Your "How do they do that?!" moments- Page 5

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 9:20am

How the stages looked flooded during POTO (Lair scene) and Titanic (End of Act 1)

[alliez92092]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 10:56am

At first I was completely baffled by the mirror sequence in Wicked during "Wicked Witch of the East." Now it doesn't really baffle me, I just think it looks cool.

[Johnnytoc]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 11:15am

Mary Poppins' magic...I know it's all old stage magic but it still impresses me. Also, sort of random..but the fact that Jenn Gambestese comes down in the hammock (sp) without a safety restraint of any sort baffles me. I Love the song they sing while that happens, but I was almost a bit scared for her the whole scene.

[Londonskyguy]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 2:04pm

Ive always been baffled by the opening of Dots dress in the beginning of Sunday in the park... I have an idea of how they did it, but does anyone know the particulars?

[TomMonster]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 3:30pm

There is a remote for the Dot's dress to open and close. George attaches the dress with a thin pole into the floor while he's adjusting Dot's hands so the dress won't fall over.

[JamesMacon]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 3:35pm

When I saw Beauty and the Beast years ago, I was amazed when the beast turned into the prince. I wonder what it would be like mow. Probably still amazing. Oh live theater...how I love thee.

[HOUFlip04]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 6:55pm

Ok, maybe I'm crazy, but I think during the original 'Into the Woods', I think it's amazing how the chair lifts up in the air...how's that done?

[TomMonster]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 7:05pm

A pole from under the stage attached to a leg. Baker's wife covers it with her dress as she stands next to the chair.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 10:14pm

Eastwickian, those Our House quick changes totally blew my mind! And the actor that played him did a brilliant job managing to play two characters almost simultaneously.

Back to Dracula. I guess not enough people saw it to recall the "reversing the years" effect mentioned earlier. I remember being really impressed. (And that trapdoor fall really freaked me out!)

[sideshow13]

Posted: 8/21/06 at 12:30pm

"There is a remote for the Dot's dress to open and close. George attaches the dress with a thin pole into the floor while he's adjusting Dot's hands so the dress won't fall over."

Just to clarify a little, Dot's dress in "Sunday...with George" has tiny little tubes that, when turned on from off stage, air flows through them and allows the dress to open up. It's a really cool effect. My drama teacher knew the guy who helped design that and he called it something I can't remember. Uh...pneumatic something-or-other, maybe?

Damn, I wish I could remember...

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 8/21/06 at 1:24pm

wait... the witch and the Beast transformations? Those are so lame and tacky. The witch, you could easily tell and that beast tranformation looks like a corny 80s rock concert. So pathetic.

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 8/21/06 at 1:24pm

wait... the witch and the Beast transformations? Those are so lame and tacky. The witch, you could easily tell and that beast tranformation looks like a corny 80s rock concert. So pathetic.

[sideshow13]

Posted: 8/21/06 at 3:09pm

"wait... the witch and the Beast transformations? Those are so lame and tacky. The witch, you could easily tell and that beast tranformation looks like a corny 80s rock concert. So pathetic."

Hmmm...

Negativity breeds lonliness, dude...

...just wanted to put that out there...

[ChristineAngel]

Posted: 8/27/06 at 2:55am

"neomystyk29, the real Phantom and Christine dont come out onstage until the 3rd verse "Those who ahve seen your face...." If you watch very carefully, sometimes the doubles on the walkway aren't even lipsynching the whole time. "


Actually no, that's wrong

The real Phantom and Christine come out during "and do I dream again for now I find..." that's when they come out just to let ya know, I am a a HUGE phantom phan, so I totally know alot.

[Yero]

Posted: 9/1/06 at 12:09pm

All I know is the real Phantom and Christine come out on the boat, I have no idea what they are singing at that point, though.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 1:58pm

I love the beginning of GREY GARDENS.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 2:29pm

my "WOAH!" is in wicked-how in the h does he go from boq to the tin man?!

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 2:38pm

Um, it's called: silver make-up and a costume change.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 2:40pm

yeah but it appears that he never gets up

[Dirty_Rotten_Guy]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 2:40pm

yeah, the beginning of GREY GARDENS still kinda makes me ponder

the question is really, "Who stands in as Little Edie in the window: Erin or Christine?"

haha, sorry, that makes me wonder...I think its Erin, though. But it just seems like Christine's body...hmm

[Justin D]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 2:41pm

I still dont see why people are baffled by Boq's transformation in wicked is done. Its just a double that comes out painted silver and lipsynchs the "oh no" part.

not so much "how did they do that" but more "that is totally cool and beautiful" is the scene in Aida when the river turns into a canopy then just falls and takes on the shape of a tent, totally theatrical.

as for the car in Chitty, maybe it was because i had 'Chitty' seats (lol) but i london i could clearly see the arm that supports the car, if just comes up out of the stage with the car attached, the same principal of those electric company trucks that have the bucket thing that raises the technician up to the telephone pole.

what was also totally a treat to watch was the recent revival of Little Shop at the end when the plant came out over the audience, i was totally tickled by that.

[The_Jackal2]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 2:43pm

I know these aren't that big of a deal, but when Leaf falls of the bleacher in Spelling Bee, I was seriously wondering how that didn't hurt. Also, the fast motion sequence in that show, while I understood how they did it, really impressed me.
I also agree with the Show Off quick changes...

[adrian55]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:35pm

The set for Rabbit Hole. AMAZING!!!

[Dover]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 11:43pm

ChristineAngel is right, the real Phantom and Christine come out just after "for now I find." The doubles only do the first cross on the travelator, the real ones do the second and third, and then climb down to the boat. That's why there's a few seconds where nothing is happening except the start of the candle sequence (which is pretty cool to watch in itself).

[ahmelie]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 11:54pm

OKay, there's a video on youtube of Donna McKechnie, Chita Rivera, and Ann Reinking singing Let Me Entertain You. Donna is wearing a two piece outfit for the first part of the song but than the three of them go upstage and suddenly all three are wearing dresses.

How the hell did they do that? At first I thought it was fabric that was tucked into the Donna's clothing, but at the end she holds up her dress and it's a one piece.

I've watched the video and asked all my dance, drama, and costume friends and no one seems to know how they did it.
Christ, it's plauging me. Anyone know?