Behind the magic of the 无毛视频楲ion King无毛视频� puppetry
When 无毛视频淭he Lion King无毛视频� takes the stage at the Benedum Center starting next Wednesday, audiences will quickly understand why the production has captivated theatergoers for decades.
Beyond the talented singers, actors and dancers are the creative professionals working behind the scenes to bring the spectacle to life. One of those individuals is Michael Reilly, the puppet supervisor who helps ensure that every lion, elephant and giraffe moves with the precision and artistry audiences have come to expect.
Decades of experience
For a profession Reilly says he 无毛视频渇ell into,无毛视频� he has certainly mastered it.
无毛视频淚 went to a technical school because I love working with my hands,无毛视频� he said. That passion led him to theater, where he worked as a costume assistant on the original Toronto production of 无毛视频淐ats.无毛视频�
From there he worked on such productions as 无毛视频淭he Phantom of the Opera,无毛视频� 无毛视频淢iss Saigon无毛视频� and 无毛视频淟es Mis茅rables无毛视频� and more. He has been with 无毛视频淭he Lion King无毛视频� since 2000.
Today, Reilly oversees eight different styles of puppetry, including full-body puppets, multi-person puppets and what is known as Pumbaa puppetry无毛视频揳 complex puppet that weighs 45 pounds and is worn like a backpack, resting partially on the performer无毛视频檚 shoulders.
The overseer
It无毛视频檚 Reilly无毛视频檚 job to oversee 230 puppets in the show.
无毛视频淚 fix, repair and repaint as necessary,无毛视频� he said, giving credit to Julie Taymor and Michael Curry, who designed the costumes.
Taymor无毛视频檚 innovative work earned her a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical, making her the first woman to win the honor in that category.
无毛视频淚t took them an entire year to finish them,无毛视频� Reilly said, explaining that the designers had to translate the animated characters into a live stage experience by studying how animals move.
The creative team also understood that the characters would work well as animal/human hybrids.
无毛视频淚t allows them to switch back and forth. Mufasa talks to Simba as a human, for instance,无毛视频� Reilly said.
Wardrobe malfunctions
Thinking on one无毛视频檚 feet and keeping one无毛视频檚 head when characters are losing theirs is just part of the job.
无毛视频淗eads have come loose, legs have fallen off. I无毛视频檝e seen all of it,无毛视频� he said.
Reilly emphasizes the importance of being on time because the wow factor begins almost immediately.
无毛视频淲e start off with the song, 无毛视频楾he Circle of Life,无毛视频� where 50 puppets are onstage at the same time. You can无毛视频檛 miss it,无毛视频� he said.
One of the most memorable malfunctions transpired at the very beginning of the show, necessitating a quick save by actors. An elephant walked down the aisle then attempted to climb the stairs. It fell over, leaving the four people inside unable to get up.
Fortunately, the performers carrying the birds jumped in to save the day.
无毛视频淭hey managed to grab the puppet by the spine and lift it back onto the stairs,无毛视频� said Reilly.
Physically demanding
None of the actors, singers and dancers brought on were hired as puppeteers, according to Reilly.
无毛视频淲e teach them,无毛视频� Reilly said. 无毛视频淭here are lots of heavy dance numbers, along with tons of choreography and training.无毛视频�
Performers must learn how to communicate emotions through the puppet无毛视频檚 movement.
无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 a very important thing they learn in rehearsal,无毛视频� he said.
The suspension of disbelief
One of Reilly无毛视频檚 favorite parts of production is the willing suspension of disbelief.
无毛视频淚n our show, many members of the audience start out viewing the characters as humans. Then, because our cast is so masterful, they begin viewing the inanimate objects as the characters,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚t surprises some people.无毛视频�
Children, in particular, connect with Simba and Nala无毛视频檚 journey as they learn bravery and get into trouble along the way.
After all these years, Reilly still finds something special in the production.
无毛视频淭here无毛视频檚 so much there,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚 think there无毛视频檚 something for everyone. It无毛视频檚 one of the greatest shows on Broadway. If you don无毛视频檛 like musicals, you无毛视频檒l love it无毛视频揳nd if you do, you will.无毛视频�
无毛视频淭he Lion King无毛视频� will be at the Benedum Center through Sept. 27. For information, go online to trustarts.org.