Seeing Other Productions of Shows I’ve Designed

As a set designer, there’s something uniquely fascinating about seeing how other companies interpret shows I’ve designed. Whether it’s a local community theater, a regional production, or even a Broadway revival, each staging offers a fresh perspective—sometimes familiar, sometimes wildly different.

Recently, I had the chance to see another production of Spamalot. Having won a Column Award for Best Original Set Design for my version, I was eager to see how another creative team approached the same world. The differences in staging, set pieces, and overall aesthetic were very different. While my version leaned into a storybook-meets-Monty-Python absurdity, this one emphasized a more minimalist approach. It’s always fascinating to see what elements are universal and which are reimagined.

Similarly, Phantom (not the Phantom of the Opera, but the Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit version) remains one of my favorite projects. When I worked on it, I focused on the gothic romance and grand scale of the Paris Opera House. Another company’s production I recently saw took a completely different route, an in concert version with no scenery. While a concert version focus on the music it reminded me how much a set can influence an audience’s emotional journey through a story.

It’s easy to get attached to our own designs. After all, we spend countless hours drafting, constructing, and perfecting them. But seeing other designers’ takes on the same shows is a reminder that theater is a living, evolving art form. No two productions are ever truly the same, and that’s what makes this industry so thrilling.