award-winning musical to rely so heavily on video projection since Dear Evan Hansen. Other productions that employed them in between included Mean Girls (also featuring social media), Anastasia (with fully digital backgrounds depicting Russia and Paris), and the recent revival of Sunday in the Park with George, which digitized Seurat’s pointillism, bringing the painting to life in real time.

Then there’s the aforementioned Tony-winning Best Musical Revival from the same 2024-25 season: Jamie Lloyd’s Sunset Blvd., which used live video projections of the actors, showing their reactions up close and personal in a mashup of traditional theatre and an arena-style pop concert. Most agree this was a brilliant choice, capturing the raw emotion of Nicole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond, as well as Tom Francis as Joe performing the titular song outside walking on the street. Maybe Happy Ending won for its set design that year, as it had a physical set beyond video, but Sunset Blvd. took the prize for Best Lighting Design of a Musical. (Its video projections were particularly central as there was not any set beyond scrims, and the actors wore all black rather than period costumes.) In addition, the recent productions of Prima Facie, starring Jodie Comer, and The Picture of Dorian Gray, with Sarah Snook as 20 different characters, also used live video – and both won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.

Director Ivo van Hove is known for his near-constant usage of video projections, often in lieu of any set, such as in his acclaimed 2015 revival of A View From The Bridge. These can occasionally be polarizing or unwelcome, such as with Hove’s video usage in his short-lived, scandal-plagued 2020 West Side Story revival, which digitized alleyways of New York and portrayed gang violence onscreen. But other times, his heavy projection usage is very well-received, such as in 2018’s Network, where almost 50 screens took over the full set to evoke the chaos of broadcast television, mixing live feeds with prerecorded projections. (It’s also worth noting a newer play about live TV news, last year’s Good Night, and Good Luck, used a mix of live feed and prerecorded projections as well, but in a more restrained, period-accurate six-screen control room format.)

There are also Broadway shows employing a balanced combination, meaning video projections are featured, especially for backgrounds, but physical set pieces are plentiful and noticeable. Examples of these include Beetlejuice, which has a physical set of the Deetz house, and The Great Gatsby, which features grand art deco staircases and set pieces like glass chandeliers and Gatsby’s yellow car. 

It’s clear video projections are more than a fad on Broadway. The question is whether they’ll take over even more, or remain in the mix with non-video minimalist sets and traditional maximalist set design. There’s also a bit of an elephant in the room (and we’re not talking about the huge one featured in Moulin Rouge’s physical set!). As tech advances into the world of artificial intelligence, will AI be employed in video projection design, and will the productions be upfront about this? The shows we’ve discussed here did not publicly employ AI, but in the coming seasons, it could be easily used to design prerecorded sequences or scenic backdrops. Many fans of Broadway will want to see all set design jobs, projected or otherwise, remain with human workers who are integral to the theatrical community, regardless of AI’s ability to cut corners and create “art” faster.

By Ben Lerner

If you read the Broadway’s Best Shows feature about the most-revived plays in Broadway history, you know Shakespeare is the clear leader, although he had a multi-century headstart over runners-up like Henrik Ibsen, George Bernard Shaw, and Anton Chekhov. And that when focusing on twentieth-century American playwrights, Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman (on Broadway until August 9!) take the cake.

But if we focus solely on musical theatre, which shows do you think we’ve seen on Broadway the most so far? Close readers of the last feature will note Gilbert & Sullivan’s operettas have been performed dozens of times, dating back to the 1870s. But when we zoom in on American Broadway musicals of the twentieth century, our winner is George & Ira Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, which premiered in 1935 and has been revived a whopping seven times since – most recently in 2012 with Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis. Sticklers may question its position, as it is an opera, but its eight Broadway productions solidify its status as a musical (and there are plenty of sung-through musicals in its company!)

That said, a more classic American musical ranks just behind with six revivals: Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein II’s Show Boat, which debuted in 1927 and was last revived in 1994, directed by Hal Prince. Tied with Show Boat is The Threepenny Opera by Berthold Brecht & Kurt Weill, but that show is classified more as a “play with music” and premiered in Germany.

When we look at the five-revival club behind Porgy and Bess and Show Boat, we’ll find some of the most well-known and beloved musicals from the Golden Age of Broadway – including some that are lovingly lampooned in this year’s Tony-winning best musical, Schmigadoon!. These include two Rodgers & Hammerstein classics: Oklahoma!, which debuted in 1943 and was most recently seen in 2019 as a stripped-down, immersive reimagining that won the Tony for Best Musical Revival, and Carousel (1945), last revived in 2018 starring Jessie Mueller and recent Tony winner Joshua Henry.

Outside of Rodgers & Hammerstein, there are four more classic musicals that have been revived five distinct times. Guys & Dolls was first performed in 1950 and last seen on Broadway in 2009, while Fiddler on the Roof premiered in 1964 and was last revived in 2015. Leonard Bernstein and Arthur Laurents’ West Side Story debuted in 1957 and was revived most recently in a controversial production that closed for the COVID-19 pandemic and never returned. (Of course, the iconic 1961 film version was “revived” in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake starring Rachel Zegler!) Lastly, Jule Styne and Arthur Laurents’ Gypsy was first staged in 1959 starring Ethel Merman as Rose and has been revived five times: starring Angela Lansbury (1974), Tyne Daly (1989), Bernadette Peters (2003), Patti LuPone (2008), and, most recently, Audra McDonald (2024).

These four musicals are considered to be among the greatest of all time, especially West Side Story and Gypsy – both of which feature lyrics by a young Stephen Sondheim! (Sondheim musicals with both his music and lyrics are more modern, but Sweeney Todd and Company are in the lead with three revivals each.)

Also technically at five revivals is 1954’s Peter Pan, although four of those five revivals occurred in the 1990s starring Cathy Rigby: the 1990 revival returned for the 1991 holiday season, and the 1998 production returned in April 1999, only three months after closing its first engagement. In addition, if we see a Broadway transfer of Chez Joey – the recent reimagining of Rodgers and Hart’s Pal Joey that played a pre-Broadway engagement at Washington DC’s Arena Stage this spring – that show would hit five revivals, too. (It debuted back in 1940 and has been revived four times so far, most recently in 2008.)

Many of these most-revived shows originated before 1960, so the more modern musical classics may need some time to catch up. But of those waiting in the wings at four revivals each – The King And I, Brigadoon, Cabaret, Hello, Dolly!, My Fair Lady, and Man of La Mancha – which do you think is most due for #5? Of these, Cabaret was seen on Broadway most recently, with Eddie Redmayne in 2024, although the third revival in 2014 was technically a revival of the 1998 revival, both of which starred Alan Cumming. My Fair Lady, The King And I, and Hello, Dolly! all received large-scale fourth revivals in the 2010s – the former two at Lincoln Center and the latter at the Shubert. (Those productions of The King And I and Hello, Dolly! both won the Tonys for Best Musical Revival and Best Actress for their respective stars, Kelli O’Hara and Bette Midler).

That leaves Schmigadoon’s actual namesake, Lerner & Loewe’s Brigadoon, and Man of La Mancha as the most “overdue” to return. These two were last revived in 1980 and 2002, respectively, although Kelli O’Hara starred in Brigadoon for seven performances at New York City Center in 2017. (Unlike with City Center’s recent stagings of Once Upon A Mattress, Parade, and Ragtime, it did not transfer to Broadway.)

Now that you know the stats, which of these musicals would you like to see back on Broadway next? Or perhaps none of the above? I personally would love to see some 21st century gems like Avenue Q and The Drowsy Chaperone get their first-ever revivals!

By Ben Schachne

A Look at Broadway’s Best Visual and Textual Language

Some Broadway shows are remembered long after their final curtain or throughout their current run not just for the performances onstage, but for the visual and textual language that came to define them. A single emblem, a distinctive typeface, or a carefully crafted logo can become as recognizable as a show’s score, instantly evoking a production decades later or for decades to come. 

In an industry built on storytelling, Broadway’s most iconic iconography and typography prove that great design can leave just as lasting an impression as the stories themselves. Here are some of the quintessential examples of Broadway iconography and typography that continue to shape the industry’s visual legacy.

Iconography

The Phantom of the Opera

Icon: The Mask

Perhaps the most recognizable image in Broadway history, the mask from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera encapsulates the mystery, romance, and tragedy at the heart of the musical. While the key art features a full-face mask rather than the half-mask worn by the Phantom onstage, both evoke the same haunting elegance and have become enduring symbols of the show’s story and its enigmatic title character. Even though the Phantom’s mask existed long before the musical, The Phantom of the Opera redefined it, forever linking the image with Broadway itself.

Les Misérables

Icon: Cosette

Originally created in the 19th century, Émile Bayard’s illustration of young Cosette has become synonymous with the musical adaptation of Les Misérables. Since the show’s original production, the image has appeared on Playbills, posters, and cast album covers for almost every production around the world, from Broadway and the West End to regional and school stages. Though rooted in Victor Hugo’s novel, the image has become inseparable from the stage production as it captures the sweeping emotion and revolutionary themes of the story.

Little Shop of Horrors

Icon: Audrey II

Across both stage and screen adaptations of Little Shop of Horrors, Audrey II has terrorized characters while charming audiences around the world, stealing hearts both literally and figuratively. Evolving from a cute hand puppet into a towering, stage-filling monster, the carnivorous plant perfectly embodies the show’s blend of camp, horror, and dark comedy. Brought to life through extraordinary puppetry and an irresistibly devious personality, Audrey II has become one of Broadway’s defining visual icons.

Hamilton

Icon: The Star & The Silhouette

Few Broadway logos have achieved the instant recognition of the star-and-silhouette emblem from Hamilton. Its bold simplicity mirrors the show’s forward-driving energy and revolutionary spirit, with Hamilton’s silhouette in his “My Shot” pose evoking both the character’s relentless ambition and the perpetual cultural impact of the song. The logo’s pose also serves as a poetic foreshadowing of Hamilton’s fate in his duel with Aaron Burr, producing a striking image that has fostered its instant recognition and countless parodies across popular media.

Wicked

Icon: The Hat

Elphaba’s pointed black hat has been a defining visual of Broadway—and now Hollywood—culture since the debut of Wicked in 2003. While rooted in the iconic headpiece from The Wizard of Oz, Wicked reimagines its meaning, transforming it into a symbol of defiance and self-acceptance as Elphaba embraces her identity by wearing it. Instantly recognizable even outside the context of the story, the hat captures the essence of one of Broadway’s most popular musicals in a single, timeless image.

Ragtime

Icon: The Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty stands as one of America’s most iconic symbols, representing immigration, freedom, and the promise of the American Dream. Ragtime draws on this powerful image of hope, using it as a central visual motif that reflects the show’s themes on a monumental scale. Through its repeated visual presence across productions and promotional material, it has become inseparable from the musical, embodying its message of hope amid a changing America.

Maybe Happy Ending

Icon: HwaBoon

The small potted plant at the heart of Maybe Happy Ending may seem simple at first glance, but it has become one of the production’s most defining visual motifs. As the shared companion of its central characters, HwaBoon serves as a touching symbol of the musical’s themes of connection, memory, and what it means to be alive. Though a relatively new piece of Broadway iconography, HwaBoon has already left a lasting impression on audiences, with its legacy only beginning to grow.

Typography

A Chorus Line

The typography of A Chorus Line is as recognizable as its signature gold imagery. Set in elegant, Art-Deco lettering, the title conveys the glitz and glamour of Broadway while allowing the silhouettes of the dancers to remain the visual focus. Its understated and repeated design reflects the show’s celebration of the ensemble, proving that strong typography can be memorable without overpowering the artwork.

Chicago

The Chicago logo is bold, minimalist, and instantly recognizable, perfectly capturing the show’s sleek, jazz-era aesthetic. Its thick, geometric letterforms project confidence, while the striking red-and-black color palette reinforces the production’s themes of passion, danger, and spectacle. The clean, commanding title has become synonymous with the musical itself, making it one of Broadway’s most successful typographic identities.

Sweeney Todd

The typography of Sweeney Todd is hand-drawn and deliberately unrefined, immediately conveying the musical’s dark and ominous tone. The jagged brushstroke lettering feels almost hastily scrawled in blood, reinforcing the show’s themes of madness, violence, and revenge. Recently reused in the 2023 Broadway revival, the distressed style creates a sense of unease, making the typography as psychologically unsettling as the story itself.

Rent

The Rent logo itself feels gritty and unpolished, giving the title a handmade quality that mirrors the raw, emotional texture of the show. Its uneven spacing and graffiti-like letterforms evoke the instability of life in downtown New York, reinforcing the musical’s grounded, documentary-like feel. Like an artifact pulled directly from the world the characters inhabit, the logo has become iconic and is now used across nearly every production of the show.

West Side Story

The typography of West Side Story is bold, textured, and tightly stacked, reflecting the heightened drama and underlying tension of its 1950s setting. The sharp alignment and heavy weight of the type echo the show’s choreography and urban environment, reinforcing a sense of spatial conflict between the two sides. While originally introduced with the 1961 film, this distinctive design became inseparable from the show’s identity, going on to influence countless Broadway and regional productions that followed.

Cats

The Cats logo is elegant and mysterious, immediately establishing the musical’s dreamlike, otherworldly atmosphere. Its flowing hand-drawn letterforms and elongated curves evoke grace and movement, reflecting the feline physicality that defines the original production. Simple yet instantly recognizable, the logo has remained virtually unchanged for decades, with even contemporary reinterpretations like Cats: The Jellicle Ball incorporating the classic design into their updated marketing.

The Rocky Horror Show

The typography of The Rocky Horror Show is bold, playful, and unmistakably camp, perfectly reflecting the musical’s rebellious spirit and cult appeal. Its exaggerated, bloody letterforms evoke the aesthetics of vintage horror comics and B-movie posters, blending humor with theatrical excess. Although the typography has evolved across stage productions since the original Broadway run and the 1975 film, its bloody, theatrical aesthetic has remained remarkably consistent, preserving the unmistakable identity of The Rocky Horror Show.