Creative Technology on Broadway

Broadway plays can be amazing in their own right, but sometimes the magic behind them can be even more magnificent.

As the curtain rises in this musical number, lights flash, and the painting in the back seems to catch the eye and make the audience believe that there are more people on stage. Then a set-piece begins to appear on-stage, and out comes the main performer as shown by the spotlight directed onto him. This technology may seem basic, but it really livens up the scene.

Another seemingly basic technology, the use of set-pieces that can easily be moved and set up quickly while a music number is still going actually makes for a very interesting performance, allowing scenes to pop-up or change in a matter of seconds.

In this montage of a performance of Sweeney Todd, one can see the use of harsh lighting in order to convey tension and horror. Lighting may be simple, but sometimes it can have create very emotional scenes when used correctly.

Speaking of lighting, the way that this stage was built makes for some amazing use of lights. The setup just seems so surreal, but it really adds to the emotion of the musical number. As the band swells and the performers dance happily, the stage lights begin also dance in their own way, changing colors and flashing with the music.

Using colorful lighting and smoke machines to create ominous scenes is not the only creative thing that can be seen in this montage. The scene in which a cross made of lights descends and shows Jesus hanging from it is just spectacular. This also incorporates the growing trend of rock, rather than relying the old method of catchy show tunes. Even the way we make our music is a technological advancement when you think about it.

Old Broadway musicals and even operas relied on fancy costumes to catch the eyes of the audience, but these ended up being quite expensive. With new technology comes more effective and efficient ways of creating clothes and costumes, allowing plays such as these to have a wide array of colorful, awe-inspiring clothing without the hefty cost. Even stark contrasts can be seen between characters simply based on the clothes that they are wearing.

As our technology advances, so does our uses of it in the entertainment industry. Even simple technologies can be used to create spectacles when placed in the right creative hands. A simple music number can become a fantastic period piece with enough time and commitment towards really using all the resources at one's disposal.