Elton John had a dream team working on the looks for his epic final trek, the three-year, 300-show “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour, which caps the artist’s 50-year career. PLSN spoke with key members on the design team. Ray Winkler of Stufish noted the intent of the design for the Yellow Brick portal, with the magic of video visuals and live effects transporting the audience as Elton performs and makes his final exit. “The idea of a crescent stage and sloping screen was established early as they allowed the audience to get close to Elton and the beautiful video content created by Sam Pattinson’s team,” says Winkler, also noting the key role played by Jacqueline Pyle, who did the scenic sculpture for the tour. “The gilded frame that sensuously wraps around the screens and stage gave this design the Elton John hallmark of opulence and quality and became the thread that tied it all together.”
—From “Production Profile,” PLSN, Feb. 2019, page 36.
