SAKS'
THEATER OF DREAMS
Saks Fifth Avenue “Theater of Dreams”
Holiday Light Show
You may ask what is a department store is doing in the Filmed Live Musicals newsletter. This year’s window and light display, “Theater of Dreams,” is a love letter to what Saks’ President Mark Metrick describes as “one of New York’s iconic treasures,” Broadway. The unveiling, which included an ensemble of 124 performers tap dancing on Fifth Avenue, was livestreamed via Saks.com and YouTube (jump to the 16 minute mark for the dancing).
Elaborate festive season window displays at Saks Fifth Avenue have been a New York staple since 1924. Although the windows traditionally featured high-end purchasable items, since 2004 the window display has been accompanied by an increasingly elaborate light show. The first show featured 70,000 LEDS forming 50 giant snowflakes that flickered on and off in time to a zuped-up version of “Carol of the Bells.”
Just over ten years later in 2015, Saks collaborated with American Christmas, a company specializing in holiday design. As a result of the collaboration, the window displays and light show were integrated into one overarching story called “The Winter Palace.”
In 2016, the theme was the Nutcracker, and in 2017, Saks partnered with Disney to present “Snow White and Seven Dwarves.”
This year, Saks partnered with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, a leading fundraising and grant-making organization which has raised over $300 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses, to create installations in the Saks windows which are “an ode to the grandeur of the Broadway stage.”
Heavily referencing 42nd Street, the launch event was a melding of 1920s and golden age Broadway. It was directed by Michael Lee Scott (art director of the Wendy Williams Show) and choreographed by Tammy Colucci (Altar Boyz and Broadway Bares).
The window display tells the story of a shopper who visits the theatre and dreams of Saks Fifth Avenue, with each of the six windows depicting a different scene including a visit to the Fifth Avenue Club, 10022-SHOE, and a beauty spa.
In addition to enjoying the display, members of the public can sponsor a light bulb in the display, and all proceeds will be donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids.
Elaborate festive season window displays at Saks Fifth Avenue have been a New York staple since 1924. Although the windows traditionally featured high-end purchasable items, since 2004 the window display has been accompanied by an increasingly elaborate light show. The first show featured 70,000 LEDS forming 50 giant snowflakes that flickered on and off in time to a zuped-up version of “Carol of the Bells.”
Just over ten years later in 2015, Saks collaborated with American Christmas, a company specializing in holiday design. As a result of the collaboration, the window displays and light show were integrated into one overarching story called “The Winter Palace.”
In 2016, the theme was the Nutcracker, and in 2017, Saks partnered with Disney to present “Snow White and Seven Dwarves.”
This year, Saks partnered with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, a leading fundraising and grant-making organization which has raised over $300 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses, to create installations in the Saks windows which are “an ode to the grandeur of the Broadway stage.”
Heavily referencing 42nd Street, the launch event was a melding of 1920s and golden age Broadway. It was directed by Michael Lee Scott (art director of the Wendy Williams Show) and choreographed by Tammy Colucci (Altar Boyz and Broadway Bares).
The window display tells the story of a shopper who visits the theatre and dreams of Saks Fifth Avenue, with each of the six windows depicting a different scene including a visit to the Fifth Avenue Club, 10022-SHOE, and a beauty spa.
In addition to enjoying the display, members of the public can sponsor a light bulb in the display, and all proceeds will be donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids.
Sources
Articles
Articles
- Meghan Gianotta, “Saks Fifth Avenue holiday windows and light show, from design to installation,” am New York (Nov 23, 2017)
- Jordan Muto, “The best holiday shopping windows of 2015,” Today (Dec 7, 2015)
- Saks Fifth Avenue, “SAKS FIFTH AVENUE reveals "THEATER OF DREAMS" holiday window concept in partnership with BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS,” PR Newswire (Nov 2, 2018)
- Uncredited, “Saks Fifth Avenue’s holiday window is a love letter to Broadway,” New York Post (Nov 19, 2018)
- Kevin Wong, “How Saks Fifth Avenue Blended Tech Into Its Holiday Light Show,” Motherboard (Dec 23, 2016)
- Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, “Events & Happenings: Saks & Broadway Cares Create Holiday ‘Theater of Dreams’” Accessed via: https://broadwaycares.org/saks-broadway-cares-create-holiday-theater-of-dreams/