Diksha Sundriyal
Hulu’s comedy-drama film, ‘Never Change!’ brings the class of 2008 back to high school to resolve their unfinished business. Back then, a massive tornado destroyed the campus, cutting short the semester by two weeks. But now, a new change in the education system has rendered their graduation null and void. Now, they must return to North Meadows High School to finish what they started. It also brings them back to Stools Tavern, which used to be their regular haunt back in the day, but now stands to reflect something else entirely. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Fictional School and Bar Were Brought to Life by Elaborate Sets
North Meadows High School and Stools Tavern are fictional but significant locations in ‘Never Change!’ The scenes featuring them, and most of the other parts of the film, were shot at Syracuse Studios at 800 4th Street in Liverpool, New York. The school that we see in the Hulu film was previously known as A.V. Zogg Middle School. It was constructed in 1928 and operated for about 6 decades before being shut down in the 1980s. It was briefly converted into office space and, for a while, served as a church.
In 2017, it was purchased by director Jeremy Garelick for $1 million, with the intention of turning it into a production facility. Since then, Syracuse Studios has been the base of the production of films like ‘The Night House,’ ‘Big Time Adolescence,’ ‘Banana Split,’ and ‘The Binge,’ to name a few. It was transformed with the intention of being a haven for high school dramas, and consists of elaborate soundstages that not only deliver in classrooms, gyms, and offices, but also in cafes, bars, and restaurants, and even a hospital wing. It was also turned into a film school, The Academy at Syracuse Studios, to foster new talent.
The creators of ‘Never Change!’ transformed the former high school in North Meadows High, taking advantage of its varied sets, including a theatre set where a particularly compelling mystery is solved. The school also becomes the place where the 30-somethings rediscover the true meaning of their lives. The lack of purpose they feel in adulthood is worse than it was when they graduated all those years ago. A return home gives them the perspective and tools they need to change their lives for the better.
Stools Tavern was likely also filmed on set at Syracuse Studios. The bar becomes the focal point for returning students before they return to high school. This is where they reunite and prepare for the challenge facing them. The bar also serves as an important plot device in the lives of certain characters, whose journeys are accentuated by changes in perspective regarding their life goals, particularly in connection with Stools Tavern.
Read More: Where Was Never Change! Filmed? All Shooting Locations
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