Cinderella Stage Magic: The Slipper

[BwayNola]

Posted: 4/5/14 at 1:49am

With all the marvelous, eye-popping stage magic in Cinderella, I realize it's odd to ask about the glass slipper of all things, but there's something I can't figure out (and I know it will be totally obvious to plenty of you who saw it months ago!) At the end of Act I, Cinderella flees the ball and loses her slipper on the second-to-last step of the palace staircase. She's running pretty fast in a huge dress, and there's instantly a spotlight on the slipper (and dramatic music.) Clearly there's no way the actress really "loses" her slipper on the exact right mark eight times a week. I assume the slipper is somehow built into the staircase, and when Cinderella flies over that step in her large hoop skirt, there's "plenty" of time for the pre-set slipper to pop out (or pop up? or flip over?) And yet the slipper is not nailed/glued to the set because Cinderella grabs it and runs off.
So my question is: How did the set designers ensure that the slipper would appear in the same spot at every performance without getting knocked out of place?
I don't know why this is bugging me, but it really seemed flawless and real, so I want to know the mechanics behinds it. What say you guys?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/5/14 at 3:20am

I have no inside information. I haven't seen the show. It is very possible they use electromagnets. This is basically a magnet that uses electricity. When the electricity is cut, the magnetic connection ceases. Pretty easy.

(I'm just thinking out loud. I'm sure there are MANY simple ways this could work.)

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 4/5/14 at 6:35am

I do know the answer and it will surprise you. There are no mechanics, no tricks. She actually learns, as did Laura, to have the slipper come off her foot as she runs down the steps. Neat, huh?

[wickedfan11]

Posted: 4/5/14 at 7:57am

There is definitely not a pre-set slipper. When I saw the show a few weeks ago, the slipper fell off the stairs.

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 4/5/14 at 8:31am

Yep. As I said, there are no tricks, and sometimes it does not go perfectly, at which point the cast must figure out a way to work things out, which they always do. I'm pretty sure that there is a video somewhere in which Carly Rae discusses how she had to learn how to lose the slipper on the fly.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 4/5/14 at 5:38pm

One of my favorite things about Cinderella is that the magic is so incredibly simple, but so effective. No smoke and mirror or illusions. It is all old fashioned magic.