Design Elements of M. Butterfly (Jordan)

Original Broadway Production 

On March 13 1988 M. Butterfly made its original Broadway debut at the Eugene O’neill Theatre in New York City. The Design team worked to create a simplistic yet symbolic world that took its audience on a journey of "love." The design team's ability to collaborate with one another allowed for a nice clash of cultures that supported the notions of the play. The success of this production resulted in a Tony Award for Best Play.

1988 Design Team:

Scenic Design- Eiko Ishioka*

*Costume Design- Eiko Ishioka **

Lighting Design- Andy Phillips **

Hair Design- Phyllis Della

Sound Design- Peter J. Fitzgerald

Associate Scenic Design- Duke Durfee

Associate Costume Design- John Dunn

Make-Up Design- Joe Campayno

Assistant to Phillips: Brian Nason; Assistant to Ms. Ishioka: Susan O'Donnell

**Nominated for Tony Awards for their designs

The Costumes/Make-up:

Eiko Ishioka, was born and raised in Japan. Due to her ties to Japan, she ensured that her costume designs were both culturally and historically accurate. Her attention to detail and the use of lavish classical kimonos contrasted nicely with Gallimard's clean-cut suite. Therefore portraying the styles of two different cultures, which helped notify the audience of the cultural divide between Song and Gallimard. As for Make-up; Song would take off their makeup onstage, changing identities right in front of the audiences' eyes, in the end, Gallimard put makeup on-onstage as he transforms into his dream woman... "Madame Butterfly" before committing suicide.

                                                                                                                                                                               The Set: 

Ishioka also acted as the Scenic Designer. The Washington Post gives a lot of insight on the scenic properties- "On a blood-red set that resembles the inside of a giant snail's shell, hooded prop men scurry about, attending efficiently to the actors' needs. Latticework panels glide on and off the stage. Gongs reverberate. And greatly painted curtains flutter to the floor, signaling sudden leaps forward in time and place." The snail shell symbolizes a jail cell. As for style, the design inhabits Constructionism and Brechtian inspiration.   

                                                     

The Lights:

The Lighting design was angular and progressive. Phillip's use of saturated and vibrant colors brought out Songs' Costumes as well as giving dimension on the set. Gallimard's white suite stuck out against a red cyc. Phillip's use of some gobos through downlight added some texture to the set.  

2017 Broadway Revival 

1988 Design Team:
Scenic Design- Paul Steinberg
Costume Design- Constance Hoffman
Lighting Design- Donald Holder
Sound Design- Will Pickens
Hair and Wig Design-  Dave Bova
Make-Up Design- Judy Chin
Mask Design- Stephen Kaplan
Puppet Design- Stephen Kaplan
Associate Costume Design- Sara Jean Tosetti
Associate Lighting Design- Vivien Leone
Associate Sound Design- Alex Neumann
Associate Make-Up Design- Angela L. Johnson

The lighting design has now become very specific and aids the overall mood in scenes. This bulb effect brings the audience into an intimate space that shows the battle that Gallimard is having internally.  This also implies very literally that he was in a jail cell though rather than giving the audience some room for thought. 

The set is obviously very different from the first production, Instead of representing the inside of a snails shell, it is filled with panels that fly in and out to change the location of the scenes. This adds a lot of dimensions and gives the audience clues on literal locations. By making it more literal, symbolism is less apparent.

Seen here the lighting is very industrial and creates lines and texture. This creates a beautiful picture for the audience. The costume that Song is wearing is a dress with lace rather than the silk kimono seen in the first production this seems to steer from her culture and doesn't give a contrast between the two.

Another costume to talk about is Gallimard's blue clean-cut, modern, suit. Something about the white suite used in the original production added a lot of dimensions. It also added a level of indirect symbolism. Was the white a sign of purity? I'm unsure but it was ironic being in all white as he lies in a jail cell. 

Something more innovative was the use of puppets, the classic origami butterflies are not only supporting the recurring motif of "butterfly...butterfly" said by both Song and Gallimard but touches on the Madame Butterfly Allegory.