For Immediate Release
January 19, 2011
Broadway Invades the Botanical Garden
in 9th Annual Orchid Exhibition
Tony Award-Winning Designer Scott Pask and Image-Maker Drew Hodges
Showcase Thousands of Dramatic Orchids in Theater-Inspired Set Pieces
Al Hirschfeld Works Displayed in Library Gallery
Weekend Cabaret Performances Feature Broadway Music in Orchid Rotunda
The Orchid Show: On Broadway
March 5–April 25, 2011
From March 5 through April 25, 2011, the undeniable glamour and irresistible allure of orchids take
center stage at The New York Botanical Garden in a dazzling display created by Tony award-winning set
designer Scott Pask, image-maker Drew Hodges, and Botanical Garden curators. The result is must-see
horticultural theater. The Orchid Show: On Broadway features iconic architectural elements from
legendary theaters of the Great White Way dramatically interpreted with thousands of orchids in the Enid
A. Haupt Conservatory. Just a short stroll across the Garden’s grounds in the Library building, a
complementary exhibition, Hirschfeld’s Broadway Scrapbook, spotlights works by the American
caricaturist whose whimsical drawings so captured audiences that a Broadway theater was named in his
honor. On weekends, Broadway Cabaret performances highlight popular music from Broadway stages.
Combined with the art exhibition and live performances, The Orchid Show: On Broadway, the Botanical
Garden’s ninth annual presentation of the nation’s largest and only curated orchid exhibition, which has
been acclaimed as a “tour de force that leaves most visitors gasping with amazement and delight,” is a
not-to-be-missed showcase for orchid enthusiasts and Broadway theater-lovers alike.
Singular Sensation Flower Show
Evokes Orchids as Architecture and Ornament, Audience and Stars
In previous years, to the fascination of hundreds of thousands
of visitors, the Garden has placed a spotlight on geographic
regions such as Singapore, Brazil, and Cuba that are renowned
for collections or naturally occurring orchids in the
environment. In an exciting plot twist for the 2011 exhibition
that both underscores the breadth and depth of one of the most
distinguished orchid collections in the world, that of The New
York Botanical Garden, and solidifies the reputation of orchids
as the divas of the plant world, Scott Pask and Drew Hodges
utilize thousands of orchids in an astonishing variety of
shapes, sizes, textures, and colors in their design of
The Orchid Show: On Broadway.
Scott Pask and Drew Hodges
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More than 300 types of species and hybrid orchids, including Dendrobium (cane orchids), Paphiopedilum
(slipper orchids), Oncidium (dancing lady orchids), Cymbidium (Asian corsage orchids), and
Phalaenopsis (moth orchids) festoon set pieces that transport visitors to theaters where some of their
favorite Broadway productions have been mounted.
In the Reflecting Pool of the Conservatory’s Palms of the World Gallery, a proscenium arch and curtain
inspired by the Walter Kerr Theatre frame an orchid-bedecked stage heralding the starring role of these
coveted plants in this show.
A stroll through the long Seasonal Exhibition Gallery with a kaleidoscope of orchids grandly criss-
crossing and arching overhead reminds visitors of the ornate New Amsterdam Theatre promenade, while
the towering glass roof of the corner Seasonal Exhibition Gallery is the perfect setting for an orchid
chandelier reminiscent of the majestic lighting fixtures that decorated and illuminated Broadway theaters
such as the 42nd Street Theatre (formerly the Eltinge Theatre), suspended above a reflecting pool,
balustrade, and a tiered orchid “audience.”
Broadway Immersion Continues in Library Building with Art Exhibition and Cabaret
One of the most important figures in contemporary caricature, Al Hirschfeld (1903–2003) immortalized
the icons of American theater in delightful drawings depicting Broadway stars and productions. The
Orchid Show: On Broadway complementary exhibition, Hirschfeld’s Broadway Scrapbook, in the
LuEsther T. Mertz Library’s Rondina and LoFaro Gallery displays more than 30 drawings, as well as
posters, programs, and sketchbooks from the Al Hirschfeld Foundation that tell the history of the Great
White Way as seen by its foremost chronicler. Visitors will travel through time beginning with Eugene
O’Neill’s classic Anna Christie in 1921 to Hairspray in 2002, with stops along the way at My Fair Lady,
Gypsy, Funny Girl, Fiddler on the Roof, La Cage Aux Folles, Evita, and Phantom of the Opera. Included
are portraits of Broadway legends Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Miller, George and Ira Gershwin, Neil
Simon, Jerome Robbins, Carol Channing, Patti Lupone, Barbra Streisand, and Julie Andrews, and even a
selection of Broadway shows with a botanical connection such as House of Flowers, Desire Under the
Elms, and Into the Woods. Hirschfeld’s Broadway Scrapbook is curated by David Leopold of the Al
Hirschfeld Foundation with consultation provided by Louise Kerz Hirschfeld.
With the backdrop of a dazzling display of orchids in the terrarium, Broadway Cabaret in the Orchid
Rotunda features half-hour, weekend afternoon performances by a vocalist and keyboardist entertaining
visitors with Broadway tunes, rounding out the Broadway experience at the Botanical Garden.
Entertaining and Educational
In addition to the opportunity to marvel at thousands of orchids on colorful display in the Conservatory,
the smash-hit exhibition affords many opportunities to learn about the second largest family of flowering
plants in several ways.
Interpretive media employed for the exhibition include signs, cell phone tours, and pages on the Garden’s
Web site focusing on themes such as orchid diversity, evolution, and the preservation of endangered
orchids.
Weekend visitors to The Orchid Show can avail themselves of the many Home Gardening
Demonstrations and Q&A sessions where they can take in the varied fragrances of orchids, get up close to
miniatures, and obtain orchid care tips, showing how unintimidating orchid care can be.
The Garden’s Adult Education Program offers one-day, orchid-centered classes that invite exploration of
botany and fragrance, teach repotting techniques, and troubleshooting.
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Take Home the Drama
Located in the Garden’s Leon Levy Visitor Center, Shop in the Garden is a can’t-miss destination during
The Orchid Show: On Broadway. Thousands of top-quality orchids, from exotic, hard-to-find specimens
for connoisseurs to elegant yet easy-to-grow varieties for beginners, are available for purchase, along with
orchid products for properly caring for new acquisitions and hundreds of orchid books.
During The Orchid Show’s run, cell phone tour stops in Shop in the Garden provide answers to frequently
asked orchid questions and allow visitors to dial up care tips on watering and feeding, reblooming, and
repotting for several specific types of orchids on sale in the Shop.
Shop in the Garden also features merchandise commemorating The Orchid Show: On Broadway, with
tee-shirts, CDs, and Al Hirschfeld books and notecards available for purchase.
Who’s Who Behind the Scenes
Scott Pask is an award-winning scenic designer who received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the
University of Arizona and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Yale School of Drama. His Broadway
credits include The Pillowman, for which he won his first Tony Award for Scenic Design, the hit revivals
of Promises, Promises and Hair, as well as Speed the Plow, Nine, Sweet Charity, Little Shop of Horrors,
and La Cage Aux Folles, among many others.
Drew Hodges is an accomplished graphic designer and Founder and CEO of Spotco. Considered
Broadway’s preeminent agency, Spotco is the award-winning branding and marketing machine behind
countless Broadway shows such as Rent, Chicago, Doubt, The Color Purple, Shrek, and Billy Elliot.
Thomas Noel, Principal of Event Design, Inc. reprises his role as creator of the set pieces Pask and
Hodges have designed. Noel has built the sets for the Garden’s previous two Orchid Shows.
The Pask/Hodges design of The Orchid Show: On Broadway is being implemented by The New York
Botanical Garden’s Horticulture staff. The team is led by Francisca P. Coelho, Vivian and Edward Merrin
Associate Vice President for Glasshouses and Exhibitions; Marc Hachadourian, Curator of the Orchid
Collection and Manager of the Nolen Greenhouses for Living Collections; and Karen Daubmann,
Director of Exhibitions and Seasonal Displays.
David Leopold is the Archivist of the Al Hirschfeld Foundation and an independent curator whose
exhibitions have appeared at museums around the world. Louise Kerz Hirschfeld is a longtime theater
historian, widow of Al Hirschfeld, and President of the Foundation that bears his name.
Principal Sponsors, Mr. and Mrs. Marvin H. Davidson
Founding Sponsor, The Tiffany & Co. Foundation
Generous support also provided by the Karen Katen Foundation
Exhibitions in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory are made possible by the Estate of Enid A. Haupt.
Exhibitions in the Mertz Library are made possible by the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust.
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The New York Botanical Garden is a museum of plants located at Bronx River Parkway (Exit 7W) and Fordham Road. It is easy to
reach by Metro-North Railroad or subway. The Botanical Garden is open year-round, Tuesday through Sunday and Monday federal
holidays. During The Orchid Show: On Broadway the Garden is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The best way to enjoy the Garden during
The Orchid Show is with the All-Garden Pass, which includes admission to the grounds as well as to seasonal gardens, exhibitions, and
attractions such as the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, Rock Garden, and Tram Tour: $20 for
adults, $18 for seniors and students with ID, $8 for children ages 2–12, children under 2 are free. A Grounds-Only Pass is available: $6
for adults, $5 for adult Bronx Residents; $3 for seniors and students with ID, $1 for children ages 2–12, children under 2 are free.
Grounds-only admission is free all day on Wednesdays and from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. For more information, please call
718.817.8700 or visit
www.nybg.org
The New York Botanical Garden is located on property owned in full by the City of New York, and its operation is made possible in part
by public funds provided through the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. A portion of the Garden’s general operating funds
is provided by The New York City Council and The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. The Bronx
Borough President and Bronx elected representatives in the City Council and State Legislature provide leadership funding.
Media Contacts:
The New York Botanical Garden: Melinda Manning 718.817.8659/8616 or
The Hartman Group: Alyssa Hart, 212.398.1800
, or ahart@thehartmangrouppr.com
Images available
