Watching Gilded Age in action: On location in Troy, NY where Gilded Age, Season 4 is currently filming!

At "St. Denis Hotel" on Troy, NY's Second Street, watching Gilded Age, Season 4, filming on location.

 

The Gilded Age, Season 4, is currently filming in New York's Capital Region and Barb's Tea Service was there to see it in action!

This week we were in Troy, New York, to witness some of the cast and crew of HBO's Gilded Age creating movie magic. Although it was the final few days in this location, and folks we met at our favorite Troy tea room, The Whistling Kettle, told us stars Christine Baransky and Cynthia Nixon were in town last week, we were still thrilled to take in some of the production before they left this charming historic stand in for late 19th-century Manhattan.

With Kathryn Sheehan of Hart Cluett

With family on Troy, NY's Second Street

Return to Troy:

Just two years ago, husband, Chris and I were in Troy and took in the Gilded Age tour with our son, Matt, and daughter-in-law, Jenna. The tour is hosted by the Hart Cluett Museum (one of the homes seen in The Gilded Age) and this is where we met Kathryn Sheehan, who, along with being the museum's Executive Director is also Rensselaer County and Troy City Historian. 

At the time, Season 3, was coming back to Troy later in the summer, but Kathryn had already served as a consultant to the production crew for earlier seasons.  We didn't know on that visit we'd have the great fortune to be back in almost two years to the day and take in some actual filming ourselves.

Something is going on at the "St. Denis Hotel".

A bit of serendipi-tea put us within a half-day drive to the Capital Region this month. We had planned a trip to Kingston, Ontario to visit extended family beginning of June. I had read about some Gilded Age on-location filming taking place around the same time and contacted my insider contact, Kathyrn, to find out the scoop. She confirmed, The Gilded Age, would still be filming by our projected arrival in Troy.

A call to action!

We were not disappointed. Shortly after our arrival, we camped out across from the Hart Cluett Museum - on the same street you'll see the familiar "homes" of Mamie Fish and Aurora Fane - and observed two scenes being shot. The ratio of set-up time to actual filming seemed to be about an hour of prep for five minutes of recording. 

Alley next to Hart Cluett house (white building). One hour of prep for a few minutes of film.

The first scene was in front of the "St. Denis Hotel", where a small gang of well-suited gentlemen approached a group of working-class folks seated at tables outside. We heard these were "Pinkerton" men.  They later walked down the street and into a corner restaurant.

Trash talking:

The next scene took place in the alleyways between the Hart Cluett Museum and a neighboring building. And, here's where we do some trash talking. . . literally.

Setting up dolly on track.

Crew member throwing trash in alleyway.

For about 90 minutes, from our stakeout spot on the curb across the street, we watched the crew set up the track along one alley for the dolly. On the adjoining alley, one set member tossed rumpled pieces of paper along the path to give the trashy-look, while another guy took to a ladder to hang out clothes on a line.

One actor coming to make-up for touch-up.

Make-up artists were called to meet the actors behind the alleys for touch-ups. Then, more crew ran back and forth on each alley to pace the shot, finally putting the two actors (one in a suit, one in casual attire) within the gates. Two more run-throughs and then we heard the word we'd be waiting for "Action"!

There were at least a half-dozen more takes of these two gents walking past the side of the Hart Cluett house and conducting some business at the end of the narrow walkway. 

That's a wrap. . . for now:

What were they up to?  We'll only know once Season 4 begins - and we're hearing it should be end of this year or early 2027.

Front row seat to filming.

More action at "home" of Aurora Fane.

              

Of course, we'll be paying special attention to when the Pinkertons arrive on the scene. Perhaps one may catch a glimpse of a time-traveler gawking on the stoop across the alley, wearing an "Earl Grey" baseball cap and ready to spill the tea. (Whistling Kettle or home tea table).

Time traveler in pink Earl Grey cap.

For more of Troy, New York, see our blog post:  The Whistling Kettle (Aug.2024)

For tea time in the Gilded Age, see our sub stack article: Teatime in the Gilded Age would keep you hopping (June. 2025)