Our design team began this journey with a meeting in the Ed Sullivan Theater with Stephen Colbert in January 2015. We then worked closely with the Colbert team to achieve Stephen’s vision of the new Late Show set. The main goal was to both feature the grand architecture of the Ed Sullivan Theater as well as create an intimate conversation area for Stephen’s interviews. The design features the columns, stained glass windows, and architectural ornaments found in the theater.
Precise molds of the columns were made to create additional columns for the set. One of the features of the set are the color changing stained glass windows that frame the stage. These windows have unlimited color possibilities that change for the different segments of the program. The set design also incorporates the latest high resolution LED tile technology to create changeable moving backgrounds behind the playing areas. Double story screens were also placed in the alcoves between the architectural columns on either side of the set.