Chicago Scenic Contributes to Radio City Christmas Spectacular

New York theatregoers who make the Radio City Christmas Spectacular show part of their annual holiday celebration probably do not realize that a Chicago company has a key role in delivering that authentic New York experience. Many of the scenic elements on stage this year were created by Chicago Scenic Studios, a local design and fabrication company with its home base on Goose Island.

Chicago Scenic has worked on Radio City's touring productions of The Christmas Spectacular since the late 1990s, says Ken Zommer, a senior project manager at Chicago Scenic. This year, however, is the first time that the company created scenic elements for the Radio City Music Hall production.

In honor of the show's 75th anniversary, many scenic elements are being re-outfitted. "Audience members will still see all their favorite scenes," Zommer explains, "but this year they will have a newer, fresher look and, in some cases, have elements that feature the 75th anniversary diamond motif."

Among the elements Chicago Scenic created for the show were an artificial ice rink, on which actors skate while the unit moves across the stage; the Central Park bridge, a life-sized, snow-covered replica of New York's Central Park structure; a towering, diamond-shaped staircase and an elevator from which Santa Claus makes his entrance.

Chicago Scenic also created the naturalistic rock formations that provide the backdrop for the show's Nativity Scene conclusion. This scene features more than 450 flowers that magically bloom from the rock surfaces and trees on cue.

Certainly Chicago Scenic's past work on The Christmas Spectacular touring shows helped the company win the Radio City job, Zommer said. "A production this size is so huge that no one company can take it on themselves," Zommer said, explaining that the job was divided among at least five companies.

All companies except Chicago Scenic, however, were located in or near New York City. "The producer and technical director recognized CSSI's talent as being equal to New York shops, which regularly service Broadway shows," Zommer said. Chicago Scenic has worked on other Broadway productions -- their work is currently part of the Broadway production of Spamalot and The Lion King. Chicago Scenic also contributed to the current Times Square studio for Good Morning America as well.

Once Chicago Scenic was awarded the job, Zommer said, "We worked hard to reassure our contacts in New York by staying in constant contact with them." Zommer and his staff provided weekly and sometimes daily communication via phone and email. "Using technology, we sent photos and video of the project on the shop floor. We were able to trade information very easily so that no matter where Patrick Fahey [the show's designer] was, we were able to reach him." Chicago Scenic, which 30 years ago started as a company serving the off-Loop theatrical community, now works with a wide variety of industries on many different projects, including special events, corporate presentations, themed entertainment and retail, museums and exhibits.

"What I like about Radio City is that it's straightforward theater," Zommer explains. "It's nice to to work on such a huge show, a real spectacle." Zommer, like many Chicago Scenic employees, has a degree in theater; his BFA is in theater and design from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater.

During the nearly five months that Chicago Scenic staff worked on the various Radio City scenic components, nearly every department at the company was involved. "Parts of the job moved from design and engineering to our metals department and on through carpentry, electrical, automation, painting and soft goods," Zommer said. "We even managed to get our rentals department involved in the job," he added.

The scenic elements shipped from Chicago Scenic and were installed at Radio City in mid-October. The show, which opened November 9, runs through the end of December.