a grain of salt yes, but to tinker with the slope of the balcony, thats a big piece of work. I just hope they dont dammage the lovely dome with all the rigging they would need for any "over the audience" flying
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27199361@N08/ Phantom at the Royal Empire Theatre
DG - Wicked's "system" is nothing special. Fairly standard for the flying monkeys... you can look it up. It nothing fancy.
SPIDER-MAN is using some new technology to make the flying, at various angles and directons, seem incredibly realistic.
It's a new system. Perhaps by FX Flying? I don't really remember the company. They're paying a lot for it, though. I saw a test run of it in Los Angeles. Fascinating stuff.