At the beginning of every Broadway creative process, all that exists is an empty stage. Using craft, imagination, and theatre magic, theatre designers bring a production to life, transporting an audience to worlds near and far.
It’s a challenging feat for any one production, but for many Broadway designers, a life in the theatre involves re-inventing the wheel again and again, remaining inspired through a vast career. Playbill caught up with Tony Award-winning costume designer Linda Cho to unpack her approach to design, her creative process, and to explore her favorite theatre designs.
"If I could have any career in the world, it would be what I do now. Or rather, what I was doing up until March and what I hope to do again soon..." Cho explains. "That sentiment encapsulates my approach to design. I love my work: the adrenaline rush of first dress rehearsal, the puzzle of finding the perfect thing that fits into the stage picture, the mashup of interacting with interesting personalities, and the meaningful messaging of our stories. Every show is a privilege and a joy to make.
"My approach to each show varies depending on things like the era in which the story is set, the input of the actors, being faithful to, or pivoting from the original source material, the amount of lead time we have, and simply reacting to what feels right onstage."
From A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder to Anastasia, take an in-depth look at five productions from Cho's Broadway career.
