War on stage?

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 2:48pm

Just curious, has their ever been a war scene where many people are fighting on stage in a play or musical?

[tazber]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 2:51pm

Les Miz

[jkstheatrescene]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 2:53pm

You amuse me...

War Horse
Journey's End
Les Miserables

and Pippin has a 'war scene' figuratively, at least, depending on the staging, as does a sequence in Movin' Out.



Updated On: 3/18/15 at 02:53 PM

[macnyc]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 2:53pm

Hamilton has the battle of Yorktown.

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 2:58pm

oh i didn't really think of Les Mis since they just shoot around. I was thinking more like sword fights

[jv92]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 2:58pm

PETER PAN LIVE! had a great sword fight, didn't it now?

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 3:04pm

Henry V
Richard II
Richard III
Henry IV, parts 1 and 2
Henry VI, parts 1, 2 and 3
Macbeth
Antony and Cleopatra
King Lear
Coriolanus
King John
Julius Caesar

[jkstheatrescene]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 3:04pm

"oh i didn't really think of Les Mis since they just shoot around. I was thinking more like sword fights"

Really? You asked for war scenes on stage. "Just shoot around"? Dumb as a box of hair...

I believe there is some sort of sword fighting/hand-to-hand combat in The Scarlet Pimpernel.

(I am kicking myself for being so annoyed and still answering...)

[Fosse76]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 3:59pm

What war scenes are in Les Miz? The student uprising wasn't a war. However, per the OP's questions, there is "fighting" in the show.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 4:15pm

Maybe 5-7 seasons ago Lincoln Center Theater did a production of a combined and cut Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2 that ran about 3 1/2 hours or so and had some of the most thrilling battle scenes ever. They used virtually all of the huge Beaumont stage including the wings which were visible from the side sections. So much was happening from so many directions (real fireballs, sword fighting, charges) that the audience was purposely confused. This was staging a battle like a dance piece. Genuinely exciting.

The production won well-deserved Tony Awards for Best Revival and Best Direction.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 4:22pm

"What war scenes are in Les Miz? The student uprising wasn't a war. However, per the OP's questions, there is "fighting" in the show"

Technically, the Vietnam Conflict wasn't a war either, but when we watch movies like Full Metal Jacket, I think it is still safe to call those war scenes.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 4:23pm

It should be interesting how they stage the Russian revolution on stage in Dr Zhivago

More interesting will be how to compress this movie into 2 1/2 hours and add songs on top of it.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 5:04pm

In the opening of Shenandoah, they recreate a Civil War battle.

[Bilbo3]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 5:05pm

How could anyone even ask this?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 6:09pm

To Bilbo

What I said was in jest.

[South Florida]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 6:23pm

I think that ? was directed at the OP Roxy.

[Mr Smith]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 6:27pm

Phillypinto I seriously do not know if you are kidding or not !!!!

Is 1776 in this category.
Journey's End war but no war if that makes any sense
Billy Elliot but that is cheating
that show with the late Robbin Williams does that count
Miss Saigon


Updated On: 3/18/15 at 06:27 PM

[ErinDillyFan]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 9:55am

Gone with the Wind (Scarlett)
Lord of the Rings musical (most amazing scene changes I have ever seen, flashing between fighting and "war room" discussions at almost film cut speed.)

[philly03]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 9:59am

The Civil War by Wildhorn had some fight scenes (a lot of slow motion and smoke you come to expect with a Wildhorn show).

Napoleon over in London about a decade ago had some really cool sequences with this crazy mirror (and smoke) design team where they did all the major battles - Waterloo, etc was particularly epic. They even had a scene where Napoleon's troops are marching through an avalanche. There's a behind the scenes youtube clip somewhere (maybe on the Napoleon website).