After Mary Poppins flew into the balcony at the Fox Theatre, this outside exit needed to be tented for the curtain call in case of rain. (Courtesy Fox Theatre) How theaters handle the demands of the most complex traveling productions Flying carpets, falling chandeliers and a magical nanny that hovers above the audience have been stretching the limits of the special effects that theaters can accommodate. Theatrical productions are getting bigger and heavier and often require additional structural work, leaving operations managers scrambling to retrofit their venues. “Creative people will always push boundaries,” said Bill Dantos, vice president of theater operations for Blumenthal Performing Arts, which runs the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. “And the operations directors at PACs have to deal with it or lose the show.” Dantos had to reach out for help to mount “Phantom of the Opera,” “Aladdin,” “Mary Poppins,” “Billy Elliott” and “Jersey Boys” […]
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