My school is putting on a performance of Jesus Christ Superstar, and we need to find out how to fake a hanging for the scene (Judas' Death) in which Judas hangs himself.
2006-07-14 03:48:42 · 7 answers · asked by Nowhere Man 6 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Theater & Acting
While hanging is the "traditional" method of suicide in the story of Judas, we've also thought of going with the book Acts of the Apostles, in which Judas jumps to his death.
2006-07-14 17:18:05 · update #1
Try a silhouette towards the back of the stage, somewhat oversized. Or you can do it the way a local school did it for Crucible. Face Judas towards the back of the stage with a bit of covering (grass or boulders) to hide his feet.
2006-07-14 03:54:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I saw this done by a high school not too long ago with a very good effect. Judas climbed to the tree tied the rope and when he jumped off the tree he was off stage. A light came on and a sillhouete of the body shone on the backdrop. It was obviously a fake, with a dummy swinging on the rope, but a neat effect for a high school.
2006-07-14 10:59:22 · answer #2 · answered by Marvinator 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Having just played Judas last season...
You want to work up some kind of harness (call Flying by Foy for this) that will hold the weight of the actor and still give the impression that he is dangling by his neck in mid-air. This one stunt will require at least one day of rehearsals to get right with EVERYONE, from the actor to the technicians running the harness. You also want the noose to be attatched in such a way that if the harness were to fail, the noose would break away and not throttle the actor.
Email me on my 360 and I will tell you more.
2006-07-14 10:55:18 · answer #3 · answered by Vatican Lokey 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, I was in a modernistic production and (being Caiaphas) I shot Judas. It solved that problem, as the other priests then dragged him off.
I know this doesn't answer your question, but I thought you might get a kick out of the different take on the show. The crowd at the trial were all reporters in trenchcoats. Herod's scene had him coming out of a strip club.
2006-07-14 17:11:19 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Close curtains after his last lines.
Re-open curtains to reveal a dummy hanging from the rope.
Don't forget the money on the floor.
Break a leg.
2006-07-14 10:59:53 · answer #5 · answered by partydudette52 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's really dangerous, even pro's have almost died during this play for the hanging scene... I wouldn't go on Answers for a solution...
2006-07-14 10:52:04 · answer #6 · answered by ~J♥L♥L~ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Film a silhouette of it and project it onto the psyche.
2006-07-14 11:51:22 · answer #7 · answered by dasiavou 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋