Angel de Quinta's STAGE DOOR Blog

These are 7 examples of Broadway plays that use technology in a creative way.

Jesus Christ Super Star

This Broadway musical uses an effect I found interesting.  In the section where the man in the red vinyl jacket is singing, the background is projected onto a screen. This allowed for a series of complicated images to be shown without curtain changes or backdrops. This means the image can be shown and changed very rapidly, which was very useful for the effect the director was trying to create. Another interesting detail I noticed was the use of Televisions as actual stage props. These TV's were actually on and showing images on the screen and were also actually broken. This added a level of reality to the musical which was nice.

Godspell

This musical had a fountain of sorts in the middle of the stage during a certain number. Water pours down from the ceiling unto a pool in the stage. This is an innovative way to use water in a production, especially one where the stage is in the center of the audience.

Mary Poppins

 This musical is cleverly able to make Mary Poppins fly. With elaborate special effects through stage design and stunt props, Mary Poppins convincingly takes to the sky, wowing the audience. What is amazing, and creative, is how it is done nearly invisibly. The wires, harnesses and other contraptions holding Mary up are almost unseen to the audience, making the illusion of flight that much stronger.

Avenue Q

Avenue Q uses puppets and puppet technology to create an interesting alternative to the usual musical. Instead of dressing up characters in costumes solely, the concept of this performance was to use puppet, controlled by people to do very over the top characters.

42nd Street

This musical utilized a myriad of lights and signs to simulate the lighted up feel of 42nd street in New York City and the infamous Broadway and Time Square. They simulate the signs in the city that never sleeps and the environment that it creates is very convincing.

CHAPLIN the Musical

 This musical has very interesting sets. It has moving pieces that simulate certain effects without the real objects actually being there. Take for example the gears in the background of one scene, moving separately from the other elements of the set and creating the illusion of machinery in the background.  

Oliver! 

 This musical has very elaborate sets that take a unique advantage of the lighting to create certain environments. It very intentionally creates night and day environments through the use of lighting behind and around the large intricate sets.


These Broadway musicals all cleverly use different kinds of technologies to create certain effects or events with in their plots.