Most impressive Stage Effects (SpecialFX?)

The earthquake in Shogun The Musical

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.

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 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?

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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).

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