Cory Pattak, New York City-based lighting designer and host of in 1: the podcast, chats with Escape to Margaritaville scenic designer Walt Spangler about the genesis of his tropical design that included a research trip to Key West, an actual Jimmy Buffet concert, and how the design changed over time from it’s La Jolla premiere and it’s multi-city tour leading up to Broadway. Pattak and Spangler also talk about his design for the whimsical Tuck Everlasting and how his iconic set for Desire Under the Elms came to be with giant boulders and a house floating over the stage. Spangler takes us through his design process through script sketches, model and sculptural work, and recounts presenting his first ideas to directors like Casey Nicholaw and Robert Falls. And hear the true life story of how a new piece of scenery was conceived, built, painted, and installed over the weekend of Margaritaville’s final previews.
Walt Spangler’s Broadway design credits include Escape to Margaritaville, Tuck Everlasting, A Christmas Story, Scandalous, Desire Under the Elms and Hollywood Arms. His numerous Off-Broadway credits include Our Lady of 121st St, Linda, Between Riverside and Crazy, The Jacksonian, Medieval Play, Unnatural Acts, Addicted, Dream a Little Dream, Boston Marriage, and Reefer Madness. He has designed at many of the top regional theaters in the country including the Goodman, Arena Stage, Old Globe, Steppenwolf, Goodspeed, Kennedy Center, Signature Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Alliance Theatre, 5th Avenue, Ahmanson and Shakespeare Theatre.
His national tour designs include Fame (also Shanghai), Ring of Fire, Me and My Girl (UK Tour), Disney on Ice (also Japan), Happy Days and Smokey Joe's Cafe. His opera and dance designs include work at Lyric Opera Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Kansas City Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Lithuanian National Opera. He has been nominated for a Drama Desk award, two Outer Critics Circle Awards, a Lucille Lortel Award, two Henry Hewes Awards and two Helen Hayes Awards.