I know this has been discussed somewhere before...but does Mary Poppins actually travel up the banister? I really must have missed that if it happened!
Yes, it does. I almost missed it too actually! It happens at the end of Brimstone and Treacle Part 2, when the evil nanny is being locked up in the cage and descending through the stage, with a "pop" and cloud of smoke. While all that is going on, Mary is singing her last note and gliding up the banister in the background. I caught it at the last moment. =]
I'm not sure if this counts, since it's basically just people on wires, but...
In "The Lion King," there are these sort of sky-dancers in these sort of flower-y costumes during "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." That scene, and those dancers, are just so breath-taking to me.
In TITANIC it is a very sinple thing, but it brought tears to your eyes when the black curtain rose from the floor signifying the sinking of the ship. The audience was so quiet it was amazing.
Of course the flying in Peter Pan. The first time I saw any flying was in the San Francisco try out with Mary Martin and it was truly magical.
In TITANIC it is a very sinple thing, but it brought tears to your eyes when the black curtain rose from the floor signifying the sinking of the ship. The audience was so quiet it was amazing.
Of course the flying in Peter Pan. The first time I saw any flying was in the San Francisco try out with Mary Martin and it was truly magical.
Phantom in Las Vegas has many effects that are not not in the B'way production.
I thought that the floating cage that Raoul gets trapped in was cool. I wasn't expecting it.
I also liked when the miniature Opera rose out of the ground and there was a short fireworks display.
Of course, the chandelier was spectacular. It began in several pieces, floating above the audience's heads. During the overture, the pieces slowly came together and rose higher and higher. Finally, after "Point of No Return" it fell strait down and stopped right above our heads. I could feel the wind from it. It was such an exciting moment.
Can't believe I forgot to mention Lord Of The Rings!
The actual show bored me, but omg the stage effects, costumes and sets were amazing.
For those who haven't seen it; the huge stage rotated, nothing special you say?, well...basically there were several rings that could rotate at different speeds and direction. These rings also broke up into smaller sections, and each section could rise or sink to a level, so basically there was a sort of stage-mountain created, whilst spinning. Watching the actors go up and down, round, jumping, rolling, fighting whilst running around those rotating 'steps' on the rings was awesome.
Also, Lothlorien. Omg. Look it up on ___tube. Its stunning. It's hard to explain it. But, watching Galadriel come down on air tissue things (imagine cirque du soliel) belting out the song makes Defying Gravity look like a piece of cake!
Mine is a fairly simple effect, but I just saw Jersey Boys for the first time (on tour), and thought that this was very cool and effective:
Toward the end of Act 1, when the Boys go to the other side of the stage and face the wall (backs to the audience), w/ the bright spotlights shining at them AND the audience. It really gave the effect that we, the audience, were right on stage with them at their moment of triumph. I was very impressed.
In the last Broadway revival of West Side Story, there an early scene in the dress shop. The girls spin playfully off stage, followed by hundreds of ribbons that drop down. When the ribbons clear, it begins Dance at the Gym.
I was a youngun but found it more effective than flying aircraft, people, or automobiles. In a flash the mood transformed from innocence to aggression.
Two shows I can say wowed me with visual stunning were Young Frankenstein (mainly the lab sets and effects - you could tell this is where most of the budget went). However, my personal favorite is Crazy For You. The ending with the dance spectacle eventually leading to the dropping-moon, it's all just so beautiful and done so well.
-Mary Poppins flying over the audience -Bert tapdancing up the proscenium -the electric "ROSE" at the end of Rose's Turn -the blinding stage lights at the beginning of Louise's strip -the house splitting open in Grey Gardens
mary poppins in london was probably the most spectacular show ive seen! - when she first appears on stage, when i saw it some stuf started to fall from the ceiling so everyone looked up expecting her to fly down, then nothing came of it, looked back, nothing unordinary then BAM theres mary! - the house, i know its set but it counts as a special effect, its bloody brilliant - bert tapdancing round the procenium arch in step in time - mary flying at the end :O! - also in Anything Can Happen, the ladders...! they changed that bit after Laura Michelle Kelly left, but that was ace! - the bank, the projection was amazing
Others: - Lord of the Rings, gollum falling into the stage, then falling from the ceiling two seconds later! - Lothlorian, wow! - the rain in Wicked (Im not that girl) love that - the rain in Never Forget, when it spells out Never Forget - Good Morning Baltimore, when it looks as though you have a birdseye view! - The Baricade forming in Act 2, Les Mis - Mufassas face appearing in He Lives In You, in all the different parts, Lion King - Billy flying in the dance sequence between Older Billy and Young Billy, made me cry that whole dance! - the giant Margaret Thatcher, in Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher!!
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