Set design (Above): “St. Louis Woman” by Lemuel Ayers

An astonishing, never-before-seen collection of set and costume designs for the original productions of Broadway, Off Broadway, and West End musicals of the last 125 years - from 1900 to 2025. The collection consists of more than 400 designs by 150 artists. In this riveting TALK OF THE TOWN conversation with Douglas Colby, Master collector, Victoria Wilson and Foster Hirsch discuss the who, what, where, and why of the costumes, the sets, the shows; the designers, the actors, directors, playwrights, composers, and lyricists. Colby reveals the ‘how,’ as well, as he tells of this collector’s adventures of happenstance, coincidence, obsession, and plain old luck, on the hunt for these magnificent renderings; show by show, set by set, designer by designer.

With more than 30 illustrations of the original designs and costumes of specific shows, from Miles White’s Oklahoma to Cecil Beaton’s My Fair Lady, Adrian’s Camelot, and Irene Sharaff’s Candide.

Here also are Robert Edmund Jones’ set design for "Lute Song", one of his few musicals; Freddy Wittop’s "Hello Dolly", Robin Wagner’s inspired set for "A Chorus Line", and William Ivey Long’s "Nine". A conversation not to be missed on design, theater history, and a collector’s quest for the longed-for, elusive rendering to complete the never-completable theatrical puzzle.

Douglas Colby is the grandson of the former owners of the Algonquin Hotel (the “Gonk,” as Dorothy Parker called it). Colby’s earliest memory was seeing, at the age of 2, the original production of "My Fair Lady" with Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews, and he has never stopped going to the theater.