Every so often, a Broadway show transforms the the theater that houses it, immersing the audience in the world of the production and bringing the story directly to their seats. From Starlight Express to this season's Oklahoma! revival, here are eight productions that went the extra mile and altered the houses in which they ran.
Starlight Express (1987)
Andrew Lloyd Webber's train-themed extravaganza saw the Gershwin Theatre transformed into a futuristic roller rink landscape, which allowed the cast to famously perform the entire show on roller skates.
Cabaret Playbill - November 1998
Roundabout Theatre Company's 1998 revival of Cabaret saw the Henry Miller Theater (and later Studio 54, which would house the revival's 2015 remounting) transformed into a cabaret space, complete with table seating in the orchestra level.
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson Playbill - Opening Night, Oct 13, 2010
Alex Timbers' 2010 Broadway production of the American history-themed punk rock musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson featured neon tubes, framed portraits, taxidermy, and a vast array of other visual elements extending out past the stage and into the audience.
Rocky Playbill - Opening Night
Rocky changed from a proscenium setting to 360 degrees for the final fight as the Winter Garden is transformed into Philadelphia's famed Spectrum. The Jumbotron video was live every performance, fed by cameras operated by cast members.
Kate Egan
Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 Playbill - Opening Night
For the 2016 Broadway run of Dave Malloy's The Great Comet, set design Mimi Lien took the set far past the bounds of the Imperial Theatre's proscenium and transformed the entire space into a 360-degree Russian supper club.
Once on This Island Playbill - Opening Night
Director Michael Arden's revival of Once On This Island saw Circle in the Square Theatre converted into a beach community recovering from a hurricane, complete with a sand-covered stage, live animals, flooded areas, and more.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Part One Playbill - Opening Night
.jpg)
For the highly anticipated Broadway run of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the Lyric Theatre got a complete makeover that took years to complete. The final result transforms the entire theatre into a cavernous recreation of King's Cross Station.
Dorothy Hong
Oklahoma! Playbill - Opening Night
Cast of Oklahoma!
Little Fang Photo
.jpg)
