Friday, February 21, 2020
Adam Savage Examines the Props of Hamilton!
Tested: Adam goes back stage on the San Francisco touring production of Hamilton to check out a few of the numerous hand and stage props used for the musical. The show's prop master gives us an up-close look at some of the iconic objects from the show, from King George's scepter to Hamilton's dueling pistols!
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What Adam Savage did in this video is something I have dreamed of and still dream of to do at some point in my life. Even though I have been working in theatre for over four years now, I still act like a kid in a candy story when I get the opportunity to look around the backstage of any production and see exactly what the crowd does not get to see. In this instance in particular, Adam Savage got to get an up close and personal look at the props and set of Hamilton. Giving the camera an opportunity to see some of these beautiful props lets you see a level of detail you simply don’t see otherwise. When sitting twenty rows away from the stage, you aren’t going to see the little inscribed letters on the side of the dueling pistols, but when you get to touch, to feel the props yourself, as Adam Savage has in this video, you get a whole new perspective on the show and the dedication to detail you see in theatre. It is also astounding how often the props get replaced just from use. To replace all the pamphlets, all the newspapers, every month – mind blowing. The fact that they store set pieces flying in the air in the wings – shocking and unexpected. The fact that someone managed to break a hardwood chair leg and they repaired it with cyanoacrylate glue and FiberFix – incredible. This video was a wonderful watch.
I love this video! I had no idea that Adam Savage started out in theatre and was a props master. That explains so much about him having such a wide set of weird and random skills that he always uses in MythBusters. His attitude towards the props in Hamilton is so awesome to see because it really gives that show and that specific department the exposure it deserves. Props tend to go unnoticed by the audience, which sometimes may be the goal, but it is so important to acknowledge the hard work and thought that went into the making of this show. When you see Hamilton, unless you are actively paying attention, you do not really think about how many props there actually are, but looking at it through the lens of this video, it really deserves more justice than it gets! It is also so cool to see the creativity that goes into the solutions props people create for certain things that they must make feasible for a stage.
I have loved keeping up with Adam Savage after Mythbusters ended, so I was excited to see a video about him exploring Hamilton backstage. It was really insightful to learn about things that he was asking about since he is a maker as well. Something that I thought was awesome was the magnetized props so that they did not fall if jostled or placed on the edge of a surface. The little details like making it appear that there are different levels of champagne in the glasses is such a small detail but can make all the difference. I really liked seeing that. Things like “paper change every month” where they switch out any paper props with fresh ones are things that we wouldn’t usually think about in the grand scheme of things. It was fascinating to have this insider perspective on this process. I also liked hearing that Adam had done similar work for shows before, I hadn't heard of that before!
I always appreciate seeing these behind the scenes tours of major productions because it almost humanizes them. I feel like we can get it into our heads that Broadway and major national tours are these incredibly lofty and untouchable productions, however they face the same challenges we do on a daily basis. Props break, things need to be maintained, space is limited, and yeah our jobs can be really cool! I also think it goes to show how we shouldn't necessarily short-change ourselves when it comes to the detailing of the work we do. I know there is the classic "30 foot rule" where nobody is going to see that one thing from the audience, so don't bother spending hours on it. However, there are definitely things (particularly in the world of props) that need that detail since they are often the focus of the scene. Take, for example, the dueling pistols. As Adam notes, they are particularly heavy but have a beautiful design, as they should be since they are such a pivotal plot device in the show. Hope he does another video like this soon!a
It's cool to see behind the scenes tours for shows like this, because a show like Hamilton isn't, at first glance at least, the type of show that really excites with props. Sure, there's a lot of them, but there's no Milky White, or dazzling effects, or Audrey II. There's just a lof of things that all have to look good and that get beat up in a busy show like Hamilton. It's the kind of show where props shouldn't really be noticed that much, and where really only when you dig down into the details do the props become something to marvel over. That said, once you do dig down into the details, there's a lot of really cools things there, and it's cooler when Adam Savage is involved. The champagne bubbles look astoundingly good for something static, and this video really showed just how well thought out each piece was. From the magnets on the wine glasses to the testing of different papers to burn, every tiny detail was touched and thought about and addressed.
I really appreciate the range of skills that prop masters bring to the table, and the way they think through so many different things. There are so many factors that they have to be considerate of, and they all impact the the prop in significant ways, on top of the the overall look and design. I have respect for everyone's job in the theatre but I have a special form of respect for the props department. It's hard to describe the extent of it all, but good props people are extremely talented and well rounded. It's easy to look at the things that they do and think that it's just some little thing, but the thought, time, effort, technical skills, artistic skills, creativity, thoughtfulness, and experience that goes into those MANY little things is what makes it so intricate and larger than it seems. There can be a show with 100 props, with most of them needing to go through different processes. Most of the times, the process is so non-linear, and things are literally change everyday from different angles, it's amusing what they end up creating. The best part is that the people creating this stuff is often extremely passionate about what they are doing.
Behind the scenes (up close) videos like this are the best. I watched Mythbusters as a kid, and had no idea that Adam Savage got his start in the theatre! Props really deserve this attention and credit, because good props require so much attention to detail. Showing the examples in a video like this really give us the ability to see the detail, and I loved hearing about the stories behind the props. I haven’t learned much about props, so even hearing about the magnets on the bottom of the glasses, and glitter in the glass to look like champagne bubbles continue to blow my mind. And, the ultimate detailed choice of spending a day testing out paper to use in burn is amazing! Literally nobody in the audience could tell the type of paper, and probably couldn’t tell the difference between fire burning patterns because they have nothing to compare it to, but yet I’m sure it was a necessary choice to make to be the most effective (and to consider fire safety?).
I never knew Adam Savage got his start in theatre. As a fan of Mythbusters, it's crazy to see someone that I've watched do crazy exciting things for so long go into and identify with a space that I'm so familiar with. His excitement to be in the theatre was so evident and I can't say I'd be any different if given the opportunity. I've never seen Hamilton but as someone that really likes antique things, I'm sure I'd have a field day with the set and props. It was really interesting to see that one of the most simple and likely overlooked pieces has some of the most required touch up attention. Something as simple as a box you stand on can be a pain to do upkeep on. I did a competition show two years ago where the set was mainly a bunch of trunks that are moved throughout the play. I had forgotten how much we had to touch them up just between our 5 shows and rehearsal so I can't imagine what a show like Hamilton which runs for so much longer and more frequently would require of its props and set.
There was that whole phase that everyone (and not just theater kids) was into Hamilton. To me it was so exciting but the hype eventually got to be too much for a single show...until I saw it in person and I was all excited about it again. And then I realized it was just another show but even to this day, when you pull up the songs or even get a special insight into the production, it is still a quite incredible show. Watching Adam Savage fanboy over the prop pieces is very entertaining, especially since I know I would act in the same sort of excitement he shows. It is really cool to look in depth at the intricate track system they have in the stage deck. Learning about the wear and tear on the props is also very cool. I never thought of having a piece of foam make into a wood box seem like such a good idea to make a prop so light. All the different aspects of Hamilton are definitely overhyped, but they should be because they are all so amazing. I do with Adam Savage could do this backstage prop tour on more shows than just the famous Hamilton, so hopefully more videos will come.
First of all, I love how even a person like Adam Savage gets as excited as we would be to have a backstage tour of our favorite show. Even though he himself had made thousands of props with tricks and magic for screens, he can’t help but touch everything he sees as they walk around the stage. Watching people loving the industry they are in and what they do there, simply makes me so happy. That being said, the details of the props of Hamilton are absolutely amazing. I am especially impressed by how much effort they put in to maintain the props. While lighting, sound, scenery, or costume would remain practically the same once they are finalized, I believe props, especially hand props need to follow the paradox of theatre just like the actors; Unique to the moment, yet repeatable. I think the box for My Shot, which gets repainted and redistressed, is a living art.
Okay, I don't know about y'all, but I had no idea Adam Savage used to be a props master, but now that I think about it, it makes so much sense. He most definitely has props master energy. Like James said above, it totally makes sense now how he knew so many random processes/had so many varying skills in Mythbusters. I'm actually quite proud of the fact that his background is in theatre, now that I know. Anyway, to the video: I think it's so fascinating to sit and examine the props of a show. It's often overlooked how much wear and tear these poor props go through during a performance and how much care goes into maintaining them. Props masters are some of the most clever people I have met, as they always have such crazy/interesting solutions to things I couldn't begin to process how to tackle. I loved watching Adam geek out over Hamilton because, come on, who wouldn't?!
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