Most impressive Stage Effects (SpecialFX?) — Page 2

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.

Call_me_jorge said: "Now when she falls from the ceiling is that a a different actor or is that the same actor?

That's a doll. One of the "bigger students" folds it underneath the jackets he's holding.

I thought all of Spiderman was visually stunning.

Also liked the glitter at the end of Neverland. It was breathtaking.

The transformation mirror in the pre-Broadway tong of Jekyl & Hyde.

The mermamaids in Big Fish.

The barbers chair and chute in the original Sweeney Todd.

The original Les Miz Barricade.

The end of Act 1 in Amazing Grace.

That is not at all how the Charlemagne levitation apparatus works.

Yeah there is no balloon in the Pippin effect. Charlemagne does roll upstage as the tarp is put over him. The form is held in place with a collapsible frame.

VotePeron said: "Spoilers:

For MATILDA:

After the actress is spun, she runs off stage right. There is a door under the box seats that leads backstage, and the actress comes out, covered in a jacket, and runs up the far house left aisle, always accompanied by Jennifer Bowles, or whoever is in her track. They then run to the back of the house, and then down the middle aisle. By this point, the actress is covered and shielded by school jackets. Once she is in place, a dummy falls from the ceiling onto the floor. The jackets are then flipped onto the dummy, covering it up, and then revealing the actress who had been hiding!

I've read this several times and I can't make any sense of it. Does it make sense if you've seen it on Broadway (I've only seen the touring show)? Why does she need to come out and run to the back of the house and back?

hork said: "I've read this several times and I can't make any sense of it. Does it make sense if you've seen it on Broadway (I've only seen the touring show)? Why does she need to come out and run to the back of the house and back?"

Yes, the tour is done differently. Everything is done on stage on tour whereas on broadway/west end catching the doll happens in the audience.

That moment really is the most amazing moment of theatricality. I remember seeing it at the RSC thinking How is Trunchbull going to pick her up... and then she does - with no lighting or position switch.

It's really the chalkboard illusion that's pretty ingenious - considering it is NOT projection at all.

hork said: "VotePeron said: "Spoilers:

For MATILDA:

After the actress is spun, she runs off stage right. There is a door under the box seats that leads backstage, and the actress comes out, covered in a jacket, and runs up the far house left aisle, always accompanied by Jennifer Bowles, or whoever is in her track. They then run to the back of the house, and then down the middle aisle. By this point, the actress is covered and shielded by school jackets. Once she is in place, a dummy falls from the ceiling onto the floor. The jackets are then flipped onto the dummy, covering it up, and then revealing the actress who had been hiding!

I've read this several times and I can't make any sense of it. Does it make sense if you've seen it on Broadway (I've only seen the touring show)? Why does she need to come out and run to the back of the house and back?

The lights go down...and there is a blackout for a number of seconds. Then the lights go back on and everyone is looking for Amanda, and many the "students" are running up and down the theater aisles (and in the boxes) looking to see where Amanda went. Amanda who ran to the back of the house during the blackout and in all this mayhem....then runs back down to the area the doll falls - which is in the front center of the orchestra seating - with a bunch of the taller older students who are holding some of the jackets that everyone took off when Nigel was sleeping. The jackets cover her up. So when she pops up after the doll falls, she is able to stand up in the correct area without most audience members really "seeing" how she got there.

"

Updated On: 9/21/15 at 07:41 AM

I enjoyed the weaving effect at the start of Spider-Man, though it only worked one of the three times I saw it.

SPOILER, perhaps:

Does anyone know how Tinker Bell is done at the beginning of Finding Neverland? It's probably something simple and obvious, but I can't figure it out!

kdogg36 said: "I enjoyed the weaving effect at the start of Spider-Man, though it only worked one of the three times I saw it.

SPOILER, perhaps:

Does anyone know how Tinker Bell is done at the beginning of Finding Neverland? It's probably something simple and obvious, but I can't figure it out!

I could be wrong, but I thought it was the stick (with a light at the end) one of the actors is later holding during the "Clap if you believe" re-enactment near the end .

Let the Right One In:

• Eli falling/dropping backwards on the gym set
• The swimming pool scene, holy CRAP

Les Miserables:

• The original barricades
• The current sewer scene

Peter and the Starcatcher:

• Everything

Beautiful:

• The Shirrelles' quick change

Spider-Man:

• The weaving scene
• The houses on the street as Peter walked past them

Lizzy, can you tell us more about Let the Right One In?