Design for Living (2001) Production Files

Collection
Collection Contents
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Identifier: DESIGNLIVING2001
Inclusive Dates: 2000 - 2001
Extent:
Production Files documenting the 2001 production of Noel Coward's Design for Living at the American Airlines Theatre.  Directed by Joe Mantello, with set design by Robert Brill, costume design by Bruce Pask, lighting design by James Vermeulen, and original music and sound design by Douglas J. Cuomo.

The production starred Alan Cumming as Otto, Jennifer Ehle as Gilda and Dominic West as Leo; with John Cunningham as Ernest, Jenny Sterlin as Miss Hodge, Marisa Berenson as Grace, T. Scott Cunningham as Henry, Jessica Stone as Helen and Saxon Palmer as Mr. Birbeck.  Saxon Palmer also acted as an understudy, as did Tina Benko and Patricia Hodges.

 
Noel Coward's 1932 comedy Design for Living is about a trio of artistic free-thinkers, an interior designer named Gilda and two men Otto (a painter) and Leo (an author).  They pair off in a series of complicated romantic relationships, until by the end they finally accept that they should be couple comprised of three. 

When it premiered on Broadway in 1933 (featuring Coward as Leo) it was a (somewhat notorious) hit, but it is not often revived.  A film version of the play also came out in 1933 starring Fredric March, Gary Cooper and Miriam Hopkins. 
Production Files span 2 Hollinger boxes consisting of 21 folders, two versions of the Stagebill (one of which has photo show art on the cover and is signed by the entire cast), a formal invitation to a "Behind the Scenes" event sponsored by Cole Haan and Vanity Fair, the cast/family photo, and a couple of marketing flyers.  

Digital holdings on the Archive 1 server include the following folders:
Education (Upstage study guide)
Management (includes digital versions of contracts, contact sheets, prop lists, shop reports, etc)
Media (B-roll)
Playbill (35 jpeg scans)
Press (Archive-scanned selects)
Production Photographs (captioned selects)
Show Art

There is a related collection of marketing materials on the Marketing shelves.   Contracts, visa and housing information have been removed and are housed in the Contracts cabinets; these are confidential and access is restricted.

There are scenic drawings in the Map drawers

A folder in the Photographs cabinet includes 10 color slides of approved production photographs, one large color print of Alan Cumming and Dominic West in character, multiple copies of the cast/family photo, various formats (different size prints and large-format negatives) of the black and white photo of the three stars used in the show art, and two prints of alternate versions of the show art.
Access Restrictions: Open and available to approved researchers by appointment only. See folder details for specific restrictions.
Preferred Citation: Design for Living 2001, Roundabout Theatre Company Archive
Related Staged Production

Design For Living

This box contains the following folders:
Author Agreement
Casting Sessions
Music Licensing and Rights
Artistic Management
Equity
Costume Design
Sound Design
Set Design
Props
Flame Certificates
Lighting Design
This box contains the following folders:
Script
Rehearsal Reports
Performance Reports
House Reports
Opening Night
Tony Voters
Marketing and Bloomingdale's Promotion
House Seats 
Press 
Education

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