Set Tour with Designer David Korins | Beetlejuice The Musical

Summary

David Korins, the set designer for *Beetlejuice: The Musical*, reflects on the creative challenges and rewarding aspects of designing the show's set. He highlights the importance of honoring Tim Burton’s iconic aesthetic while meeting the demands of the production, including transforming the set multiple times throughout the performance. Korins shares details about his design choices, such as a controlled color palette, subtle references to Burton’s films, and innovative set pieces like the shifting, whimsical furniture. He also discusses the unique elements of the Winter Garden Theater, where the show is staged, and how it contributes to the immersive experience.

Takeaways

• 😀 The biggest challenge in designing the *Beetlejuice* musical set was balancing Tim Burton’s iconic style with the physical needs of the production, particularly the set's multiple transformations during the show.
• 🎨 The set design utilizes a controlled color palette, primarily featuring maroons, greens, and muted tones, to ensure the characters stand out against the background.
• 🏠 The house on stage changes completely three times, including shifts in lighting, furniture, and even wall surfaces, making each transformation feel fresh and dramatic.
• 🌸 Elements of Tim Burton’s work were directly referenced in the set design, such as using his illustrations as inspiration for details like wallpaper patterns and architectural features.
• 🖼️ A hidden Easter egg in the set features a shot of a small Vermont town, directly taken from the *Beetlejuice* movie as a tribute to the original film.
• ⚰️ The opening graveyard scene in the musical incorporates textures that evoke the claymation aesthetic of *Nightmare Before Christmas*, ensuring an immediate connection to Burton’s style.
• 🛋️ One of the standout pieces in the set is the whimsical cow-shaped couch, designed to reflect the quirky, Tim Burton-inspired aesthetic while also serving functional purposes like housing a trampoline.
• 👻 Beetlejuice’s world is represented with a stark change in color palette, with black and gray tones replacing the original hues, creating a more chaotic and unsettling environment.
• 💡 The chandelier in Beetlejuice’s world, designed in black and white with sandworm patterns, is inspired by Jack Skellington’s bowtie from *Nightmare Before Christmas*.
• 🎭 Every prop and piece of furniture on stage is handmade to fit the unique aesthetic of the musical, including specialized pieces like dining room chairs that reflect the possessed nature of the world.
• 🏛️ The Winter Garden Theater, chosen for the production, is an iconic venue that provides an intimate experience due to its wide layout and close proximity to the audience, enhancing the immersive quality of the show.

Q & A

What was the biggest challenge in designing the set for *Beetlejuice the Musical*?

The biggest challenge was honoring Tim Burton's visual style while meeting the physical production needs, especially with the house needing to change completely three times during the show.

How did the set design reflect Tim Burton's aesthetic?

The set used a controlled color palette, featuring maroons, greens, and specific design details like patterns and artwork that were inspired by Burton’s drawings and films.

What was the significance of the color palette in the set design?

The color palette was crucial to making the characters stand out against the set. Nearly every element of the set, from furniture to wallpaper, was designed using just four key colors to maintain a cohesive aesthetic.

How did the set incorporate references to Tim Burton’s previous works?

The set included subtle Easter eggs, such as artwork taken from *Beetlejuice*, a flower pattern from a Tim Burton illustration, and specific references to other films like *Nightmare Before Christmas*.

Why was the chandelier in the Beetlejuice world designed the way it was?

The chandelier in Beetlejuice’s world was inspired by the bowtie of Jack Skellington from *Nightmare Before Christmas* and was designed to fit within the unique aesthetic of the chaotic and dark Beetlejuice universe.

How did the set change between the Maitland world and the Beetlejuice world?

The set’s color palette and overall design shifted from the calm, controlled aesthetic of the Maitland world to the darker, more chaotic atmosphere of Beetlejuice's world, using black, gray, and the iconic sandworm motifs.

What role did small, detailed elements play in the design process?

The tiny details, like hidden messages in bottles or small props, added depth to the world and allowed for deeper engagement from the audience, even if these details weren’t immediately visible to everyone.

How did practical considerations influence the set design?

The practical aspects of the design included ensuring that large, movable pieces of scenery could be hoisted and lowered during the show using motors, and that all props were handmade to suit both aesthetic needs and safety requirements.

What was the significance of the Winter Garden Theater in the show’s design?

The Winter Garden Theater presented an intimate setting, with a wide layout and a single balcony, which influenced how the set was designed to ensure that the audience would feel close to the action, despite the large-scale nature of the show.

How did David Korins feel about the experience of designing the set for this show?

David Korins expressed excitement and pride in the opportunity to work on such a unique and iconic production, especially given the challenge of making the set both visually faithful to Tim Burton’s work and functionally appropriate for live theater.