Spotlight on
David Belasco
(1853 - 1931)
David Belasco was a director, playwright, actor, producer, and set designer. His concern for the artistic integrity of every aspect of a production – from the architecture of the theater to the details on the costumes – made him a forerunner of the modern style of theater director.
Belasco had an impressive ability to absorb knowledge, quickly learning all aspects of whatever subject he was interested in.
Bringing innovation to Broadway
One of his best-known plays was Madame Butterfly, which later inspired the Broadway musical Miss Saigon. His theatrical technique was impressively displayed in one scene of Madame Butterfly: the light of day faded into evening, revealing a starry sky which gradually gave way to dawn, while the characters slept. This sequence lasted 14 minutes – even though the characters didn’t move or speak, the audience was spellbound. Belasco, known as "The Bishop of Broadway because of his attire, opened his first theater on September 29, 1902. It was the most technologically advanced theatre to date with elevators to raise and lower scenery and electric lighting systems that made the old style of footlights obsolete.
David Belasco
(1853 - 1931)
David Belasco was a director, playwright, actor, producer, and set designer. His concern for the artistic integrity of every aspect of a production – from the architecture of the theater to the details on the costumes – made him a forerunner of the modern style of theater director.
Belasco had an impressive ability to absorb knowledge, quickly learning all aspects of whatever subject he was interested in.
Bringing innovation to Broadway
One of his best-known plays was Madame Butterfly, which later inspired the Broadway musical Miss Saigon. His theatrical technique was impressively displayed in one scene of Madame Butterfly: the light of day faded into evening, revealing a starry sky which gradually gave way to dawn, while the characters slept. This sequence lasted 14 minutes – even though the characters didn’t move or speak, the audience was spellbound. Belasco, known as "The Bishop of Broadway because of his attire, opened his first theater on September 29, 1902. It was the most technologically advanced theatre to date with elevators to raise and lower scenery and electric lighting systems that made the old style of footlights obsolete.
