Most impressive special effect

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 4:24pm

There's a POTO thread about how the falling chandelier is no longer that impressive, because Broadway's special effects have surpassed it.

So what's the most amazing stage effect you've ever encountered?

I have two: in The Lion King, the sudden appearance of Mufasa's face in the stars was for me a gasp-inducing image.

The second one is from Sam Mendes' production of Oliver! (which had a special engagement in Toronto in 1999), with spectaclar sets by Anthony Ward: the stage floor split and was levered up to reveal Fagin's underground hideout. It was probably the most lavish production design I'd ever seen.

What are your favourite special effects?

[pab]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 4:37pm

Well, there are effects and there are effects. Some effects have an emotional context and are not very expensive to create and then others are very costly.

I agree with the appearance of Mufasa's face as a very good emotional effect. I don't think that it was something that was very expensive to create bit it worked really well. Outside of the opening of the show it was thing that worked best for me in "The Lion King".

Of course there are the gimmick type effects and among them I count the chandelier and the helicopter.

I was most impressed with "An Inspector Calls" which had a terrific set of an old Victorian house that opened up like a doll house.

[maybethistime]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 4:43pm

I don't know if this would actually be considdered an "effect" but at the end of the Cabaret revival '98, when the entire stage is a stark, white space, is its blingingly light and the audience is squiting, then the Emcee speaks his final words, slowly removed his coat, {drum roll}, {crash}, blackout. WOW! that was an amazing moment for me, and whether or not it was a special effect, it effected me! Plus, it most have been difficult, or at the least very cleverly devised to have the whole stage fly out at everything white. but as i recall, different pieces fly out at different times... but still, WOW

edit: OOOO- & in cats when mistofelees disappears- still baffled. Updated On: 12/25/04 at 04:43 PM

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 4:43pm

I loved all the special effects in the lion king. They were all so inventive and fun to look at. Beauty and the Beast has great effects to, with the castle, the beast transforming, the prince changing into the beast, chip, and others.

The ending of LSOH when Audrey II comes from the stage out into the audience was pretty cool too.

Updated On: 12/25/04 at 04:43 PM

[BJC899]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 4:58pm

POTO when the phantom disappears at the end!

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 6:28pm

On tour before going to Broadway, during the "Confrontation" in the second act of Jekyll & Hyde, Jekyll confronted Hyde in a huge mirror. The effect was really cool and actually got a great round of applause. It was removed from the show due to a dispute with the person who created the effect. My understanding is that he owned the rights to it and would not let them use it when the show got to New York. Glad I saw it here in Denver. Did not like what they did with that part of the show in New York!

[zoran912]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 7:39pm

I liked the witch's transformation in the revival of Into The Woods.

[Mythus]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 8:17pm

I'm not sure what I think the most impressive special effect is, but I wanted to comment on Mufasa's face appearing in the Lion King. While I do think that it looked very cool, it was very...well, it was quite easy to guess what they were doing. I was thinking, "What are those big...oh. It's Mufasa's face." It kind of ruined the element of surprise (which they tried to increase with the "stars" projected over the entire stage, to make everything sort of invisible). Eh. *shrugs* Most of The Lion King disappointed me, actually. I love, love, love the movie, and I went in expecting to love the musical just as much. I think it tried too hard to surpass the movie and it couldn't.

WOW THREADJACK. Now I will make up for that by thinking of a cool special effect. The Phantom disappearing (and appearing at the beginning) is quite cool. And I never saw it in person, but I've heard a lot about the projection of the real knight behind Don Quixote in the revival. That sounds very cool.

[timote316]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 8:24pm

I just saw The Lion King in Boston for the second time, and the Mufasa face was amazing. I know its not very elaborate, but its just a great visual effect.

And the Don Quixote shadow effect does sound very cool

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 9:47pm

carla's exit in the nine revival

[Wicked .. For Good]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 10:02pm

when Idina, or Elphaba, goes up in the air during Defying Gravity.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 10:12pm

The curtain falling at the end of THOU SHALT NOT. What a relief!

Updated On: 12/26/04 at 10:12 PM

[Mimi Imfurst]

Posted: 12/26/04 at 10:14am

the most amazing effect EVER on broadway in Taboo when Leigh Bowery(boy george) had the flashlight and he just pointed at people in the audience. WOW

[Derek]

Posted: 12/26/04 at 11:19am

The chandelier, Elphaba flying/Wickeds projections, The entire production of the Lion King, the beasts transformation in Beauty and the Beast

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 12/26/04 at 11:52am

uncageg--I read in an interview with Robert Cuccioli that the idea to have him "flip" back and forth between the characters during "Confrontation" was his own, and he actually really pushed the creative team to let him do it. However, I don't know if this was because they no longer had the rights to the mirror, or simply because they wanted to try something new.

By the way, Cuccioli's "Confrontation" is probably my favorite special effect--the actor creates his own magic! The transformation of the Beast was pretty damn cool though.

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 12/26/04 at 12:19pm

I love in Les Mis when the runaway cart is coming and everyone goes in slow motion....that caught me off guard and I thought it was really cool.

The end of the Full Monty when you are just waiting to see if they really will go the Full Monty and then they finally do, but a blinding light hides all, very creative.

I really wish I could have seen the Man of La Mancha revival! anyone know where I can find clips of it?

[dry2olives]

Posted: 12/26/04 at 12:27pm

When PJ Benjamin sang the title song of Charlie and Algernon with a live mouse. There was some kind of lighting effect that made it look like the mouse was dancing.

[magic8ball]

Posted: 12/26/04 at 12:34pm

In "Dracula", when Lucy's nightgown is super-suctioned into the stage for no apparent reason.


EDIT: Before someone asks- yes, that was sarcasm.

Updated On: 12/26/04 at 12:34 PM

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 12/26/04 at 5:35pm

Audrey II coming over the audience in the finale

Elphie flying in Defying Gravity

The chandelier falling in the Act 1 finale

The Beast's transformation after the battle sequence

*not so sure it would be categorized as a special effect but...*The moon in Caroline or Change

[paulie23]

Posted: 12/26/04 at 6:18pm

AIDA: The tomb closing near the end...loved that.

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 12/26/04 at 7:48pm

Audrey II coming over the audience in Little Shop!!

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 12/26/04 at 7:51pm

The fact that Brooklyn is still open let alone made it to broadway is the best special effect ever!

[Mimi Imfurst]

Posted: 12/27/04 at 12:13am

special effect: euan's member in caligula.

[Mattio98]

Posted: 12/27/04 at 12:19am

Many parts of Dance of the Vampires.

No sarcasm intended. That was the most technically elaborate show I've ever seen.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 12/27/04 at 12:56am

special effect: euan's member in caligula.

I hear that one was an impressive special effect, too.