Ghost the Musical- Projections

I have never seen Ghost the Musical before, but the projection designs from their production photos are absolutely stunning. They create this other world and add to the physical world with the photos or images of things projected on to the stage. One thing that really blew my mind was their use of holograms, which is essentially taking projection design to a whole new level to be able to project a 3-d version of one of the actors on to the stage, looked amazing. The fact that that projections are coming along so far, so well really adds and enhances to the productions by adding more layers to the scenic design and production.

Ghost the Musical- Holograms

Ghost the Musical- Projections

Revolving Sets

Revolving sets are not really a new thing in the theatre world but they have never ceased to amaze me with their spectacular ways of changing a completely new scene in very little time. One example I found was a literal example with this London based company that builds revolving sets. The photo shows completely different sets on each side but is incorporated for the same thing. A more abstract version of revolving sets was the set at the Metropolitan Opera for Wagner’s The Ring Cycle. The metal boards would rotate to create acting spaces and obstacles without the use of actual walls or generic set pieces. It’s one of my favorite sets I have seen ever.

DIAGON scenic built set

The Ring Cycle at the Metropolitan Opera

The Living Theatre

The Living Theatre is a non-profit theatre organization that is truly still an experimental theatre group. It was started in the late 1940’s and really brought the works of Antonin Artaud, Bertolt Brecht and brought the basis of Theatre of Cruelty and expressionistic art together to form these performances. They use their experimental productions to really bring awareness to the community and to society as to their surroundings and what is currently happening, which was very Brechtian. With their poetic dramas staged outdoors or peculiar environments, such as on the streets, they brought the message to life to show people what was really going on.

Actors of The Living Theatre

Performance

Circo de Nada

Circo de Nada is a theatre company led by a man named Nick Trotter. He started this theatre of vast talents that include shadow puppetry, music projects, and theatrical performances that are held in the streets, abandoned buildings, and churches or wherever they can find a space. The creator of the theater focuses on physical acting and is very hands on which shows from productions shots from one their shows, Third Base! where the two actors are fighting each other off with stools. Another interesting work of this physical actor is the shadow puppetry created from their production of The Book of Jonah.

Stool Dance from Third Base!

Shadow Puppet from The Book of Jonah

The Lion King on Broadway

The Lion King on Broadway is an excellent example of the, not so new but new to me, human puppetry where the actors use their whole bodies to encompass these puppets. In the second picture focusing on the giraffes in the background, you can see the actors in stilts but their bodies are formed to the shape of the giraffe and it is absolutely stunning to me how the actor can just transform into the animal without the use of a body suit, but with stilts and a head piece they brought the giraffe to life for audiences watching the show.

The Lion King on Broadway

The Lion King featuring Giraffes in the background