Pages on Stages, Mason Pilevsky

Direction of a Musical

Saheem Ali, Buena Vista Social Club

Since the actual text of Buena Vista Social Club is so minimal, it fell on director Saheem Ali to make the story make sense. The collaborations that he facilitated— using lighting, costuming, staging, and sound to make shifts in time clear and bolster certain characters’ presence were not unique for a theatrical director, but the surety in letting those choices stand so exposed in their storytelling ability was highly unique and a risk well calculated.

Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending

Though a predominantly two person show seemingly presents less of a challenge for a director, Michael Arden pushed the boundaries of the world moving around them and masterfully crafted moments where the robots had feelings to juxtapose with moments that were more programmed. The beauty of the surrounding world was an equally moving concept.

David Cromer, Dead Outlaw

David Cromer is a director who is fixated on stories that amount to nothing, but take the audience on an incredible journey that keeps us believing we’ll be left with some kind of meaningful conclusion the whole way through. Dead Outlaw is no exception. His staging choices for Dead Outlaw artificially creating levels to the set are clever if you have a good seat, but his artistic choices make many seats in the theatre bad places to see the show.

Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her

The seemingly effortless transitions and boundless creativity in the Gestalt of this production cannot be denied. It fits together wonderfully, and the staging and direction are truly masterful works of art.

Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Boulevard

The black and white (until the blood). The presence of cameras creating what feels like a movie, live and in front of us. Bringing the past, present, and future to life in one magical moment. Going the extra mile with the nightly walk up Broadway’s equivalent of Sunset Blvd. Jamie Lloyd is the clear winner this year, having created a truly masterful redesign that makes this classic Andrew Lloyd Weber musical an absolute delight for audiences who ordinarily would have passed on this one.

Pages on Stages Prediction: Jamie Lloyd

If It Was Up to Me: Jamie Lloyd

Scenic Design of a Musical

Rachel Hauk, Swept Away

The scenic and lighting design collaboration of Swept Away was creative and innovative, particularly when the crew emerged from the depths of hell under the stage. The barebones lifeboat wouldn’t have worked without assistance from lighting, and I feel surprised that this show is nominated for scenic and not lighting design.

Dan Laffrey and George Reeve, Maybe Happy Ending

Worlds right out of a daydream, an anime, at times a nightmare… Dan Laffrey and George Reeve simulate an adventure that, at times, resembles a video game. Certainly a fun world.

Arnulfo Maldonado, Buena Vista Social Club

This set is distressed like ruins and strikes the perfect balance between vague and specific. The concrete arches of a forgotten world are so alive, even as the world is changing.

Derek McLane, Death Becomes Her

This set was actually countless sets. Each lavish place was a complete universe, but there was also space for comedic pop ups, campy cartoon moments, genuine fear, lush posh homes, outside graveyards and cheap jokes.

Derek McLane, Just in Time

At Circle in the Square, a set is not just a set. It’s a comprehensive, immersive experience. The atmosphere created by Derek McLane is engaging, and from the moment the audience enters the space they feel transported into and surrounded by something special.

Pages on Stages Prediction: Dan Laffrey and George Boone

If It Was Up to Me: Derek McLane, Death Becomes Her

Costume Design of a Musical

Dede Ayite, Buena Vista Social Club

The colors and flare and uniqueness of each ensemble dance member were beautiful. Watching the skirts move to the music was mesmerizing.

Gregg Barnes, BOOP! The Musical

The half grayscale, half color costumes were an absolute riot. The show also contained elegant dresses, bad Times Square style mascots, the height of nerdy teenagers, and a whole world straight out of the comic books that resembled a Disney ride.

Clint Ramos, Maybe Happy Ending

This show didn’t have that many characters to costume. The robot designs were fun and functional. This nomination is not really deserved.

Paul Tazewell, Death Becomes Her

The divas looked like jewels— literally. The uniqueness of every ensemble member’s costumes, particularly those who lived in the siempre viva conclave made every  individual’s body shine uniquely.

Catherine Zuber, Just in Time

The most impressive feature of Catherine Zuber’s costumes for Just in Time must be the shift plot. Each of Jonathan Groff’s costumes changed a piece at a time, with pieces from the old costume carrying into the new. A jacket here. A shirt there. The pants at intermission. Time for a bow tie. The women and the ensemble all had wonderfully distinct moments as well.

Pages on Stages Prediction: Paul Tazewell

If It Was Up to Me: Gregg Barnes

Lighting Design of a Musical

Jack Knowles, Sunset Boulevard

Striking angles that had to work for both stage and screen simultaneously! He keeps black and white visually interesting all the way through and proves you don’t need flash and trash to be engaging.

Tyler Micoleau, Buena Vista Social Club

Lighting does a good deal of the heavy lifting of telling the story of Buena Vista Social Club, as the book is deliberately vague to keep the focus on the music. In particular, lighting creates the character of Omara more than anything she says or does. Not only does it tell a story, its beautiful.

Scott Zielinski and Ruey Horng Sun, Floyd Collins

The beauty of Floyd Collins was that the actors did the bulk of the storytelling with sparse design elements. The precision of Scott Zielinski’s and Ruey Horng Sun’s lighting design is technically very impressive, as it appeared to be done without follow spot operators on moving light programming alone.

Ben Stanton, Maybe Happy Ending

The scene with the fireflies had absolutely beautiful lighting. The role of lighting in this show was mostly pops that subtly conveyed a contrast between moments when life had become dull and monotonous and moments when life was an absolutely wonderful adventure.

Justin Townsend, Death Becomes Her

The trashy nature of the show lets Justin Townsend have a lot of fun. This show has lighting flashes, strobes, and a whole lot of color changes that create a rich tapestry of mood lighting throughout the show.

Pages on Stages Prediction: Ben Stanton

If It Was Up to Me: Ben Stanton

Sound Design of a Musical

Jonathan Deans, Buena Vista Social Club

The big band sounded fantastic and the subtle delay on the memory moments was touching. I loved the airplane flyover.

Adam Fisher, Sunset Boulevard

I don’t remember much about the sound design in this show. In sound, that’s a good thing. It means everything was perfectly balanced and nothing stood out. I could hear every word.

Peter Hylenski, Just in Time

The only Broadway venue in this particular shape had great sound from both the seats and the floor (I saw it twice). The band was well mixed, the sounds taking us in and out of time were perfect for the ambiance of the show, and even the crowd work was clearly audible.

Peter Hylenski, Maybe Happy Ending

This show had fun sound effects, and also some devastating ones. It’s a rare show that can make people feel based on well timed sound effects. Sound was well integrated into the design and concept of the show as a whole.

Dan Moses Schreier, Floyd Collins

Floyd Collins was exceptionally well mixed, with each instrumental part in its dynamic, moving score coming out at just the right time, as well as perfectly balanced vocals at times when it needed to be clear what to listen to. Add in the singing with previous iterations of oneself on loop, done multiple times throughout the show by two different actors and then recreated by a trio without any looping, and you get an absolutely unforgettable sound design.

Pages on Stages Prediction: Adam Fisher

If It Was Up to Me: Dan Moses Schreier

Next week: Awards Only a Musical Can Win!

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