Most impressive Stage Effects (SpecialFX?)

[EvanK]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 1:28pm

What are some of the most impressive, surprising, shocking, mind blowing stage effects you have witnessed on Broadway (or live theatre in general)? Whether it be flying, set transformations, magic, anything... I absolutely love the spectacle when magical things, or things I do not understand how they did, happen.


What are the most spectacular mishaps you have seen when effects have not worked?

Updated On: 9/20/15 at 01:28 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 1:39pm

The earthquake in Shogun The Musical

[EvanK]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 1:40pm

Do you mind explaining the effect, or the scene?

Updated On: 9/20/15 at 01:40 PM

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 1:40pm

1776: I still get goose bumps thinking of the full stage size "Declaration of Independence" superimposed over the freeze frame of the men of congress lining up to sign it..with the steeple bells gonging at the same time.

It's not exactly high tech but it was incredible.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 1:41pm

"Defying Gravity" still kills me every time.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 1:43pm

The main part was the stage splitting in two and general mayhem ensuing. This was awhile ago but I think there was also a sinking ship.

 

In contrast, Via Galactica's effects were the worst starting with hanging ping pong balls simulating planets. Shades of Plan 9. Ed Wood would be proud.

Updated On: 9/20/15 at 01:43 PM

[TrChSpHa]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 2:18pm

Joey's transformation from foal to adult in War Horse. Simple, but breathtaking.

The disappearance of Charlemagne's levitating body in the recent Pippin revival.

The Witch being dragged into the earth at the end of "Last Midnight" in the Shakespeare in the Park production of Into the Woods, as well as the Giantess' reveal.

The Old Vic's production of Hedda Gabler in London still sticks with me. Hedda shoots herself behind a glass window and blood splatters onto it -- add Judge Brack smearing his blood-stained hands down the glass while crying over her body. Chaotic, chilling.

 

 

 

Spoiler:

The glitter and wind-machine effect used during Sylvia's death in Finding Neverland, completed with the shawl, had me bawling.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 2:32pm

TrChSpHa said: "The disappearance of Charlemagne's levitating body in the recent Pippin revival."

 

I STILL DON'T KNOW HOW THIS WORKED. Two years later, too! Can anyone enlighten me?  

[EvanK]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 3:12pm

What exactly happened with the levitating body?

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 3:26pm

I sat in center mezz when I saw PIPPIN the first time and the illusions had me in awe.  Then I sat in a box seat when I saw PIPPIN the second time and, while it calmed my patience at finding out how alot of the stuff worked, including the levitation, it took a bit away from the "magic" of seeing it the first time. But I have got to admit, it was clever how they pulled off some of those tricks.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 3:35pm

SPOILERS, I guess

 

My favorites have actually been the ones that aren't "secret" or meant to deceive, but rather create a brilliant effect in a creative way. Some of my favorites have been:

 

--Finding Neverland: The glitter at the end

--The Lion King: Pretty much everything, but I particularly love the imagine of the cloth being used to simulate the drying lake. 

--Spider-Man: Arachne's weaving in the beginning. Pure brilliance. 

--An Octaroon: The cotton ball explosion

--Into the Woods (Fiasco Theatre): The use of a shadow as the Giant.

--Into the Woods (Shakespeare in the Park: The green umbrellas used to show to beanstalk growing. 

--Cinderella: The costume changes 

--Curious Incident: the part when he's supposed to be floating in space. 

--Ghost: The door illusion 

--The King and I (2015): The ship in the beginning

--Rocky the Musical: The formation of the boxing ring with the audience 

[Nickhutson]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 4:14pm

Paul Kieve love fest coming up:

GHOST (Door, folding letter, blue room illusion, subway, everything)
Matilda (Pigtails and Chalkboard)
Lord of the Rings (Bilbo Baggins disappearing - much like GHOST)
The Witches (the table cloth falling on the witches and they all disappear from underneath it)
The Invisible Man (when he takes his bandages off and there's no face and yet his glasses are still there and he smokes a cigarette !!!!!)
Levitation effect in PIPPIN
 

The castle rotating in Beauty and the Beast in the key change of If I Can't Love Her
The house reveal, ceiling walk and final flight in Mary Poppins
Javert's suicide in the new 25th Les Mis when you see it as if you'er watching it from the sky.  
The ghost of Christmas Future in an early 90s production of A Christmas Carol at the Barbican where he was an actual set piece - 25 feet tall and had a skeletal arm that reached over the front of the audience.  
 

[RaiseYouUp]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 4:42pm

"Defying Gravity" still kills me every time."

I completely agree! To me, Defying Gravity is the ultimate special effect on Broadway. 
Another for me would be the finale in Kinky Boots. I'm not sure that this exactly qualifies as a "special effect", but the use of the lights and mirrors on the walls of the set is just thrilling, and then when the lights hit those drag costumes it's just the best thing ever!

 

 

Updated On: 9/20/15 at 04:42 PM

[Ellen2]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 4:43pm

I couldn't make out if I just felt or heard as well the rumble when Johnny Byron had someone under his "spell" in the play 'Jerusalem'. 

I am also impressed by the moment the children are replaced by their adult version in 'Gypsy'. 

When Andre in 'Once' dropped to the floor in misery, and his suit became part of the scenery Guy and Girl overlooked outside Dublin

 

Updated On: 9/20/15 at 04:43 PM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 4:48pm

The shrek set is still too complicated for me to understand and I saw that behind the scenes video on YouTube more than 100 times.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 5:01pm

Both the genie reveal and the magic carpet in Aladdin. The pigtails scene in Matilda is pretty amazing. 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 5:05pm

I'd be interested to know how they did the levitation effect in Pippin. I have an idea but I don't understand all of it.

[Nickhutson]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 5:07pm

RaiseYouUp said: ""Defying Gravity" still kills me every time."

 

I completely agree! To me, Defying Gravity is the ultimate special effect on Broadway. 
Another for me would be the finale in Kinky Boots. I'm not sure that this exactly qualifies as a "special effect", but the use of the lights and mirrors on the walls of the set is just thrilling, and then when the lights hit those drag costumes it's just the best thing ever!

 

 

 

It was good, too, when Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Doo-daa did it in 1991  

 

 

 

 

 

"

 

Updated On: 9/20/15 at 05:07 PM

[mattporter17]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 5:09pm

Matilda - pigtails (still have no idea how that happened)

Wicked - duhh lol

Curious Incident - just in general

Pippin 2013 - just in general 

 

[rjm516]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 5:16pm

Seriously, I saw Pippin several times and that levitation and disappearance was incredible. Does anyone know how it happened? Also the pigtails in Matilda! 

The dress changes in Cinderella were probably my favorite bits of theatre magic ever. 

[Steve C.]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 7:09pm

If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet

Amazing, almost constant rainfall; by the time the second act finished the cast had water up past their ankles.

Jake Gylenhaal debut

[mikey2573]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 7:29pm

Spoiler:  Pigtail effect in MATILDA.

 

She has a costume that has handles on the shoulders right under her pigtails.  Trunchbull is not grabbing the pigtails, she is grabbing the handles on the actresses shoulders.  Of course, the "throw" is a lighting effect (basically flashes followed by a blackout if I remember correctly). 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 7:32pm

Now when she falls from the ceiling is that a a different actor or is that the same actor?

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 7:33pm

Also ending to pippin when they took down the set that was the greatest effect.

[EvanK]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 7:36pm

This thread really gives me life. I love hearing all of these. Wish I could have seen them!!

I really loved the Beast's transformation. 

In a local production of Cats that I saw, a brick wall opened up into a spiral staircase that Grizabella ascended to the heaviside layer. Was a pretty cool moment.