2024 in Review:
Our Favorite Design Elements
We were fortunate enough to see 23 different productions in 2024: 20 Broadway, 2 off-Broadway, and 1 regional; these are the shows we considered in all categories for our favorites this year: Appropriate, Days of Wine and Roses, Harmony, Here We Are, Illinoise, Lempicka, Maybe Happy Ending, Merrily We Roll Along, Oh, Mary!, Once Upon a Mattress, Our Town, Purlie Victorious, Stereophonic, Suffs, Sunset Boulevard, Sweeney Todd, Swept Away, The Notebook, The Outsiders, The Who's Tommy, Titanic, Water For Elephants and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Signature Theater - Virginia). We made our lists separately - so below you'll see where we agreed, plus some thrilling design elements we each just had to include!
How did we compare to your favorites? Leave a comment below, or catch up with us on Twitter, Instagram, Blue Sky or Threads! (@jkstheatrescene for all)
FAVORITE SHOW LOGO
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Musical: Illinoise
Non-Broadway: Titanic
HONORABLE MENTION
Jeff and Mike
The Notebook
Water For Elephants
FAVORITE SCENIC DESIGN
Play: Appropriate
Design by dots.
Musical: Maybe Happy Ending
Design by Dane Laffery
HONORABLE MENTION
Jeff and Mike
Purlie Victorious
Design by Derek McLane
Stereophonic
Design by David Zinn
Jeff
Swept Away
Design by Rachel Hauck
Water For Elephants
Design by Takeshi Kata
FAVORITE COSTUME DESIGN
Play:
Oh, Mary!
Design by Holly Pierson
Musical (TIE):
Lempicka
Design by Paloma Young &
Maybe Happy Ending
Design by Clint Ramos
Non-Broadway: Here We Are
Design by David Zinn
FAVORITE LIGHTING DESIGN
Maybe Happy Ending
Design by Ben Stanton
HONORABLE MENTION
Jeff and Mike
Illinoise
Design by Brandon Stirling Baker
Lempicka
Design by Bradley King
The Outsiders
Design by Brian MacDevitt
Jeff
Sunset Boulevard
Design by Jack Knowles
FAVORITE PROJECTION/VIDEO DESIGN
TIE:
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Maybe Happy Ending
Design by George Reeve
Sunset Boulevard
Design by Nathan Amsi & Joe Ransom
HONORABLE MENTION
Jeff and Mike
Lempicka
Design by Peter Nigrini
Water For Elephants
Design by David Bengali
FAVORITE SOUND DESIGN
TIE:
Maybe Happy Ending
Design by Peter Hylenski
Sunset Boulevard
Design by Adam Fisher
HONORABLE MENTION
Jeff and Mike
Stereophonic
Design by Ryan Rumery
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
The "Sunset Boulevard" Sequence
Love it or hate it, this much ballyhooed song/performance art piece that opens the second act of the show is truly a multi-disciplinary achievement. Synced to a live orchestra and a myriad of potential logistical nightmares, Tom Francis and his film crew take us on a backstage tour through the several floors of the St. James, and then takes it all to the streets as the number throttles up and becomes a savage commentary on the pitfalls of stardom and self-delusion. All of the technical departments have come together to create a once in a lifetime theatrical experience. (The video is from the West End production, but the vibe is similar.)
Yes, there has been rain onstage several times before. But this season, rain effects enhanced two productions in startling ways. In each case, they not only served to recreate beloved scenes in film versions of the pieces, but it is the way they were presented that is the achievement. In The Notebook, a steadily increasing sheet of rain flows then dissipates leaving almost no evidence it ever happened, allowing the show to proceed without losing momentum. In The Outsiders, an epic rainstorm pours down during the thrilling rumble. Here, the rain pours down, yes, but it also creates a mist that wafts across the footlights and hangs in the air long after the last punch is thrown. It is elemental and wonderfully theatrical.
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