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Special New York City Section
A Tale
of Two
Scene Shops
Inside the operations of two companies that make
Gotham their primary focus.
By Lisa Mulcahy
The Broadway mounting of Cat On a Hot Tin Roof is a recent
Showman Fabricators client. Shown here is a set from the show.
For both Broadway and Off-Broadway, scene shops occupy
a central role in the backstage operations. Scenic
crafters must constantly supply the sets, fabrications and
backdrops that serve as the core of every production. They also
help designers realize their creative visions, put out technical
fires at the drop of a hat — and do it all on tight deadlines.
Hudson Scenic Studio, Inc. and Showman Fabricators are two
New York City-based scenic shops that exemplify this. Let’s
take a closer look at how both operate and why they’re very
much at the top of their game.
On The Hudson
When Hudson Scenic Studio, Inc. began in 1980, the company
had a goal: to be the Northeast’s number one in scenery
fabrication. Growing from a five-employee staff working out
of a tiny 5,000-foot space, the company expanded rapidly
from a straight-up scenery-building business to a multifaceted
operation, encompassing painting and mechanization. Today,
under the leadership of CEO Neil Mazzella, Hudson Scenic’s
72,000-foot Yonkers facility has produced work for hundreds
of Broadway shows, including Cats, The Lion King, Chicago, The
Phantom of the Opera and Mamma Mia. Clients also include
the major TV networks, Madison Square Garden, the New York
Metropolitan Opera and Lincoln Center, among others.
A former production and stage manager with experience
working on rock concerts, cruise lines, clubs and special events,
Ellis had been well aware of Hudson Scenic’s reputation prior
to his position as project manager. Working for a company that
is in such high demand has given him a keen firsthand insight
on what is expected of him on a project, particularly one that
is high profile, such as a Broadway show.
“If we provide the designer and the production with what
they want and need, and are on time and on budget, then that
translates into a degree of success,” says Ellis. “The ultimate
success of any show beyond that is in the hands of the producers,
the ticket buyers and the muses.” The latter statement has
ironic meaning for Ellis in light of a recent project he worked
on — the pre-Broadway Mambo Kings, which featured a set by
Tony Award-winning designer Riccardo Hernandez but never
made it to New York due to abysmal out-of-town reviews. Ellis
derives great joy in helping designers translate their vision into
an actual set.
Yet making that art a reality routinely calls for long hours.
Ellis’s typical workday starts between 7 or 8 a.m. His first order
of business is checking on the progress of ongoing jobs. “The
pieces of the show might be spread out among the iron shop,
carpentry shop, paint shop, set electrics or automation,” he
explains. “Discussion with the production managers and the
various departments, on all levels, provides a good picture of
the status of the job. Once a show hits the floor, there are a lot
of very talented people to shepherd it along.”
Next, Ellis makes a stop on the second floor to check in with
Hudson Scenic’s engineers toiling on the technical specifics
of numerous projects. “Large and small sets require detailed
planning, and that process is addressed here,” he notes.
Then it’s up to the office to review new projects on the
horizon. “If we have received a new bid package, several hours
will be spent going through the drawings and coming up with
estimates for the new show,” he says.
Fortunately for Ellis, he can multi-task. “All the while, we
are fielding calls from varying sources asking for help with
anything from a painted drop to a piece of automation to a
36 April 2007 • www.stage-directions.com