special effects

does anyone know how special effects(particularly those in POTO) work on a broadway stage? me and my friends are extremely curious about this.
a seperate question that i myself have is in 42nd street during the song "there's a sunny side to every situation," how do they do the thing with the windows?
just wondering.

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how did crawford shoot out of the ground?

From where I was sitting, it looked to me like there were two wires the same width of the coffin, and then the coffin was attatched to the wires. To blast it out they either operate it from the fly tower (quickly..) or use some kind of pressure launch. I don't know, that's just a guess! I love special effects in theatre.. they're very clever.

I know the show well and went back stage once so I know a few things too... what do you want to know?!

OK! here goes...
1. The Phantom sits on the throne and puts the cape over him.
2. The back of the seat is a trap dore that he falls into. He
falls into and under the stage.
3. The mask is put on the seat and the the back of the chair is
put back up.
4. Then little Meg comes and pulls off the cape and he is gone!

That is what I have heard... and after seeing the show 18 times I have noticed that you can kinda see his leggs kick when he falls under the chair and you can tell he is gone. Is that clear?sorry if its not.

He slides down the back so no one can see it. Does anyone els know for sure? There is a website with answers somewhere...

can u draw a picture? :) I can't visualize the chair exit..

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I think the coffin in DOTV was actually sitting on a cantilevered device under the stage and was lifted on it through a trap. The equipment was hidden by very clever lighting.

If you want to understand the chair trick get a Big Little Book of First Grade magic tricks, it will be in there.

(That's NOT a dismissal of it, it's just a statement that it's a pretty simple magic trick that most anyone can learn.)

Hmmm stike 2 for my old theatre teacher.

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Also in POTO~ The mirror bride is a real person with a mask on her face. I always thought it was fake until I sat in front row seats... I saw the lady walk on stage and go into position.
But you guys probably knew that already

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...1. The Phantom sits on the throne and puts the cape over him.
2. The back of the seat is a trap dore that he falls into. He
falls into and under the stage.
3. The mask is put on the seat and the the back of the chair is
put back up.
4. Then little Meg comes and pulls off the cape and he is gone!...

That's pretty close, except the chair has a false back. When he attaches the top to a wire which pulls out, keeping the shape of a head. The back is released and he slids into a false chair. He doesn't exit at all. In fact if Mag sat on the chair's end she would almost sit ontop of the Phantom's lap.

Craig Schulman, POTO tour, just answered this one at a workshop promo 2 weeks ago.

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