Jun 5, 2025 11:00 EST
Stage & Screen
527
Stage used props and Jake Bell's script for Les Miserables
Estate / Collection: Property of Technical Production Manager Jake Bell
LES MISERABLES
Stage used Officer’s hat, Shaleleigh cane, original show poster, antique bucket, and script. A group of stage-used items from Les Miserables including a tall officer's hat, about 12 inches high; Shaleleigh cane, about 37 inches with rubber stopper; an antique metal-bound wooden bucket, likely French, about 18 inches high, with a rope handle; and Technical Producer Jake Bell's brad-bound script, notated on the title "Property of Jake Bell," this script noted in type as being for the New York Production.
Technical Production Manager Jake Bell's memories of Les Misérables:
Les Misérables was created by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, who wrote the book and music. The show was produced globally by Cameron Mackintosh and co-directed on Broadway by Trevor Nunn and John Caird. Nominated for 12 Tony Awards, it went on to win eight, including Best Original Score and Best Musical.
Based on the historical novel by Victor Hugo, Les Misérables is set in 19th-century France. The musical marked a departure from traditional theater of the time, as it was entirely sung-through with no dialogue, unlike most musicals that included spoken lines. Initially produced in Paris, the show wasn’t a huge success. However, when it opened in London, it quickly became a massive hit, eventually becoming the longest-running show in West End history. Shortened from a sprawling 1,463-page novel, the musical condensed Les Misérables into a captivating three-hour performance that captivated audiences worldwide.
When Les Misérables first opened in London, it did not rely on computerized automation. But when the production moved to New York, we faced the challenge of engineering the turntable cueing system to be controlled by computers. In London, the turntable was operated manually, but the computerized system in New York allowed for greater accuracy and consistency in its movement. Essentially, the speed of the turntable was controlled like the accelerator in a car, gradually increasing to the right speed for each scene before slowing down smoothly, with no abrupt stops or jerks—critical to ensure the performers wouldn’t stumble or fall. Actors and stagehands had to be trained to step onto and off the moving turntable, which was similar to walking on a moving walkway or an escalator, but with varying speeds and directions, all while lighting conditions could range from complete darkness to full exposure.
This was the first time anyone had choreographed a moving turntable like this. There were more than 63 turntable cues alone, and it was essential that stagehands carefully stepped on and off the rotating platform upstage while placing set pieces, without interfering with the live action downstage. Every movement was precisely choreographed, and lighting cues had to match perfectly.
One of the most complex technical feats involved the huge barricades, which moved in from both sides of the stage. These barricades were mounted on tracks that had to align perfectly with those on the turntable to meet at center stage as a single cohesive element. The barricades needed to fit precisely onto the turntable, allowing them to rotate for full visibility during the dramatic scene of the first battle of the French Revolution.
The marketing artwork for the show, created by De Wynters of London, was equally innovative and engaging. The character of Cosette appeared in various promotional materials across the globe. She was featured in unexpected places like the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, a streetcar in San Francisco, and in front of the Hollywood sign in LA.
Sold for $544
Estimated at $500 - $800
Includes Buyer's Premium
Estate / Collection: Property of Technical Production Manager Jake Bell
LES MISERABLES
Stage used Officer’s hat, Shaleleigh cane, original show poster, antique bucket, and script. A group of stage-used items from Les Miserables including a tall officer's hat, about 12 inches high; Shaleleigh cane, about 37 inches with rubber stopper; an antique metal-bound wooden bucket, likely French, about 18 inches high, with a rope handle; and Technical Producer Jake Bell's brad-bound script, notated on the title "Property of Jake Bell," this script noted in type as being for the New York Production.
Technical Production Manager Jake Bell's memories of Les Misérables:
Les Misérables was created by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, who wrote the book and music. The show was produced globally by Cameron Mackintosh and co-directed on Broadway by Trevor Nunn and John Caird. Nominated for 12 Tony Awards, it went on to win eight, including Best Original Score and Best Musical.
Based on the historical novel by Victor Hugo, Les Misérables is set in 19th-century France. The musical marked a departure from traditional theater of the time, as it was entirely sung-through with no dialogue, unlike most musicals that included spoken lines. Initially produced in Paris, the show wasn’t a huge success. However, when it opened in London, it quickly became a massive hit, eventually becoming the longest-running show in West End history. Shortened from a sprawling 1,463-page novel, the musical condensed Les Misérables into a captivating three-hour performance that captivated audiences worldwide.
When Les Misérables first opened in London, it did not rely on computerized automation. But when the production moved to New York, we faced the challenge of engineering the turntable cueing system to be controlled by computers. In London, the turntable was operated manually, but the computerized system in New York allowed for greater accuracy and consistency in its movement. Essentially, the speed of the turntable was controlled like the accelerator in a car, gradually increasing to the right speed for each scene before slowing down smoothly, with no abrupt stops or jerks—critical to ensure the performers wouldn’t stumble or fall. Actors and stagehands had to be trained to step onto and off the moving turntable, which was similar to walking on a moving walkway or an escalator, but with varying speeds and directions, all while lighting conditions could range from complete darkness to full exposure.
This was the first time anyone had choreographed a moving turntable like this. There were more than 63 turntable cues alone, and it was essential that stagehands carefully stepped on and off the rotating platform upstage while placing set pieces, without interfering with the live action downstage. Every movement was precisely choreographed, and lighting cues had to match perfectly.
One of the most complex technical feats involved the huge barricades, which moved in from both sides of the stage. These barricades were mounted on tracks that had to align perfectly with those on the turntable to meet at center stage as a single cohesive element. The barricades needed to fit precisely onto the turntable, allowing them to rotate for full visibility during the dramatic scene of the first battle of the French Revolution.
The marketing artwork for the show, created by De Wynters of London, was equally innovative and engaging. The character of Cosette appeared in various promotional materials across the globe. She was featured in unexpected places like the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, a streetcar in San Francisco, and in front of the Hollywood sign in LA.
Auction: Stage & Screen, Jun 5, 2025
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Popular Stage & Screen Auction on Thursday, June 5, 2025 at 11am
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Memorabilia, Autographs, Artwork & Photographs of the Theater, Hollywood, Music and Dance
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Hosted in Collaboration with the Entertainment Community Fund (Formerly the Actors Fund)
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle hosted the popular Stage & Screen auction on June 5, 2025. Fans and collectors around the world vied for exciting offerings celebrating the performing arts of Theater, Hollywood, Music and Dance.
The Glass Menagerie
Highlighting the sale was an extraordinary script of The Glass Menagerie, inscribed by Tennessee Williams to Jo Mielziner, the celebrated set and lighting designer. Mielziner’s annotated carbon copy, it sold for $11,520, many times its $1,500-2,500 estimate. His notes reveal early design ideas, including “wonderful!” beside Williams’ lighting suggestions. This script predates rewrites and was issued before rehearsals began in late November 1944. Their first collaboration, Menagerie became a theatrical milestone, with Mielziner’s visionary designs playing a crucial role in its success and in later Williams-Meilziner productions, A Streetcar Named Desire and Summer and Smoke.
The Entertainment Community Fund
Recognizing the importance of the performing arts to the fabric of New York, Doyle is proud to collaborate on this auction with the Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Lots 501 through 519 were auctioned to directly benefit the Fund, and Doyle will donate 100% of our Buyer's Premium on these lots. Featured are stylish costumes from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. For further information on the Entertainment Community Fund, visit EntertainmentCommunity.org
Property of Technical Production Manager Jake Bell
Jake Bell has had a legendary career in the theater as Technical Production Manager for Sir Cameron Mackintosh's iconic musicals. Bell managed some of the most dazzling and technologically advanced stage elements in theater history: the famous falling chandelier in The Phantom of the Opera, the flying helicopter in Miss Saigon, the barricade of Les Misérables and so much more. Among the collection's highlights are annotated production books, scripts, props and memorabilia from Cats, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, A Chorus Line and Phantom of the Opera, including a stage-worn Phantom mask presented to Bell at the April 2023 closing performance. View Lots
The Estate of Tony Roberts
New York native Tony Roberts (1939–2025) was a prolific stage and screen actor with a career spanning over six decades. A two-time Tony award nominee, he appeared in 23 Broadway productions, among them David Merrick’s Barefoot in the Park, Arsenic and Old Lace, and Promises, Promises, for which he won the London Critics Poll Award for the West End production. Among his numerous screen credits are six Woody Allen films, including Annie Hall, Play It Again, Sam and Star-Spangled Girl. He performed in New York City Opera's Brigadoon and South Pacific, and played Scrooge in A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden. Collection highlights feature original illustrations by Al Hirschfeld depicting Roberts in Arsenic and Old Lace and Doubles, his script from Star Spangled Girl, and a large group of awards and memorabilia. View Lots
“Costume Bibles” of Barbara Matera
Barbara Matera (1929-2001) was one of the foremost costume designers and creators of costumes on Broadway, working on more than 100 shows between the 1970s to the early 2000s. It was her invariable practice to create a costume bible for every show, with copies of the original designs, specimens of the fabrics used, and notes on the sources of those fabrics. This enabled repairs and new copies of costumes to be consistently assembled over the course of a show. Featured in the sale are costume bibles for Angels in America, Evita, La Cage aux Folles, Phantom of the Opera, RENT and even the Rolling Stones 1994 Voodoo Lounge Tour. View Lots
