Lifting the Curtain on Theatrical Effects
Summary
This episode takes listeners behind the scenes with J&M Special Effects, a company that has created theatrical illusions for 40 years, from 'Hadestown' to 'Harry Potter and The Cursed Child'. Designers Jeremy Chernick and Bohdan Bushnell discuss how practical effects have evolved with new technology, detailing the blend of old-school craftsmanship and modern innovation required for elaborate stage productions like 'Frozen' and 'Beetlejuice'. They also explore the unique challenges of live theater, balancing audience expectations with the physics of the stage, and the meticulous planning and performer integration needed to make the impossible seem real, often relying on ingenuity over high-tech solutions.Episode description
I’ve covered digital and practical effects in film and TV, but creating special effects for live theater is a whole other challenge. J&M Special Effects has been up to the task for 40 years. Their crew has worked on shows from Hadestown to Harry Potter and The Cursed Child to Disney musicals like Frozen and Aladdin. I get a behind-the-scenes tour of their Brooklyn warehouse, where failure is part of the process in figuring out how to make the magic work. I talk with partner and designer Jeremy Chernick, along with pyrotechnician Bohdan Bushell, about how theatrical effects have evolved with new technology -- and why they can sometimes be too good at their jobs in making the impossible seem possible.
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