Renting Fenway For A Unique Bridesmaids Tale

The Handmaid's Tale is an American TV series based on Margaret Atwood's novel of the same name. The show is set in Boston, and in the first two episodes of Season 2, Fenway Park, a famous baseball stadium in the city, is used as a filming location for a particularly harrowing scene. In the scene, the protagonist, June, and other handmaids are taken to Fenway Park to be executed. The use of such an iconic American landmark adds an extra layer of horror to the scene, as it represents the fall of a sacred American institution.

The Boston Red Sox allowed filming at Fenway Park

The Boston Red Sox chairman, Tom Werner, was initially hesitant about the idea of filming at Fenway Park, asking executive producer Warren Littlefield, "How is this good for baseball? How is this good for the Red Sox?" However, Littlefield was able to persuade him by explaining that the scene would show "a sacred part of America" being taken over by the brutal regime of Gilead, the fictional setting of "The Handmaid's Tale."

The Boston Red Sox's cooperation was essential for the scene to be depicted accurately, and the show's success likely played a role in securing their agreement. The scene was shot over one night at Fenway Park, with additional plates shot at a ballpark in Hamilton, near Toronto, to create the final version seen in the show.

The use of Fenway Park as a filming location for "The Handmaid's Tale" is notable due to its status as an undisputed American landmark and a symbol of the city of Boston. By allowing filming at Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox contributed to the show's ability to showcase the rot and decay that has taken over familiar Boston locations in the fictional world of Gilead.

The scene was shot over one night

The opening scene of Season 2 of Hulu's "The Handmaid's Tale" was shot over one night at Fenway Park. The scene depicts a group of handmaids, including June (Elisabeth Moss), being led to the gallows to be executed. The scene is set in a dystopian future in which the handmaids are punished for a minor revolt.

The show's executive producer, Warren Littlefield, revealed that they needed permission from the Boston Red Sox to film at Fenway Park. He approached Tom Werner, the chairman of the Boston Red Sox, to make the request. Major League Baseball is a conservative organisation, and Werner was initially concerned about how the use of Fenway Park would reflect on baseball and the Red Sox. Littlefield emphasised that the scene would highlight how "a sacred part of America is gone" in the show's dystopian future. The Red Sox board of directors approved the request the day after "The Handmaid's Tale" won eight Emmy awards.

The production team shot plates for one night at Fenway Park and then filmed the actual scene at a ballpark in Hamilton, near Toronto. Visual effects were used to combine the two locations.

The scene was a false execution

But it was all a ruse, a twisted punishment for their minor revolt. No one died. Yet, the false execution successfully transformed a space of community and fun into one of absolute torture. The sacred was desecrated. The rot had set in.

The handmaids were herded into Fenway Park, an undisputed American landmark, a central part of Boston life since 1912. It was an incredibly specific and bizarre choice of location for the scene. But it made a ghoulish kind of sense, given that the show is set in the metro Boston area.

The idea for the scene came from Kira Snyder, a writer on the show's staff. Showrunner Bruce Miller initially thought it was a joke, exclaiming, "we could never do that". But they did. And to make it happen, they needed permission from the Boston Red Sox.

The Boston Red Sox had to agree to the use of Fenway Park in 'The Handmaid's Tale'. Executive producer Warren Littlefield approached Boston Red Sox chairman Tom Werner with the idea. Werner's initial reaction was one of scepticism; he wanted to know how this would be good for baseball and the Red Sox.

Littlefield explained that by staging the scene at Fenway, viewers would "appreciate that a sacred part of America is gone". The board of directors met to decide the issue the day after 'The Handmaid's Tale' won eight Emmys. They gave the go-ahead.

The production team shot for a night at Fenway with their visual effects team and then filmed the actual scene at a ballfield in Hamilton, not far from Toronto.

The false execution scene in 'The Handmaid's Tale' was a powerful and disturbing moment in the show. By using Fenway Park as the location, the production team added an extra layer of significance and impact. It required the cooperation of the Boston Red Sox, who ultimately agreed, understanding the importance of the scene's message.

The Boston Red Sox chairman initially questioned the idea

The Boston Red Sox chairman, Tom Werner, initially questioned the idea of allowing Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale to film a scene at Fenway Park. In the scene, the main character, June, and her fellow handmaids are dragged to a row of gallows erected on the field and threatened with death.

Werner's first reaction to the request was to ask: "How is this good for baseball? How is this good for the Red Sox?" Major League Baseball is a conservative organization, and Werner was unsure how turning Fenway Park into a space of absolute torture would reflect on America's favourite pastime and one of its most historic venues.

However, executive producer Warren Littlefield explained to Werner that by staging the scene at Fenway, viewers would "appreciate that a sacred part of America is gone." The scene would highlight how Gilead, the brutal regime in The Handmaid's Tale, had corrupted and taken over a beloved and iconic American landmark.

Littlefield's pitch to Werner was so compelling that the Boston Red Sox chairman brought the idea to the board of directors, who approved the request. The scene was shot over one night at Fenway Park with the help of a visual effects team. The rest of the scene was filmed at a ballfield in Hamilton, near Toronto.

The Handmaid's Tale's use of Fenway Park as a filming location was met with a mixed response. Some viewers, especially those from Boston, found the setting extra horrible and disturbing. However, the show's success and its exploration of the rot that had taken over Boston and its institutions, including Fenway Park, ultimately justified the decision to film there.

The scene was accompanied by Joe Buck's commentary from the 2004 World Series

The second season of Hulu's 'The Handmaid's Tale' features a haunting scene set in Fenway Park, where the show's protagonist, June (Elisabeth Moss), and her fellow handmaids are led out to a row of gallows erected on the field. The scene is accompanied by Joe Buck's commentary from the 2004 World Series, which saw the Boston Red Sox break a decades-long "curse" to clinch an epic win.

The use of Buck's commentary adds a layer of poignancy to the scene, as it serves as a reminder of a joyous moment in Boston's history, contrasting sharply with the grim reality of Gilead depicted in the show. The Boston Red Sox chairman, Tom Werner, was initially hesitant about the use of Fenway Park in this context, questioning how it would reflect on the organisation and the team. However, executive producer Warren Littlefield convinced him by arguing that it would showcase the loss of "a sacred part of America."

The inclusion of Buck's commentary was made possible through the cooperation of Major League Baseball and the show's success, with Littlefield noting that people wanted to be a part of the show, even in a small way. The result is a powerful and memorable scene that blends fiction with reality, creating an even more impactful viewing experience.

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