Inside the Props That Keep Broadway’s Operation Mincemeat Moving

Secret documents, briefcases and telephones help keep Operation Mincemeat’s mission moving on Broadway. Ensuring those objects are ready for action is a mission of its own. Eric Stewart, head of props at the Golden Theatre, spoke to The Broadway Show correspondent Perry Sook about the backstage ingenuity behind the musical’s fast-paced comedy.

With five performers juggling dozens of characters, the production requires precision well beyond what occurs onstage. Its beginnings in a small London theater helped establish an approach in which actors grab their own props and costume pieces between entrances. As Stewart puts it, “It is a mad dash for everyone backstage.”

The Golden’s compact quarters help make that choreography possible. Props have designated homes on shelves and backstage hangers, giving performers a reliable route to whatever they need next. There’s little room for a detour when entrances are timed to the second. Stewart previously worked on Back to the Future, where the scale presented a different challenge. At Operation Mincemeat, desks, chairs and a rolling ladder are among the largest pieces. While most of the action relies on objects small enough to carry, that doesn't always mean it's easier than navigating, say, a flying car.

Those smaller things require plenty of attention. Papers are replaced in folders, newspapers are swapped out and telephone cords are checked for wear. A weekly maintenance call gives the crew time to tackle larger repairs. Working with scenic designer Ben Stones, the U.K. props designers devised a mechanism Stewart describes as “essentially a dog leash inside the phone.” The retractable component helps the cords stretch up to 20 feet and return, though the cords themselves still need replacing as they wear out. Happy props, fewer flops.

For a musical rooted in a true story, accuracy matters, but so does surviving repeated performances. “We try and get as close to period accurate as we can,” Stewart says. “The hard thing about the show is that things are used so quickly and so much in the show, that you need it to be sturdy, and a lot of times vintage pieces are fragile.”

One solution pairs a vintage 1940s thermos with modern technology. When its cap proved prone to breaking, the house electrician used a 3D printer to make a replacement, which was painted to match the original. “It looks similar, but it's not exact. But it passes for what we need, so if they drop it now, it'll just bounce instead of shattering and going all over the floor,” Stewart says.

Stewart also helped gather props and train the road crew for the North American tour, passing along the Broadway production’s tricks. Back at the Golden, the close quarters offer another benefit: a company that enjoys sharing the space. “We do the same show every day, but the same show is never the same show twice. There's always something different,” Stewart says. “You really get to know each other, and we have a really good sense of community in this building, so I enjoy coming to work every day.” Props to Stewart, indeed.

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