Scenic Spectacle logo

THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCENIC SPECTACLE

A SITE DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF RENAISSANCE AND BAROQUE THEATRICAL SPECTACLE

MODELS

Early Illusionistic [16th Century]
Theatre
Scene Change
Sea Scenes
Flying Machines
Traps & Elevators
Other Effects
Lighting
Later Illusionistic [17th Century]
Theatre
Scene Change
Sea Scenes
Flying Machines
Traps & Elevators
Other Effects
Lighting
18th Century
Theatre
Scene Change
Sea Scenes
Flying Machines
Traps & Elevators
Other Effects
Lighting

 

 

 

Recent West End and Broadway productions such as Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard, and The Lion King have become popular, in part, because of their use of technology for the creation of spectacular effects. Most of the basic techniques used in the modern theatre were developed or were polished in the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. At the beginning of the seventeenth century opera evolved from a courtly and scholarly activity to a popular entertainment, in part, because of its use technology for the creation of scenic spectacle.

This web site will be updated as new material becomes available.

The computer models on this site may be viewed with QuickTime Player available from Apple.

This material is made possible, in part, by a grant from
the New Initiatives Fund
United States Institute for Theatre Technology

USITT logo

and by grants from the
University Research Council, Cratis D. Williams Graduate School
Appalachian State University

ASU logo

This site is maintained by

Dr. Frank Mohler
Department of Theatre & Dance
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608

Send comments to: mohlerfc@appstate.edu

last updated 3/1/07

© Frank Mohler 2007