Envisioning a New Home for The Late Show: The Ed Sullivan Theater Restoration
This beautiful mini-documentary reveals the process behind the restoration of the historic Ed Sullivan Theater. The Design Republic Film is directed by Robert Gregson, a New York City-based filmmaker. Design Republic took on the monumental task of restoring the theater. They are a highly experienced architectural design firm specializing in corporate workplace, retail, and media technology design. Design Republic was honored to work with CBS and the Late Show with Stephen Colbert on this breathtaking restoration, which revealed and renewed the otherwise lost grandeur of this neo-gothic Broadway theater’s design. The film features interviews with Design Republic architects Neil Tucker and Ojay Obinani, Executive Producer of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Meredith Bennett, and Stephen Colbert.
Stephen Colbert: When I first heard that we were going to take over the theater I was a little hesitant, because I didn’t know anything about the space as a performer. I just knew that it had been a Broadway theater and I didn’t know whether we could return it to something that looked different than what Mr. Letterman had, because, sort of visually, you want a shift in the look, but I also didn’t want to ruin the intimacy that Dave had created.
Neil Tucker: When we started the project we knew that we were under a landmark. The landmark meant that there were details here in the space that needed to remain and be untouched and undamaged. Even though we knew they were here – we had historical drawings – you couldn’t see them. They were completely covered by production lighting, by acoustical panels, and most of the elegant features were actually painted over.
Ojay Obinani: The challenge – the design challenge – was to come in and open that all up.
Stephen Colbert: There’s a real excitement when you come into the theater and you see that it is a Broadway theater with beautiful dome, which is now decorated with digital projections of any video we want to put up there – any pattern we want to put up there. The designers of the digital projection actually have put up into the dome the original pattern that had been painted up there in 1927.
Neil Tucker: Well, the theater can hold up to a thousand people. There are not a thousand people in the theater.
Meredith Bennett: In order to allow Stephen to feel like he was connecting with the whole audience, we reduced the number to 370 seats. Every seat in the house is a good seat.
Stephen Colbert: It’s a completely transformed space. All the walls are glass, so there’s light that flows through. It’s the nicest office I’ve ever worked in.
Neil Tucker: At this point, it’s fully restored, the detail is back, and Stephen is thrilled.
Stephen Colbert: I’m completely blown away with both this office space and that theater. I’m incredibly lucky to be here and to be performing there.
What did you think of this mini-documentary? What are your thoughts on the newly restored Ed Sullivan Theater? Let us know in the comment section!
Envisioning a New Home for the 'Late Show'
Envisioning a New Home for The Late Show: The Ed Sullivan Theater Restoration
This beautiful mini-documentary reveals the process behind the restoration of the historic Ed Sullivan Theater. The Design Republic Film is directed by Robert Gregson, a New York City-based filmmaker. Design Republic took on the monumental task of restoring the theater. They are a highly experienced architectural design firm specializing in corporate workplace, retail, and media technology design. Design Republic was honored to work with CBS and the Late Show with Stephen Colbert on this breathtaking restoration, which revealed and renewed the otherwise lost grandeur of this neo-gothic Broadway theater’s design. The film features interviews with Design Republic architects Neil Tucker and Ojay Obinani, Executive Producer of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Meredith Bennett, and Stephen Colbert.
Stephen Colbert: When I first heard that we were going to take over the theater I was a little hesitant, because I didn’t know anything about the space as a performer. I just knew that it had been a Broadway theater and I didn’t know whether we could return it to something that looked different than what Mr. Letterman had, because, sort of visually, you want a shift in the look, but I also didn’t want to ruin the intimacy that Dave had created.
Neil Tucker: When we started the project we knew that we were under a landmark. The landmark meant that there were details here in the space that needed to remain and be untouched and undamaged. Even though we knew they were here – we had historical drawings – you couldn’t see them. They were completely covered by production lighting, by acoustical panels, and most of the elegant features were actually painted over.
Ojay Obinani: The challenge – the design challenge – was to come in and open that all up.
Stephen Colbert: There’s a real excitement when you come into the theater and you see that it is a Broadway theater with beautiful dome, which is now decorated with digital projections of any video we want to put up there – any pattern we want to put up there. The designers of the digital projection actually have put up into the dome the original pattern that had been painted up there in 1927.
Neil Tucker: Well, the theater can hold up to a thousand people. There are not a thousand people in the theater.
Meredith Bennett: In order to allow Stephen to feel like he was connecting with the whole audience, we reduced the number to 370 seats. Every seat in the house is a good seat.
Stephen Colbert: It’s a completely transformed space. All the walls are glass, so there’s light that flows through. It’s the nicest office I’ve ever worked in.
Neil Tucker: At this point, it’s fully restored, the detail is back, and Stephen is thrilled.
Stephen Colbert: I’m completely blown away with both this office space and that theater. I’m incredibly lucky to be here and to be performing there.
What did you think of this mini-documentary? What are your thoughts on the newly restored Ed Sullivan Theater? Let us know in the comment section!