Pittsburgh Arts, Regional Theatre, New Work, Producing, Copyright, Labor Unions,
New Products, Coping Skills, J-O-Bs...
Theatre industry news, University & School of Drama Announcements, plus occasional course support for
Carnegie Mellon School of Drama Faculty, Staff, Students, and Alumni.
CMU School of Drama
Tuesday, September 09, 2025
The Wizard of Oz at Sphere: fun facts, photos and reactions
AV Magazine: The Wizard of Oz at Sphere has opened in Las Vegas, turning a classic film into a landmark immersive experience.
The show was created by Sphere Studios in collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery, Google, and Magnopus.
1 comment:
Maya K
said...
I thought this was very cool. It is fascinating to learn what the thousands of visual effects artists did to adapt the original film of The Wizard of Oz. You can tell they are really pushing technical boundaries by introducing fog, haptics, motion capture, and synchronized 4D effects on an outstanding scale. I think the transformation of the atrium into Kansas and Emerald City, along with the interactive elements and the hot air balloon, demonstrates a level of theatrical ambition that is difficult to achieve in film. At the same time, the mixed reactions highlighted in the article show the tension between innovation and tradition. Cutting 30 minutes from a classic that everybody knows and loves, and layering in AI-assisted elements, inevitably raises questions about authenticity and respect for the original work. I must agree with some critics who argue this approach diminishes the humanity of Dorothy and her companions. On the other hand, I also agree with the others that see it as a bold reimagining that opens new possibilities for audience engagement. Overall, I think it is a very cool idea and I would love to learn more or even see the production for myself.
1 comment:
I thought this was very cool. It is fascinating to learn what the thousands of visual effects artists did to adapt the original film of The Wizard of Oz. You can tell they are really pushing technical boundaries by introducing fog, haptics, motion capture, and synchronized 4D effects on an outstanding scale. I think the transformation of the atrium into Kansas and Emerald City, along with the interactive elements and the hot air balloon, demonstrates a level of theatrical ambition that is difficult to achieve in film. At the same time, the mixed reactions highlighted in the article show the tension between innovation and tradition. Cutting 30 minutes from a classic that everybody knows and loves, and layering in AI-assisted elements, inevitably raises questions about authenticity and respect for the original work. I must agree with some critics who argue this approach diminishes the humanity of Dorothy and her companions. On the other hand, I also agree with the others that see it as a bold reimagining that opens new possibilities for audience engagement. Overall, I think it is a very cool idea and I would love to learn more or even see the production for myself.
Post a Comment