In 1968, Olaf Sööt designed a new rear stage wagon and turntable for the Metropolitan Opera in New York. The rear wagon and its turntable are still in operation. Now, more than forty years later, it was time to replace the aging side stage wagons which did not have the sufficient capacity nor the reliability required for the present-day opera productions.
The new side stage wagon system, designed by Olaf Sööt Design, LLC, consists of left and right wagon groups and has many first of a kind features. Five individual 8-ft. wide by 60-ft. long wagons form the stage left group and six are used for the stage right group. There are two drive wagons in each group, which also guide the system, while the remaining wagons are slaves. The wagons in each group can be latched together, by remote controls, to operate as one or in various configurations. The left and right stage wagon groups can also be linked at their stage ends to operate as a large 120 ft. by 40 ft. wagon or other configurations can be chosen.