My computer crashed, right when I had a lovely long thing to post.
So now, I will attempt to post it again.
Oh, and before we start, Cliff, your pants *do not* belong on CNN.
So my History of Theater Design teacher told us a lovely story today (along with humiliating us, but that's another story), about this theater in San Diego. Many years ago, this theater in San Diego (I don't know which one) was hosting a touring production of Ben Hur. This production used a really neat design aspect, called a diorama. No, not that thing that you made in elementary school. This is something that was invented in the 19th century, and was a type of special effect. A diorama is basically several pieces of panoramic scenery put together, and stretched across a stage on two rollers. It was used to simulate travel; often there was a treadmill on the floor of the stage, and as the actor walked in place, the scenery would move, and voila! Look, ma! I'm walking to Rome without moving an inch! Anyway, for this production of Ben Hur, then were using a diorama for the Chariot race scene. Now, they had usually been able to install a treadmill on the stage for the horses (yes, I said horses, and I mean *real* horses) and chariots to race on, but the San Diego theater couldn't do it. So instead, they had fun. They set up two large ramps outside the theater, in direct alignment with the stage, and lined up with the scene loading doors. Right before the chariot race sequence, police would rope off the surrounding streets, and then instead of the horses racing on a giant treadmill, they would race up one of the ramps, *across the stage*, down the opposite ramp, *around the theater*, back up the ramps, and across the stage again, the whole time with this diorama set up and everything. The theater itself holds 3000 or so, but it's estimated that about 10,000 people would show up and hang out *outside* the theater to watch the racing.
No, I'm not lying. That's just freaking cool. ^^
And on the lamer side of all this: I tried to post this several times today, but I couldn't remember my login username for blogger.com. I could remember my *password*, but not my username. I felt stupid.
Anyway, I'm tired. Bedtime.
So now, I will attempt to post it again.
Oh, and before we start, Cliff, your pants *do not* belong on CNN.
So my History of Theater Design teacher told us a lovely story today (along with humiliating us, but that's another story), about this theater in San Diego. Many years ago, this theater in San Diego (I don't know which one) was hosting a touring production of Ben Hur. This production used a really neat design aspect, called a diorama. No, not that thing that you made in elementary school. This is something that was invented in the 19th century, and was a type of special effect. A diorama is basically several pieces of panoramic scenery put together, and stretched across a stage on two rollers. It was used to simulate travel; often there was a treadmill on the floor of the stage, and as the actor walked in place, the scenery would move, and voila! Look, ma! I'm walking to Rome without moving an inch! Anyway, for this production of Ben Hur, then were using a diorama for the Chariot race scene. Now, they had usually been able to install a treadmill on the stage for the horses (yes, I said horses, and I mean *real* horses) and chariots to race on, but the San Diego theater couldn't do it. So instead, they had fun. They set up two large ramps outside the theater, in direct alignment with the stage, and lined up with the scene loading doors. Right before the chariot race sequence, police would rope off the surrounding streets, and then instead of the horses racing on a giant treadmill, they would race up one of the ramps, *across the stage*, down the opposite ramp, *around the theater*, back up the ramps, and across the stage again, the whole time with this diorama set up and everything. The theater itself holds 3000 or so, but it's estimated that about 10,000 people would show up and hang out *outside* the theater to watch the racing.
No, I'm not lying. That's just freaking cool. ^^
And on the lamer side of all this: I tried to post this several times today, but I couldn't remember my login username for blogger.com. I could remember my *password*, but not my username. I felt stupid.
Anyway, I'm tired. Bedtime.
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