David Leveaux’s new production of Romeo and Juliet starring Orlando Bloom and Condola Rashad exemplifies the trend of Broadway productions becoming genuinely live action versions of Hollywood — in this case, flames onstage are creating the visceral impact. The production features two horizontal battens, each more than 40 feet long, and flame appears along 33 feet. A vertical batten is about 25 feet in height, with flames along 16 feet. The system is fueled by propane…When it comes to dealing with fire, special effects design consultant Jeremy Chernick cites early planning as a crucial element. “The earlier that flame is brought into the design, the more likely that it will work, and in a lot of ways the more savings will be available to the production. If the scenery is already built, then it’s harder to integrate into the set.”
—From “Inside Theatre” by Bryan Reesman, PLSN, Dec. 2013
