Hal Prince Discusses Set Design & More

Theatrical titan Hal Prince details the finer points of the importance of set design - specifically, MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG versus SWEENEY TODD - and more in a new interview clip posted by Masterworks Broadway.

"When I started producing, it was George Abbott directing and he would let me do the scenery. He just wanted to know where the doors were - the entrances, the exits; the tables, the props - and then I would hire the designer," Prince remembers.

"I took charge of the visuals - scenery and costumes and so on," Prince continues.

"And, the shows looked wonderful," the master director candidly adds.

But, what if the set does not work - or the right concept cannot be decided upon for it in time for opening night? Prince cites a Tony-winner and a fast flop - both collaborations with Stephen Sondheim, incidentally - to illustrate each experience.

"I have to know what the scenery looks like - and I do. If I don't - as I didn't in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG - I could not pull it off," Prince asserts.

"But, in contrast, with SWEENEY TODD, I couldn't do the show until I imposed on it a factory set, which then gave it a metaphor - and that metaphor was: the incursions of the Industrial Age on human beings. Once I knew that, I could do SWEENEY TODD," Prince observes.

Additionally, check out my 2010 InDepth InterView with Hal Prince for more observations on his legendary legacy, available here.

View the video of Hal Prince discussing theatrical set design and more below.