The Look of Company

In an age in which many Broadway musicals seem to be getting bigger and bigger, the major design feature in David Gallo’s Playhouse set for Company is minimalism. The set is intentionally sparse and stripped down in terms of physical elements in order to keep anything from getting in the way of the actors’ ability to tell the story simply.

The design features no attempt to realize any specific location or locations within the script, but rather all locations are rolled into one, and it’s left to the performers to clarify the realistic space for each scene. Several elements help to identify the environment and ambience of a New York City apartment — a blonde wood floor; a cast-iron column encircled by a radiator; three clear, somewhat sterile cubes; and a ceiling full of lighting fixtures (inspired by the lobby of the city’s Whitney Museum.)

The centerpiece of the set is a Steinway Concert Grand Piano (generously provided by Premier Pianos). In addition, roughly three dozen other musical instruments occupy the upstage section of the space. Most of the performers play between two and three each to create Company’s celebrated score.