Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/974985
A C H R I S T M A S S T O R Y L I V E | P E R S P E C T I V E 7 3 A live musical is a very unique beast. My friend and set decorator Jason Howard describes them as "unicorns," in that the model for the show doesn't exist anywhere in the industry. They are a hybrid media, a combination of Broadway show, film, and live television broadcast. In some ways, it even takes on some characteristics of a reality show. A Christmas Story Live was the third such unicorn for me. I had previously worked as the Art Director on Grease Live and Hairspray Live. This time, however, I had been given the opportunity to take the reigns and step into the role of Production Designer. When I was initially approached about this new role, I was, admittedly, a little underwhelmed. Sure, this was an excellent opportunity for me to transition from Art Director to Production Designer, but in looking at the film it was based on, I found myself secretly wishing for more "fat to chew on." It seemed as though I'd need to deliver a 1940s version of living room and kitchen, a classroom and playground and then a department store. I had only been vaguely familiar with the Benj Pasek & Justin Paul musical, so I never got a real sense of all that lay ahead for me. It was late in July when I was finally given an OK to move forward with the project and needed to hit the ground running. Limited resources meant that the material would have to be approached differently, and the answer to one overriding question would mean that all the pieces of the design puzzle would fall quickly into place behind it. "Can we do this without ever setting foot on a soundstage?" No stage meant the need to look very closely at all of the existing structures on the Warner Bros. backlot. Having previously worked on Grease Live, I knew that a few of those buildings had a decent amount of open space inside them, so I charged ahead with the idea that a way would be found to make it work. The New York Street and Midwest Street areas of the backlot were closely examined. It seemed the PARKER HOUSE LIVING ROOM. CONCEPT SKETCH BY JOE CELLI. RENDERED IN SKETCHUP, SHADERLIGHT AND PHOTOSHOP.